From the time he set foot on the Greens Farms Academy squash court as a middle school player playing at the varsity level, Eddie Xue has always been ready for a challenge.
Taking his academic and athletic skills to the next level at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology come fall is the next climb he’s ready to face.
Xue has announced he will play squash for MIT starting in the fall.
Xue was one of 12 Dragon student-athletes feted on Wednesday during the school’s annual Spring College Commitment ceremony held inside the Coyle Gym. Those 12 coupled with eight Dragons who committed during the National Letter of Intent signing period in the fall brings the school’s total to 20 different GFA athletes playing in college come fall.
“I chose MIT because it will provide me with an amazing opportunity to improve myself academically and athletically for the next 4 years,” Xue said. “It was my first choice by far because it has world class professors and the coach of the squash team is Thierry Lincou, a former world champion and world number one in squash.”
Xue has definitely played a major role in GFA’s squash program, helping the team to a U.S. Squash High School Division III National Championship in 2022.
This winter, Xue played the No. 1 spot and led the Dragons to a fourth-place finish in the national tournament—a run that included upsetting the tournament’s No. 1 seed.
“I am thankful for the chance to have known Eddie and been there for him for the past seven years,” GFA Director of Squash and Boys Varsity Coach Attila Agh said.
Ash said Xue’s willing to study the sport has helped make him a better player, just as it has helped make him a better student and musician.
“Eddie's self-ownership astonished me when I learned about it,” Agh said. “He studied not only academics at GFA, or music and cello which he also is amazing at, but his constant curiosity and desire for achieving greater understanding drove him to study squash. He dove into all aspects of his game on his own, from technical, tactical, mental, physical aspects to nutrition, breathing, kinesiology. It's such an incredible feeling to witness him doing all of that.
“I am over the moon happy about Eddie’s next journey at MIT this fall, where I am sure he will continue to expand, grow, and make us all proud,” the coach added.