Two-time world champion David Palmer is entering his 10th season as the James Broadhead '57 Head Coach of Squash at Cornell after originally being named head coach in October 2016.
Entering the 2025-26 season, Palmer's 61 career head coaching victories with the Cornell men's squash team and 65 career wins with the women's team both rank second in program history. The men's team's record is currently assumed by Mark Devoy (126-89), while the women's team record is assumed by Mark's wife, Julee Devoy (111-91).
During Palmer's tenure as the head coach of both the men's and women's squash teams, he has helped attract elite talent to the Big Red, highlighted by four-time First Team All-Americans Sivasangari Subramaniam '23 and Veer Chotrani '24.
With Xin Ying Yee earned First Team All-American honors for her performance during the 2024-25 season, the Cornell women's squash team has had a CSA First Team All-American in each of its last six seasons, joining Subramaniam (2019, 2020, 2022, 2023), and two-time honoree Wen Li Lai (2022 and 2024).
Along with his four First Team All-American awards, Chotrani was a four-time First Team All-Ivy honoree, which included earning Rookie of the Year (2020)Â and Player of the Year (2024) distinctions. Chotrani is the only Big Red player to earn Player of the Year honors from the Ivy League and one of two to receive Rookie of the Year distinctions since its inaugural presentation in 1984, joining Nick Sachvie in 2011.
Competing on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tour between 1997 and 2011, Palmer twice reached a No. 1 world ranking (2001-02, 2006). During his pro career, Palmer won the PSA Super Series finals in 2002, reached the World Tour finals 53 times and came away with the title on 27 occasions. Palmer was a two-time World Champion (2002, 2006), one of just seven athletes to claim a world title on multiple occasions, as well as a four-time British Open Champion (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008). Palmer was ranked in the top 10 of the PSA for 10 consecutive years (2000-10) before retiring in 2010.
Internationally, Palmer captained the Australian national team six times and won a total of seven Commonwealth Game medals, including a pair of golds in men's single and mixed doubles in 2012. He was named the nation's Senior Athlete of the Year four times (2006, 2007, 2008, 2014), and was voted the Player of the Decade by his peers.
He also also run the David Palmer Squash Academy, based out of Orlando, Fla., as well as serving as a part-owner and managing director of Black Knight USA, a manufacturing and wholesaler of sporting equipment. With his academy, Palmer works with multiple professional players all around the world, eight of whom rank among the top 30. He also works with a number international junior players. The academy relocated to Ithaca and utilizes Cornell's Belkin International Squash Courts for camps throughout the year.
In 2007, Palmer was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia, an order of chivalry given by Queen Elizabeth II of Australia, to recognize Australian citizens for achievement or meritorious service.
