Amherst, MA — Tom Carmean is stepping down as Amherst women’s head squash coach after six years. Carmean, who was also head coach of the Jeffs’ men’s lacrosse team for the past eleven years, will leave Amherst to head the men’s lacrosse program at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Carmean served as assistant men’s squash coach under Peter Robson for five seasons before taking over the women’s program in 2005. The Jeffs finished in the top twenty during each of Carmean’s seasons, and they have showed significant improvement over the last two years, finishing both the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 seasons at least 5 wins over .500. In 2009, the Jeffs won the Walker Cup and ended the season ranked 17th in the nation. This year, they improved four spots on their preseason ranking to finish 13th at the 2009-2010 Women’s National Team Championships (Howe Cup).
While Carmean has had success with the women’s squash team, his true expertise is in lacrosse. He was a three-time All-American at the University of Massachusetts and played professionally for eleven years. Under Carmean, the Amherst men’s lacrosse team amassed an 82-76 record between 2000 and 2010, earning ten All-American and fourteen First Team All-NESCAC selections along the way.
“I have wonderful memories of my time at Amherst College,” Carmean is quoted in the Amherst press release about his departure. “I have been fortunate to have so many great experiences and to develop such amazing relationships with players, coaches, parents and alumni these past 11 years.”
Carmean is not the only coach leaving a women’s squash program this year. George Washington head coach Maura Myers has also stepped down, and Harvard announced earlier this year that head men’s and women’s coach Satinder Bajwa’s appointment has not been renewed.
