It is a great pleasure for the Board of Governors to announce that five extraordinary individuals will be inducted into the Ontario Squash Hall of Fame in 2026. The Board congratulates Sabir Butt, Paul Deratnay, Jessica DiMauro, Lolly Gillen, David Howard who will be inducted on April 8th at the Granite Club in Toronto.
Sabir Butt will be inducted as a Player. Sabir is one of Canada’s most accomplished squash players, winning six Canadian Junior titles, four National Men’s Open Championships, 16 PSA/ISPA titles, and reaching a career-high world ranking of #17. He earned multiple Pan American gold medals and represented Canada internationally with distinction.
Paul Deratnay will be inducted as a Player, being recognised for his hardball singles and doubles career. He won the 1981 World Jr singles. He was an NCAA champion and a Canadian Open singles champion along with 4 Ontario singles titles. He won the Ontario Open doubles twice and the Canadian Open doubles 4 times.
Jessica DiMauro will be inducted as a Player/Coach in recognition of her Softball Singles, Hardball Doubles and ongoing Coaching career. Over her playing career, she amassed 21 National Singles and Doubles Titles, an NCAA Intercollegiate Singles Title and a World Doubles Championship. Jessica played on the Canadian Jr team from 1992 to 1995 then coached the team from 2004 to 2012. She has the UPenn college wins record at 73 – 9 and won the Fathers Trophy at UPenn for the top graduating Student-Athlete in 1999. Jessica was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania Athletics Hall of Fame and the US College Squash Association Hall of Fame. She is a Level IV National Coach, a Squash Ontario Coach of the Year and has coached at the Granite Club since 1992.
Lolly Gillen will be inducted as a Builder/Player. Lolly is a Squash Ontario Honorary Member and former President (2006-2008), Squash Canada’s second longest-serving President (2013–2018) and the first female to be elected Secretary General of the Pan American Squash Federation (2019–2027). Lolly founded Canada’s 1st wheelchair squash program in 2023 and was appointed Chair of the World Squash57 Commission in 2025. On court, Lolly accumulated 4 open and 57 age category World, Canadian, US & Provincial/State hardball doubles titles.
David Howard will be inducted as a Builder/Referee. Dave participated as a Referee, Tournament Referee and/or mentor in most Provincial/National Championships, Canada Winter Games, and numerous international events. He volunteered as member and chair of both Squash Ontario and Squash Canada Officiating Committees and was chair of the group that developed our current Officiating program and database.
The 2026 Induction Ceremony is scheduled for April 8th and will be hosted by The Granite Club in Toronto.
ONTARIO SQUASH HALL OF FAME BOARD OF GOVERNORS:
Peter Hall, Chair peterhallsquash@gmail.com
Stephanie Hewitt stephaniehewitt@rogers.com
Al Hunt alan.hunt03@gmail.com
Jim Paton jimpaton7@gmail.com
Pat Richardson patrichardson100@gmail.com
Lorraine Tetreault lorraine.tetreault@rogers.com
Tony Swift tonyswift@rogers.com