This fall, Temple University students will take the court under a newly established Temple Squash Club, creating another opportunity for students to compete, connect, and remain involved in the sport during their college years.
The club enters the college squash landscape through a partnership between Temple University and SquashSmarts, with players gaining access to the eight courts at the Lenfest Center in North Philadelphia. The program is expected to compete in College Squash Association club events as it builds its membership and establishes its place within the broader college squash community.
For the College Squash Association, the launch represents the type of student-led growth that continues to create new opportunities for the sport.
“The creation of the Temple Squash Club is exactly the kind of collaboration that continues to move college squash forward,” said Lovey Roundtree, Director of Expansion for the College Squash Association. “Temple University, SquashSmarts and their student leaders have invested tremendous time and energy into making this vision a reality. We are excited to support the club as it grows and to welcome Temple into the expanding community of college squash.”
Temple’s arrival is particularly meaningful given its connection to Philadelphia’s established squash community.
SquashSmarts has long used the sport as a vehicle for academic support, mentorship, and personal development for young people across Philadelphia. The new partnership creates another avenue for students to stay connected to the game after high school while pursuing their education.
“Temple University has long been an important destination for many of our students after graduation,” said Stephen Gregg, Executive Director of SquashSmarts. “Creating an on-campus college squash pathway strengthens that connection and provides another opportunity for young people to remain engaged in the sport while continuing their education.”
That pathway is an increasingly important part of the college squash ecosystem. For many students, club programs provide an opportunity to continue competing without the traditional varsity recruiting process, while also giving newcomers a place to discover the sport for the first time.
Temple Squash Club will welcome players of all experience levels, creating a space for both experienced competitors and students simply looking to learn the game.
The club itself began with a simple idea from Temple student Quincy McCormick, finding a community of players closer to home.
“For a while, I took the bus to other courts, but what I really wanted was to create a squash community here at Temple,” said McCormick, the club’s founding president.
That idea has since grown into an official student organization supported by Temple University, Campus Recreation, and SquashSmarts. More than 25 students had already expressed interest in the club ahead of its launch.
For McCormick and the student leaders helping build the program, the focus is now on turning that early interest into a sustainable squash community on campus.
“I’m excited to get started and help the club grow,” he said. “Our goal is to create a collective community of students here at Temple who like squash and want to play the game together.”
The addition of Temple provides another example of how partnerships between universities, local squash organizations, and student leaders can help expand access to collegiate competition.
With a home facility, institutional support, and a growing group of interested students, Temple Squash Club enters its first season with a strong foundation.
As the program develops, the College Squash Association looks forward to welcoming Temple players to CSA club competition and following the next chapter of college squash in Philadelphia.
