Haverford, PA — Former Bowdoin standout Niki Clement has been named head coach of Haverford’s men’s and women’s squash programs.
Clement will succeed Damon Leedale-Brown, who led the Fords for one season and will be coaching Penn Charter next season. Leedale-Brown was appointed head coach in July 2009, taking over from Sean Sloane, a longtime squash coach for whom the Sloane Award is named.
Clement was a two-time All-American at Bowdoin and was never ranked outside of the top thirty as an individual during her four years of collegiate play. The Polar Bears won the Kurtz Cup (“B” Division) during her first year with the team, and they finished no lower than 13th during her four years at Bowdoin. She played number 1 for the Polar Bears throughout her college career and captained the team as a junior and senior. She graduated from Bowdoin in 2006.
The Haverford women finished the 2009-2010 season with a 1-9 record and a national ranking of 32nd. A highlight of the season was Haverford’s sweep of Drexel in November.
The Haverford men compiled a 4-11 record last year, finishing the season ranked 38th nationally. The Fords secured a place in the Chaffee Cup (“E” Division) consolation finals at the Men’s National Team Championships by reversing a 4-5 loss to Vassar earlier in the season. Although the team lost to Boston College in the consolation finals, they maintained their ranking from the previous year.
“It is very exciting for me to have been presented this opportunity at Haverford, a place that I have been looking toward professionally since graduating college,”Clement is quoted as saying in Haverford’s press release about her appointment. “As a former Division III player myself, I understand the balance these athletes will need to strike between academics and athletics. I’m enthusiastic about each player’s potential for individual improvement and I aim to maintain an emphasis on character, integrity and personal achievement and know that these players will put in the work required for success on and off the court.”