Virginia Welcomes Best, Dinana on Signing Day
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.- Virginia head squash coach Mark Allen announced the addition of two signees to the Virginia men’s and women’s squash teams on Wednesday (Nov. 13).
“We are excited to welcome Meagan (Best) and Taha (Dinana) to the program,” Allen said. “They promise to be great additions, and both are anticipated to challenge for a position towards the front end of our roster(s). They are international players of the highest level that will make an immediate impact on our teams, and additionally they will arrive at UVA having attended high school in the U.S. – something that I feel will allow them to settle quickly and set them up for success in the classroom, as well as on the court. I can’t wait to have them here.”
Meagan Best • Christ Church, Barbados • Choate Rosemary Hall
A 2018-19 All-American, Best earned a silver medal in the women’s individual competition and a goal medal in the mixed doubles at the 2019 Junior Pan American Championships. Prior to her run at the Junior Pan American Championships, she won the 2016 GU15 Canadian Junior Open Squash Tournament and the 2017 GU17 US Junior Open Squash Championships. Over the course of her career, Best captured two Caribbean Senior titles, four Barbados Senior National titles, seven Caribbean Junior Titles and 13 Caribbean Girls U19 championships. She is also a three-time gold medalist and two time silver medalist at the Junior Pan American Championships, including her run at the 2019 international tournament.
Taha Dinana • Cario, Egypt • Masters Schools
Dinana finished 17th at the 2018 U.S. Junior Open Squash Championships, recording a four-match run to win the second consolation bracket finals. He won the 2018 Arlen Specter Philadelphia Junior Championships and the 2018 Midwest Junior Championships in addition to finishing as a Greenwich Junior Gold U19 finalist and a 2019 Ardic Egyptian Junior Open finalist. Dinana captured three titles in 2017, topping the Baird Haney Brooklyn Junior Gold, New York Regional Championships and the Westchester Winter Junior Gold Championships. He was named the 2018 Masters School Junior Athlete of the Year and a 2017 MVP.