It has been two weeks since Penn announced that it would not be renewing the contract of women's squash coach Jim Martel, and it is still unclear why Martel was let go after three years with the Quakers.
The athletic department would not specify why his contract would not be renewed. However, Associate Director of Athletics Mary DiStanislao did issue a statement to The Summer Pennsylvanian.
"This decision was not unilateral," she said. "It was the result of multiple inputs from several sources, including student-athletes on the team over the last few years. These student-athletes came forward to share their concerns about the coach, which we then shared with the coach.
"After much internal deliberation and discussion with the Office of Human Resources and the Office of the General Council, it was decided that we had to make a change for the good of the program."
The former Quakers coach would also not specify as to what infraction forced the athletic department to look for someone else to head the women's squash program.
"I believe there was probably a philosophical difference between what the athletic department's thoughts were on handling a team and what mine were," he said. "They thought I probably should have distanced myself from the kids.
"I was completely disappointed and shocked by the announcement," he added. "I treated these kids like I had 14 daughters."
Both Martel and the athletic department stated that the coach was not let go because of claims of sexual harassment.
"The athletic department received no complaints that would qualify as sexual harassment," DiStanislao said.
The former Penn coach also expressed disappointment that the athletic department, when investigating this unknown infraction, sought out complaints from several athletes that played under Martel but were not recruited by him.
"Those weren't the kids I brought in," he said.
Junior squash player Melissa Cosgrave would not comment on Martel's release. She described it as a "kind of sensitive subject."
Many of Martel's former players are angered by this decision. Martel said that many athletes have called him crying and that several parents of squash players have called the athletic department to complain about its decision.
Several players on the squash team stated that they are still unaware of why their coach's contract was not renewed.
"It comes as a total shock," sophomore women's squash player Radhika Ahluwalia said. "I can't think of a reason, really."
"He was a good guy," she said. "I'm sure they have their reasons."
"Jim is a nice guy," said junior squash player Rhea Bhandare in an e-mail. "He helped me improve my game a lot this year. I will miss him."
Senior team member Daphna Wegner also is not sure as to what happened to her coach.
"As far as I know, his contract was up," she said in an e-mail interview. "I guess the athletic department felt they can get someone better for the team."
The Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics announced on its Web site May 12 that Martel's contract would not be renewed.
Ahluwalia said that the members of the team were notified in an e-mail from the athletic department just before the announcement was made online.
Under Martel, the team was very successfull.
Last season, the Quakers went 10-5, going 3-3 in the Ivy League. The Red and Blue finished fifth at the Howe Cup, the national collegiate championship, after finishing the 2002-2003 season ranked fourth.
This was a considerable accomplishment, as the team was able to maintain a similar ranking despite graduating one of its best players of all time, Runa Reta.
"The program was going nowhere but up," Martel said, noting that his release had "nothing to do with my record."
The team also placed two athletes on the All-American team this season -- freshmen Paula Pearson and Ahluwalia.
"His coaching ability was good," Ahluwalia said. "He brought the team together."
In Martel's three seasons, Penn finished ranked in the national top 10 all three years. In 2001-2002, the team finished ranked ninth after capturing the B Division Howe Cup. In 2002-2003, the Quakers were ranked fourth in the nation, the program's highest rank of all time.
Also in 2002-2003, Martel coached Reta to the program's only Ivy League Player of the Year award.
Before coming to Philadelphia, Martel worked as a professional squash coach at Newmarket, Ontario's Glenway Country Club.
The 1977 Northeastern graduate is not only a talented squash player, but also a skilled baseball and hockey player.
After graduating college, he was drafted by the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs. He is Northeastern's all-time leading scorer in hockey.
The Ontario native also played for Canada's national baseball team, representing his nation at the 1982 World Championships in South Korea.
A national search has already begun to find Martel's replacement.
Neither Ahluwalia nor Bhandare have heard anything about a possible replacement for Martel.
The women's squash team has no assistant coach, so the new head coach will almost definitely come from outside the University.
Martel has not begun to look for a new job yet and is currently deciding whether he will still host his annual summer squash camp this summer at Penn.
