John Skillman, Yale’s second men’s tennis coach, took over the reins from Jim Hinchliff in the fall of 1942. However, competition was suspended during WWII from 1943-45. In his 33-year career Skillman posted 242 wins to just 91 losses for a staggering winning record of 73%. His teams have been the New England Intercollegiate Champions six times and have posted five undefeated seasons (’46, ’47, ’59, ‘60, & ’67). Skillman coached two Davis Cuppers, Eugene Scott and Donald Dell. Dell, an NCAA runner-up, captained the Davis Cup squads in 1968-69 and 1969-70.

Skillman came to Yale as the squash coach in 1934 and continued to coach both sports until his retirement. He produced an impressive list of successful squash teams including 10 national intercollegiate titles. He had only one losing season and amassed a career record of 452-79. As a squash player, Skillman was the U.S. Professional Champion in 1933, 1935, and 1937.

Skillman retired at the end of the 1973-74 season but returned to coach the team from April 11th, 1975 through the end of that season.

In 1993, Skillman was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame along with Donald Dell and Gene Scott.

A native of Princeton, NJ where he was born in 1907, Skillman was a high school competitor in football, basketball, and baseball. He began his coaching career in 1927 at Princeton University working as assistant squash and tennis coach. He held that position through 1932, and in 1933, served as a squash and tennis professional at the Apawamis Club in Rye, NY.