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Ping Pong Claims Golden Paddle for 12th Straight Year

2/24/2020

Loyola’s table tennis team defeated the St. Ignatius Wolfpack 15–3 in five game matches last week in the 12th annual “Battle for the Paddle” competition. This year marks the twelfth straight victory for the Ramblers, who received the coveted Golden Paddle award! They team was led by captain Ethan Tong ’20, who defeated Ignatius's number one player, and Hope Balourdos ’21, who won her two matches, one against their fourth ranked male player and another against a female player who is ranked in the top 100 tennis players in the U.S. at her skill level.

Former club president 1Lt Devon Hubbard ’12 returned from her service in Afghanistan to see the Ramblers—her journey home represents the greatest distance traveled by any Rambler alum to watch the team play.

As has become tradition, a post-game pizza party followed the competition.

The Ramblers are the second ranked team this year in the North Division of the Interscholastic Table Tennis Illinois league and are moving on to the state championship tourney on February 29 at Maine East having qualified as one of the six finalists in the competition. The Ramblers have won the state championship three times and are looking forward to this year’s battle!

The team is coached by Mr. John Rank ’65 with Assistant Coach Mr. Dave Van Howe ’02 and Chaplain Rev. Stan Czarnecki, SJ.

Go Ramblers!

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