On this week’s Squash University, Jackson was accompanied by honorary cohost Matias Knudsen! Matias graduated from Drexel University in 2023 where he played number 1 and helped lead the Dragons to a top 5 finish in the country (their highest  in program history). 

Since graduating last spring, the Bogota, Colombia native has broken into the PSA World Tour top 100 and helped lead the New York City Knights to win the inaugural NSL Championship this past June, a league through which he met super-duper star commentator Jackson Bragman (see how it all comes together?) 

Jackson and Matias chatted about the Drexel grad’s offseason training and goals for this season on tour, as well as some of their favorite players on tour to watch, the upcoming NSL Legends match Matias is playing in this September, what it was like playing for Drexel Head Coach and former World number 1 John White and Colombia’s heartbreaking Copa America finals loss (0:39). 

Then, Drexel University’s men’s number 1 Nico Serna joined Squash University. Matias and Nico go way back to early in their junior days, both growing up in Bogota and playing international tournaments together across South America, and they reunited for 2 years in Philadelphia while playing for Drexel. 

As he’s now getting set for his senior season with the Dragons, Matias and Jackson asked Nico about junior squash in Colombia, starting his college career at Dickinson and transferring to Drexel his sophomore season, his best moments from last season (including the Dragons nearly taking down Trinity in the first round of CSA Nationals) and he shared some more John White stories, as well (39:49). 

Huge thanks to Matias for cohosting this week's show and to Nico for joining us, as we're wishing them each the best of luck this season! 

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Huge thanks to our friend Sammy Curcuru for our lovely outro music! Listen to “im down if ur down” and all of Sammy’s music now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UI9kAvoeIveioAmihp9g9?si=hLhV5CVPTn2o89uA3CFB7g