ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - The Bard College Department of Athletics and Recreation has announced that
Craig Thorpe-Clark has been named Head Coach of the Men's Squash team.
A native of Australia, Thorpe-Clark has been coaching and officiating squash for decades. Before coming to Bard, Thorpe-Clark served as the head men's squash coach at the University of Pennsylvania from 1999-2010. At Penn, he led the team to a 95-75 record and never finish a season ranked lower than 13th in the country. He twice guided the Quakers to a top-five ranking and he coached seven All-Americans and six All-Ivy League selections.
In the early 1990s, Thorpe-Clark was the Head Coach of the U.S. Women's National Team. Prior to coaching at Penn, Thorpe-Clark coached the men's and women's teams at Vassar College.
"Craig brings a wealth of experience to Bard and our squash program," said Bard Director of Athletics Kris Hall. "We have a brand new facility, and now we have one of the most knowledgeable and respected coaches in the country. Our student-athletes will benefit from his leadership and experience."
As part of a renovation and expansion of the Stevenson Athletic Center two summers ago, Bard constructed four state-of-the-art squash courts with a mezzanine viewing area. It is considered one of the finest squash facilities in the Northeast.
"I am delighted to be joining the Bard College Athletic Department," Thorpe-Clark said. "I look forward to working with our student-athletes in a brand new facility at a great academic institution."
The NCAA does not sponsor squash. Bard competes in the
College Squash Association (CSA), which is the governing body for intercollegiate squash in the United States. Thorpe-Clark has been a CSA board member for years, and he was President of the CSA at one point, and Treasurer at another.
The Raptors compete in the Liberty League with St. Lawrence University, the University of Rochester, Hobart College and Vassar College. In the final CSA rankings from the 2013-14 season, St. Lawrence was No. 5 and Rochester was No. 7.
