GAMBIER, Ohio -- Jason Imperati, Kenyon College's Director of Athletics, Fitness and Recreation, announced today that Scott Denne was hired to be the first coach of the Owls men's and women's squash programs.
Back in April, it was announced that Kenyon would be adding the squash programs, which will commence varsity competition in the 2027-28 academic year and will bring the department's total to 25 sports, including 13 for women and 12 for men.
Denne (pronounced Den), who spent the last three years as the Head Squash Professional at the Athletic Club of Columbus, not only brings to Kenyon a wealth of knowledge about squash, but also nationwide connections across nearly every level of the sport.      Â
"Scott stood out because of his experience, strong recruiting contacts and the energy and enthusiasm needed to build a new program," Imperati said. "His understanding of Kenyon's academic standards, commitment to the student-athlete experience and strong fit with our staff made him the right person for the position."
"I was attracted to the position knowing Kenyon's outstanding academic programs as well as having one of the best athletic facilities I have seen in all my years coaching," Denne said. "The squash facility really is second to none and I'm looking forward to making it a busy place on campus."Â
A professional player from 1987-2000, Denne began his coaching career soon after, spending more than a decade instructing and running tournaments at club and junior levels. In 2017, he was hired as the assistant coach for Cornell University's men's and women's team. Two years later, he was head coach at St. Lawrence University and, two years after that, the head coach at John Burroughs School.
At Cornell, Denne assisted with a women's team that finished No. 7 in the nation and a men's team that finished at No. 12. At St. Lawrence, his women's team twice won the Liberty League and he was twice named Coach of the Year. In addition to his coaching duties, Denne also managed logistics, operations, and fundraising at Cornell and St. Lawrence.
Denne will rely on those experiences as he carves out a path for the launch of the Kenyon programs.Â
"I'm excited to build a program from the ground up and doing it at a place like Kenyon is just going to be amazing," Denne said. "The support at Kenyon will undoubtedly help me build strong teams, successful in both academics and athletics, while adding to the already strong culture across the department and across campus. I believe we can attract the kind of quality student-athletes Kenyon is known for and can create a program that the College will be proud of for a long time to come."
Denne will begin his work at Kenyon on Tuesday, September 1.Â
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