Wesleyan University

Shona Kerr, most recently the head squash coach at Wellesley College, has been named faculty head men's and women's squash coach at Wesleyan University, Athletics Director John Biddiscombe announced. Kerr will hold the rank of adjunct assistant professor of physical education at Wesleyan as she steps in for David Tedeschi, who coached both squash teams at Wesleyan during the 2004-05 season on an interim basis.

Kerr completed her fourth year as head squash coach at Wellesley College this past winter with a cumulative record of 44-40. Her 2002-03 squad posted 15 victories, the most at the College since 1984.

Kerr came to Wellesley from the University of Wales Institutes Cardiff (UWIC), where she coached for one year. Prior to UWIC, she coached the Cardiff University Squash club, where she tutored players of all ages and abilities from 1996-98. In addition, she served as an assistant coach for the Sussex Under-19 girls' squad.

As a player, Kerr was a four-year member of the Welsh Universities team from 1996-99. More recently, she was a member of the UWIC team which won the Women's Welsh Premiere League. She also represented Wales at the 2000 European Club Championships, held in Amsterdam. In the United States, Kerr was a national squash age-group champion for under-35 and at the 5.0 skill level in both 2004 and 2005 and also played for the Boston Ladies "A" Team which won the Howe Cup.

In addition to her playing and coaching experience, Kerr holds Level III advanced coaching certification from the England Squash Association. In the summer 2003, Kerr traveled to Cairo, Egypt as a presenter at the World Squash Federation Development and Coaching Conference. She also has been active in several camps as a coach including Squashbusters summer camp for which she served as director. Kerr is beginning a two-year term as vice-president of the College Squash Association, of which she has been a member since 2001.

Kerr earned a bachelors degree in music from Cardiff University in 1998 and graduate certification in management from Oxford University in 2000.

"Wesleyan is extremely fortunate to have successfully attracted such a well-qualified squash coach to fill its position," Biddiscombe stated. "Shona has outstanding experience in producing winning squash teams. Her contributions will be a real asset to our athletics program."

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