Senior Ryosei Kobayashi was already one of the best to ever play squash at the University of Rochester.  Now he is among the most decorated in Rochester history after capturing the 2017 College Squash Association Skillman Award.
 
The Skillman Award is intercollegiate squash's highest honor, and is given annually to a senior men's squash player who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship during his entire college career. This award is named for former Yale coach John Skillman, who led the Bulldogs to multiple national titles in over 40 years leading the team.
 
Players are evaluated based on their on-court poise and demeanor, skill level and ability in the game of squash, team play, contributions to intercollegiate squash, leadership, and cooperation with players, coaches, and tournament officials.
 
Throughout his career, Kobayashi has seen his name littered over the Rochester squash record book.  He currently has a career match record of 67-15, good for an .817 winning percentage.  He is second all-time at UR in both wins, and winning percentage.  He is presently tied with teammate Mario Yanez Tapia with 67 career wins, one behind Jim Bristow for the Rochester record.
 
Head coach Martin Heath says of his senior co-captain "Ryo has provided strong leadership as a two-time captain, emphasizing discipline, focus and efficiency. Ryo is also a natural leader due to his confidence, academic ability, clutch performances, and easy going manner."
 

Kobayashi has been remarkably consistent during his four years as a Yellowjacket, posting win-loss records of 16-3, 19-4, 18-4 and currently 14-4 for 2017.  He is a 3-time 1st Team CSA All-American, joining only four other UR players in history to accomplish that feat and will seek to become the first ever 'Jacket to be named a 4-time 1st Team All-American at the CSA Individual Championships in two weeks.
 
The senior has never played below the #4 position for Rochester, playing 49 of his 60 dual matches at either #1 or #2 on the ladder, posting a record of 40-9 in those contests.  He is a 3-time All-Liberty League selection and a two-year member on the Liberty League All-Academic team.
 
Last season, Kobayashi helped the Yellowjackets achieve two program firsts.  He was an integral part in Rochester making its first ever appearance in the CSA Potter Cup (A Division) National Championship match, going 3-0 over UR's matches at nationals.  That led to UR being ranked #2 at seasons' end following a 5-4 title match loss to Yale, then a school best team ranking.
 
One week later, Kobayashi then competed at the CSA Individual Championships, where he became the first ever Rochester player to reach the individual finals of the Pool (A) Division, where he ultimately lost in four games to Ahmed Abdel Khalek of Bates for the national title.  During the run, Kobayashi upset #2 seed Amr Khalifa of St. Lawrence and then #3 seed and teammate Yanez on the way to the finals.
 
This year, the senior started off his year strong, capturing the title at the prestigious Price-Bullington Invitational, one of the top individual college squash tournaments in the country.  He then went 10-4 in dual competition during the season, helping lift the Yellowjackets to a victory over #1 Trinity on January 21st, 2017, rallying from 0-2 down in the final match to break a 4-all tie.  The win over the Bantams helped UR achieve a #1 team ranking in the CSA, the first ever for the Rochester program.  Ultimately, the victory over Trinity was the only loss of the season for the eventual national champion Bantams.
 
Over the weekend, Kobayashi was a perfect 3-0, helping Rochester finish 5th in the nation at the CSA Potter Cup Tournament.  This was the ninth straight season that UR has ended in the top-8 of collegiate squash.
 
Kobayashi was chosen from a batch of three finalists for the 2017 Skillman Award, beating out teammate Mario Yanez and Columbia senior Rishi Tandon for the award.  He is the second Yellowjacket to win college squash's top honor, as Benjamin Fisher was named the Skillman winner following the 2012 season.
 
He received his award prior to Rochester's 5th place match against Drexel University on Sunday morning at Harvard University's Murr Center.