Ginny Akabane learned squash at Radcliffe in the late 1960s and became a dominant player in the 1970s. She won the 1975 National Singles, beating future Hall of Fame Barb Maltby in the final. She also captured the Canadian national title in 1973 and 1974. An early convert to softball, Akabane played on the first Team USA women’s squad to enter the world championships in 1979 and won the 1979 Hyder Cup. Back surgeries cut short her playing career, but Akabane was always known for her gracious on-court demeanor—she was honored with the inaugural Feron’s Wedgwood Sportsmanship Award in 1979. Akabane’s off-court contributions were equally impressive. In particular, she was the president of the U.S. women’s association from 1979 to 1981 and played a central role in merging the men’s and women’s associations, ending a half-century separation and positioning squash for tremendous growth. For her work in navigating this complicated process, Akabane was awarded the 1982 Achievement Bowl.
