NEW YORK — The squash teams will put their 3-0 records on the line Sunday, when the Big Red opens Ivy League play against Columbia at 11 a.m. at SL Green StreetSquash Center.
 
Despite having never lost to Columbia (2-0) since the Lions' program was resurrected for the 2011-12 season, eighth-ranked Cornell (3-0) finds itself looking up to the sixth-ranked Lions in the College Squash Association's national rankings. The CSA changed its preseason ranking system this season, replacing the customary rollover of the final rankings from the previous season to a poll of coaches from the Top 25 programs.
 
Both programs have held their ground in the early going this season. The Big Red took 23 of 27 available points in victories over Western Ontario, Williams and George Washington two weeks ago at the Cornell Round Robin. Meanwhile, Columbia was defeating No. 12 Drexel (8-1) and No. 7 Franklin & Marshall (5-4). Senior Ramit Tandon was ranked fourth in the country last season, and his younger brother, sophomore Rishi Tandon, was ranked 14th.
 
For Cornell, senior Aditya Jagtap is 3-0 as the team's new No. 1. Ranked 10th at the end of last season, but ineligible to claim the subsequent All-America honors, the All-Ivy League selection is one of this year's tri-captains. The others are juniors Gustav Runersjö and Graham Dietz. Dietz had the winning point in last year's meeting with Columbia with a five-game victory over Andrew Tan at the No. 7 position. It was the second straight year Cornell won 5-4, improving the program's all-time record vs. the Lions to 7-1.
 
The sixth-ranked Cornell women's squash team is also 3-0 to start the season, having earned impressive 9-0 sweeps of No. 12 Williams, No. 8 George Washington and No. 7 Stanford two weeks ago at the Cornell Round Robin. Ninth-ranked Columbia (2-0) started its season with 7-2 victories over No. 13 Drexel and No. 17 Franklin & Marshall.
 
The Big Red has not lost to Columbia in their three meetings since the Lions started their women's program. Cornell won 9-0 in the first two clashes, then took a 7-2 decision last year. Five of the Lions' six competitors ranked in the top 100 last season have returned, including Colette Sultana and Catherine Jenkins, who are both 2-0 from the top third of the ladder.
 
Cornell has seven players at 3-0 so far, including four freshmen — Michèle Garceau, Charlotte Knaggs, Margaux Losty and Emma Uible.