Courtesy of Camel Athletics
Last July, Scott Brown ‘19 announced that he would be stepping down from his position as Connecticut College’s head men’s and women’s squash coach following two seasons in charge. Brown transitioned to be the school’s assistant director of alumni and parent engagement, and while he still works closely with the athletic department, his departure left an opening for the head coaching role. Unfortunately for Conn’s squash program, this seems to be a recurring trend in the past few years. Since the departures of women’s coach Ted Childs and men’s coach Barry Ward after the 2016-2017 season, the team is now onto its fourth head coach in less than nine years. Team member Izzy Schumacher ‘25 said, “We are on our third [coach], but I feel like I have seen everything.” However, the athletic department was able to fill the position after less than three months with the appointment of Coach Tim Lasusa.
Stepping into this role right before the season begins, Lasusa has his hands full, having to build team chemistry in only a few months. The 2023-2024 season was not a strong season for the squash program, with both the men’s and women’s teams ending with records below .500, struggling both home and away. While the year did not end favorably for the players competing in the singles and doubles competitions, the teams did perform relatively well in the team national competitions. The men’s team picked up victories over Bard College and Haverford College, and the women’s roster ran away with wins over Vassar College and Denison University. The two teams each saw three players graduate from the previous season with an influx of fresh first-year talent attempting to resupply rosters.
The man poised to lead them into the season is Coach Tim Lasusa. Hailing from New York City, he began playing squash at four years old and continued through high school, where he attended Poly Prep. Not only is Poly Prep one of the city’s most prestigious high schools, but it is also a juggernaut in high school squash. Lasusa was competing with and against only the best of the best from a very young age. He himself was in a tier of his own, being named captain for his junior and senior years and receiving MVP and Second Team All-Ivy Prep League honors in his final year of high school. Upon graduation, he attended St. Lawrence University, where his success did not slow down. Throughout his collegiate career, he racked up a staggering record of 30-8, going undefeated in his junior year. While in college, he interned with US Squash twice, getting a taste of the professional game.
Upon receiving his BA in Art History at St. Lawrence with a minor in Sports Studies and Exercise Science, he worked as an assistant squash professional, which is a role that supports the head coach by coaching, planning, and mentoring players, at a Greenwich Country Club before going pro with the Professional Squash Association for two and a half years. Lasusa competed in the PSA World Tour, SDA Pro Tour, and in 2017, reached the US Singles National Championship quarterfinals. During his time as a professional, he began his coaching career as an assistant coach for Yale University. After gaining almost four years of quality experience in the Ivy League, he moved to the Patriot League and became the first-ever head coach for Georgetown University’s squash program. In his first season, he led the Hoyas to a respectable 10-13 record, with multiple players receiving athletic honors. In the subsequent seasons, the Georgetown record would continue improving to 16-10 in 2022-2023 and then 14-8 in 2023-2024, where the team would win the B division of the Collegiate Squash Association Divisional Team Championships. While coaching collegiate athletes, Lasusa also hosted camps for junior athletes to get professional training in the sport. Following this success, he has chosen to move to New London to help develop a roster in transition and assist the Camels in triumphing over their rivals across the Northeast.
Schumacher explained that squash is a very individualized sport, stating that through squash, you “really learn how to handle yourself. Certain sports [have] a lot more collaboration, but when you play squash, it’s [just] you out there on the court.” The team has taken the expectations and pressure off the new coach and given him the space to build relationships and chemistry with the team. “Awesome” and “professional” were praises constantly sung of Lasusa, and with his strong coaching experience, the team has complete confidence in their new coach.
The team feels like Lasusa can hopefully buck the trend of constant coaching changes. “I think our coach is in it for the long term for our program to not only set out his goals and expectations but also inherit our team spirit and culture,” said Josiah Rondon ‘26.
As we look towards practice in October, Lasusa will be able to show his coaching style on the court in the hopes of making Conn a more competitive team in the Northeast.
BVM Sports commented, “The hiring of Tim Lasusa marks a pivotal moment for Connecticut College squash, with the potential for significant growth and achievement under his leadership. His blend of experience, passion for the sport, and connection to the local community positions him uniquely to lead this transformative phase.” This is shaping up to be a history-altering hire for Conn squash, and it looks to provide the college with success in the sport for years to come. Mark your calendars for November 16 to see the first exhibition of Conn squash under Lasusa as both teams take on Middlebury in the season opener.
