Chatham Adds Squash; Stephenson Named Head Coach

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Nov. 2, 2017 – Chatham University Athletic Director Leonard Trevino has announced that Chatham has added women's and men's squash as varsity sports programs, starting competition in 2018-19. The Cougars will now have 20 varsity sports, 11 for women and nine for men.

Chatham's President Dr. Finegold notes, "As a squash player myself, I'm very excited about the launch of men's and women's teams at Chatham, and our partnership with the Steel City Squash program that uses squash as a way to help young people be the first in their family to go to college."

Intercollegiate squash, which is not an NCAA-sponsored sport, is governed by the Collegiate Squash Association (CSA). The CSA season runs from November through late February, culminating with the team championships. The CSA individual championships are held in early March.

Since 1993, Chatham becomes the eleventh school to add varsity squash: Haverford (1993 -1994), William Smith (1998 – 1999), St. Lawrence (1999 – 2000), George Washington (2002 – 2003), Stanford (2003 – 2004, added women's team); Middlebury (2007 – 2008, added men's team to an existing varsity women's team), Columbia (2010 – 2011), Drexel (2011 – 2012), Dickinson (2014 – 2015), Virginia (2017 – 2018) and Bard (2017-18).

With the addition of Chatham, there are now 32 women's and 35 men's varsity intercollegiate squash teams.

The Cougars have also announced the hiring of Larissa Stephenson as Head Women's & Men's Squash Coach.

Stephenson graduated from Trinity (CT) in 2006 and was the captain of the women's squash team during her junior and senior seasons. A three-time All-American selection, Stephenson posted an overall record of 42-16.

Stephenson was on the PSA World Tour for almost ten years and currently plays on the WSDA Tour. She is ranked 18th in the WSDA and at her highest was 78th in the PSA.

A native of New Zealand, Stephenson was a member of the New Zealand Junior Team from 1999-2001 and won the Prime Minister's Sport Scholarship Award in 2001.

From 2012-13, Stephenson served as the executive director for Mission Squash in Houston, Texas and from 2011-12, she was the head coach at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Stephenson is a Level 1 Certified coach.

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