Gilly Lane '03

Gilly Lane is one of the greatest squash players in The University of Pennsylvania program’s history. Named head coach of Penn’s men's squash program in March 2016, he has led the university to an 82-26 record (31-10, in Ivy League).

As a player, his titles and accolades are plentiful, including a four-time All American and All Ivy selection, eight PSA World Tour Finals, a US National Team member, and a member of the gold-winning men's team at the Pane American Games in 2008. At Penn, he was named the 2022 Ivy League Coach of the Year and his team won the Ivy League Championship in that same year. They also made it to the national finals in 2020 and coached back-to-back Ivy League Rookie of the Year selections in 2020 and 2022 as well as 11 First Team All American, 6 Second-Team All American, and 14 All Ivy League selections. 

This is incredible, but Gilly’s success is more than just stats. Drawing on his own experiences as a player, he is known, as a coach, for his emphasis on teamwork, discipline, and mental toughness, and he has been credited with helping to cultivate a culture of excellence at Penn. As a player, he won the Skillman Award for best sportsmanship by the College Squash Association and his Penn team won the award in 2020.

Women’s World Team player, Olivia Fiechter ’14 (who is ranked 9th in the world) says, "I have been lucky to have Gilly as a role model and friend for many years now. Were it not for trailblazers like Gilly inspiring the younger generations, it’s unlikely the American presence on the global stage would be as strong as it is today. What sets Gilly apart, in my opinion, is his infectious passion for the game and his unwavering commitment to coaching and competing with integrity. Gilly has inspired countless players to strive for excellence and to play the game the right way, and I am so grateful for his leadership and the example he is setting for so many.”

Congratulations, Gilly!