Cornell’s men’s and women’s squash programs have added former world No. 5 Kasey Brown as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season.
Brown, an 11-time professional tour champion, joins head coach David Palmer and associate head coach Mark Burke, giving the Big Red three Australian-born former touring professionals on staff.
Palmer, Cornell’s James Broadhead ’57 head coach of squash, said he and Brown played together on Australian teams and knew each other on the professional tour. Brown contacted him earlier this year about returning to the United States, opening the door for the hire.
“I am excited to begin work with the Cornell squash team,” Brown said. “It is a very successful program, and I am eager to help the men’s and women’s teams continue that success.”
Brown said she looks forward to working with Palmer and Burke as she begins her role with both teams.
Tour titles and international medals
A native of Taree, New South Wales, Brown played professionally from 2002 to 2014 and reached her career-high No. 5 ranking in December 2011. Her 11 tour titles included the 2006 Australian Open and 2011 Greenwich Open.
She earned the Women’s International Squash Players Association’s Most Improved Player of the Year award for 2010. At the 2011 U.S. Open, she defeated longtime world No. 1 Nicol David in the quarterfinals.
Brown won three medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi: mixed doubles gold with Cameron Pilley, plus bronze in singles and women’s doubles. She added a mixed doubles bronze at the 2014 Games in Glasgow.
In December 2010, she helped Australia win the Women’s World Team Championship in Palmerston North, New Zealand. She spent much of her playing career based in the United States, training in Greenwich, Connecticut, and New York.
Leadership and coaching experience
Brown was elected president of the Women’s Squash Association’s board of directors in January 2014. Her work focused on growing women’s squash globally and promoting equal opportunity and visibility for female athletes.
She retired from the tour in October 2014 after her final U.S. Open appearance in Philadelphia and completed the remainder of her term as WSA president.
After retiring, Brown pursued education in teaching and psychology and continued studies in strength and conditioning and business. She also participated in the Australian Institute of Sport’s Athlete Accelerate career and leadership development program.
Her work away from professional squash has included volunteering in surf lifesaving and coaching and mentoring Aboriginal youth in Central Australia.
“She’s had a good impact on both teams,” Palmer said. “She’s very organized, putting in long hours, and she’s excited to get started with our first matches coming up. She’s going to bring a lot of experience and motivation.”
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