Latasha Khan and Julian Illingworth will be inducted into the United States Squash Hall of Fame on Saturday, October 26, 2024. The ceremony will occur at a special luncheon preceding the finals of the 2024 U.S. Open at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia.
Reflecting the emerging geographic diversity of American squash, there will be a distinctive Pacific Northwest tone to the 2024 inductions. Both grew up outside the old heart of the game in the East Coast; Khan is from Seattle and Illingworth is from Portland. They were also born almost exactly eleven years apart: Khan is now fifty-one years old and Illingworth now forty.
The two sit at the very top of the American squash record books. Khan won the National Singles seven times, tied for second all-time; Illingworth won nine National Singles titles, tied with Demer Holleran for the most all-time. Khan reached world No. 18; Illingworth topped out at world No. 24. Khan captured ten professional titles; Illingworth twelve.
“They are amazing players and we are proud to induct them,” said Kevin Klipstein, president and CEO of US Squash. “For a long time, they dominated American squash in a way we had never seen before.”
The U.S. Squash Hall of Fame was founded in 2000. It opened at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia then moved to Payne Whitney Gymnasium at Yale in 2006. After sixteen years in New Haven, it relocated back to Philadelphia in April 2022 when the elegant and engaging Pierce Family U.S. Squash Hall of Fame space opened at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center. With the additions of Illingworth and Khan, there will be seventy-one members of the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame.
“Latasha and Julian are representative of what makes squash in American so special,” said James Zug, chair of the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame Committee. “They are national champions who inspired the country with their ability, passion and grit. They have had a tremendous impact on the history of squash in the country.”