Chris Abplanalp enters his 14th season at the helm of the St. Lawrence men's and women's squash programs in 2018-19. The most successful squash coach in University history, Abplanalp has built the Saints men's program into one of the best in the nation and his 2013-14 women's team was selected as the most improved nationally after playing the most difficult schedule in program history.
A six-time Liberty League Coach of the Year, Abplanalp led the 2012-13 men's team to its first-ever appearance in the Potter Cup (A Division) at the College Squash Association (CSA) Nationals where it finished sixth in the nation. The historic season also featured St. Lawrence's first CSA individual champion and All-American in Amr Khaled Khalifa and an unprecedented victory over Cornell University. The Saints have built on their success from there, finishing second in the nation in 2014-15 and making their first appearance in the national championship match. They also finished third in the 2017-18 season.
The men's team is 82-25 since the start of the 2012-13 season and has won five consecutive Liberty League titles.
Abplanalp has coached 17 Liberty League major award winners for the men's program, along with 71 All-Conference honorees.
The women's program continues to improve with a youthful roster and was ranked as high as 12th nationally in 2005. The Liberty League reinstated women's squash as a championship sponsored sport prior to the start of 2017-18 and the Saints captured their first Liberty League Championship since the 2003-04 season in January 2018. The women's team was also the recipient of the CSA's Chaffee Award for sportsmanship in 2018.
In addition to coaching squash at St. Lawrence, Chris is also a coach with Squash and Beyond World, working with young players, as well as professional players and coaches on international tours around the world. He is also a member of the CSA Executive Board.
A Canton, New York native, Abplanalp graduated from Connecticut College, where he was an All-American and two-sport student-athlete. Prior to being named the Saints head squash coach, he spent several seasons as the assistant men's lacrosse coach at St. Lawrence.
Updated: 9/3/18
