2016-17 HISTORY & RECORDS SUPPLEMENT COACHING HISTORY HEAD COACHES Pedro DeLandero ...................................................................................................................................................... 1934-39 Walt Langford ............................................................................................................................................ 1940-43; 1951-61 Herb Melton .............................................................................................................................................................. 1947-50 Michael DeCicco ....................................................................................................................................................... 1962-96 Yves Auriol ...................................................................................................................................women’s team, 1986-2002 .........................................................................................................................................................men’s team, 1996-2002 Janusz Bednarski ....................................................................................................................................................... 2002-14 Gia Kvaratskhelia ..............................................................................................................................................2014-present Pedro Walt Herb Yves Auriol Michael Janusz DeLandero Langford Melton 1986-2002 DeCicco Bednarski 38-12-2 155-35 30-5 Women’s 680-45 623-62 (.750 winning (.816 winning (.857 winning Record: 364-24 (.938 winning (.909 winning percentage) percentage) percentage) (.938) percentage) percentage) 1996-2002 Men’s Record: 161-9 (.947) ASSISTANT COACHES Louis Peck ..............................................................1947-51 Michael Marx ..........................................................1988-92 Brian Duff .................................................................... 1953 Adam Zyczkowski ..................................................1989-90 Michael DeCicco ....................................................1954-61 Attila Tass .................................................................... 1990 John Donlon ................................................................ 1962 Ed Korfanty ............................................................1991-93 Mike Bishko ............................................................1964-66 Ed Baguer ..............................................................1993-95 John Wagner ............................................................... 1965 Jeremy Siek ............................................................1998-99 Mike McQuade ......................................................1966-68 Brian Stone .........................................................1999-2000 Mike Dwyer ................................................................. 1967 Janusz Bednarski ................................................1995-2002 John Klier .................................................................... 1968 Brian Banas .........................................................1999-2001 Rich Deladrier .........................................................1972-73 Igor Stefanic ................................................................ 2000 Rich Hosinski ..........................................................1972-75 James Gaither ............................................................. 2001 Ron Sollitto .................................................................. 1973 Zoltan Dudas ..........................................................2002-06 Doug Daher ............................................................1973-74 Marek Stepien ........................................................2007-11 Tim Taylor ...............................................................1973-76 Gia Kvaratskhelia ...................................................2007-14 Rev. Larry Calhoun .................................................1976-79 Ian Farr ...................................................................2011-14 Tom Coye ...............................................................1976-79 Cedric Loiseau ................................................2013-present Risto Hurme ................................................................ 1977 Samir Ibrahimov .............................................2014-present Ed DeVivo ..............................................................1977-79 Buckie Leach ..................................................2016-present Michael Sullivan ............................................1979, 1996-97 Greg Mueller ..........................................................1980-81 Dodee Carney ............................................................. 1982 Steve Renshaw .......................................................1982-85 Marc de Jong .............................................................. 1984 Mike Weeks ............................................................1984-85 Rich Daly .................................................................1984-90 Matt Harris .............................................................1986-88 Don Johnson ..........................................................1988-89 2 COACHING HISTORY coaching staff, Kvaratskhelia spent 10 declared its independence — and later years as coach of the Kanza Fencing had an impressive 11th-place finish at the Club in Salina, Kansas. In that time, 1992 European Championship. Kvaratskhelia transformed Kanza from Noted for his tremendous a small recreational club into one of the communication skills, Kvaratskhelia is nation’s top foil centers. His fencers at fluent in Russian, Georgian and English. Kanza - which included the Kubik and He received his bachelor’s degree in Hodges brothers - combined to win physical education and sport in 1993 three USFA national men’s open foil team from the Georgian State Physical Training championships, with six of his Kanza Institute in his hometown of Tbilisi. He fencers going on to compete at the also earned a sports journalism certificate Division I level as scholarship athletes. His from that institution (`92) and pursued Kanza fencers combined to be national graduate studies in journalism at Tbilisi finalists 15 times, while receiving nearly State University in 1993 prior to coming 50 national medals. to the United States. Kvaratskhelia — who became a U.S. Kvaratskhelia and his wife, Dani Edson, citizen in 2004 — immigrated to the have one daughter, Maya, and one son, United States in 1994 from the former Alexander. Soviet Republic of Georgia. After coming to the U.S., he remained active in his own fencing career by competing in domestic Highlights and international events. He first ventured Gia Kvaratskhelia into coaching in 1994, assisting Vladimir • 2016 Co-ACC Women’s Coach of the 2014-present (131-11, .923) Nazlymov (now head coach at Ohio State) Year at Central Fencing Club in Kansas City • 2016 Co-ACC Men’s Coach of the Year Guiorgie “Gia” Kvaratskhelia (GEE- and at the satellite Lawrence Fencing • 2015 ACC Men’s Coach of the Year uh KLAW-duh-SKELL-ee-uh) became Club. Two years later, he accepted • 2013 Midwest Fencing Conference the seventh head coach in Notre Dame the challenge in Salina and spent 10 Varsity Coach of the Year fencing history in 2014, succeeding years building Kanza into a nationally • 2010-11 U.S. Fencing National Coach Janusz Bednarski after having spent recognized club. of the Year the previous three years as associate Kvaratskhelia began fencing in 1988 • 2015, 2016 ACC Women’s Fencing head coach and five as an assistant. at the age of 13, progressing quickly and Championship Kvaratskhelia is a foil specialist, regarded becoming a member of the Georgian • 2015, 2016 ACC Men’s Fencing as one of the top foil coaches in the National Foil Team from 1990-94, fencing Championship nation. alongside the likes of Vladimir Aptiaouri • 38 All-Americans Since joining the Irish staff in 2007, (a member of the U.S.S.R. foil team • 11 NCAA Individual Champions Kvaratskhelia has overseen a thriving that won gold at the 1988 Olympics). foil program. Irish foilists have qualified Kvaratskhelia took home the bronze the maximum of four foilists each year medal at the 1990 Soviet Junior National for NCAA championship play, with 38 of Championship — shortly before Georgia the 40 total appearances (through 2016) resulting in All-America honors. Since 2008, four foilists have achieved four-time All-America status with Kvaratskhelia at the helm. Irish foilists have captured six NCAA individual championships since 2010, including a three-time winner in Lee Kiefer (2013-’14-’15) and two-time winner in Gerek Meinhardt (2010, 2014). Ariel DeSmet also captured a men’s foil championship as a freshman in 2011. In his first two seasons at the helm of the Irish, Kvaratskhelia has steered his program to consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference titles on both men’s and women’s sides. The Irish have yet to be defeated in ACC Championship duals and have claimed 10 of 12 individual weapons titles since the conference was re-formed prior to the 2014-15 season. Kvaratskhelia was named the 2015 ACC Men’s Coach of the Year, the 2016 Co-ACC Men’s Coach of the Year and the 2016 Co-ACC Women’s Coach of the Year for his efforts. Prior to joining the Notre Dame 3 CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY IRISH AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS The storied history of Notre Dame fencing