Penn Fencing Affiliation . NCAA Division I Location/Enrollment . Philadelphia, Pa./10,275 Nickname . Quakers Colors . .Red and Blue 1 Conference . .Ivy League President . .Dr. Amy Gutmann GENERAL INFORMATION Home Gym . Hutchinson Gym Director of Athletics . Steve Bilsky, W’71 Senior Associate Director of Athletics . Mary DiStanislao, GrEd’05 Senior Associate Director of Athletics . .Alanna W. Shanahan, C’96, GEd’00 2 Associate Director of Athletics/Development . .William Roth Assistant Director of Athletics/Academic Coordinator . .Rosemarie Burnett COACHING STAFF Compliance Coordinator . D.. Elton Cochran-Fikes, C’74, WG’79 Head Trainer/Coordinator of Athletic Therapy . Eric. Laudano Manager of University Strength and Fitness Centers . .James Steel NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative . Dr. Edward Lally Institutional Eligibility Officer . Ron Sanders 5 Ivy League Policy Representative . Bonnie Gibson 2008-09 SEASON REVIEW Head Coach . Andy Ma Record at Penn/Years . First Season Career Record/Years . Same Assistant Coaches . .Iosif Vitebskiy Volunteer Assistant Coach . Ben Wieder 6 Fencing Office Phone . 215/898-6116 Fencing E-mail . [email protected] PROFILES 2008-09 Men’s Record . 17-0 2008-09 Women’s Record . 13-6 Men’s Letterwinners Returning/Lost . 15/3 Women’s Letterwinners Returning/Lost . 14/3 Penn Fencing Address . James D. Dunning Coaches Center 18 . 235 S. 33rd. St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 HISTORY Director of Athletic Communications . Mike Mahoney Athletic Communications Assistant (Fencing contact) . Ben Stockwell E-mail . [email protected] Athletic Communications Phone . 215/898-6128 Athletic Communications Fax . 215/898-1747 25 Athletic Department Website . www.PennAthletics.com THIS IS PENN Credits: The 2009-10 Men’s and Women’s Fencing Media Guide is a publication of the University of Pennsylvania Athletic Communications Office. This guide was written by Benjamin Stockwell, designed by Jenerner W and edited by Mike Mahoney. Editorial contributions were made by Andy Ma and Alanna Shanahan. Photos attributed to Edwin Mahan, Drew Hallowell, Mat Kanan, Ted Ark, Hunter Martin, Tommy Leonardi, DaVor Photography, Tim Morse, C.W. Pack, the University of Pennsylvania Yearbook, Jim McWilliams, George Jones and Edward Savaria, Jr. Front and back covers designed by Tim Flynn. Inside covers designed by Jen Werner. COVERS: Front—2009-10 captains Jon Berkowsky and Danielle Kamis; Back—Andrew Bielen and Alexis Baran UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA Meet The Coaches Head Coach Andy Ma First Season u Beijing. Sports University ‘85 u O. hio State ‘91 Andy Ma has large shoes to fill assistant coach at Ohio State University from 1989-91, as he enters his first season as the helping the Buckeyes win the Men’s and Women’s Big head coach of men’s and women’s Ten titles in 1990-91, and from 1985-88 he was fencing fencing. Ma replaces David coach at the Beijing (China) Sports University where he Micahnik, who finished his Hall helped develop China’s junior national saber champion of Fame career after the 2008-09 season with multiple who later competed at the 1992 Olympic Games in NCAA individual champions and 22 Ivy League titles. Barcelona, Spain. Ma brings his own level of success to Penn after As a competitor, Ma was a two-time National Saber spending the last 15 years as President and Head champion of the Chinese Fencing Association (1985, Fencing Coach at the Fencing Academy of South Jersey 1988) and a two-time Chinese Intercollegiate Saber in Cherry Hill. During Ma’s tenure, the program has champion (1983, 1985). He also won Ohio’s saber title trained eight US National Fencing Team members, five during his stint at OSU. in saber, three in foil, six national champions and one Ma holds B.A. degrees in Fencing and Physical world champion. Seven of his South Jersey fencers have Education from the Beijing (China) Sports University, competed at the University of Pennsylvania, and 20 as well as an Educational Psychology degree from have gone on to Ivy League fencing programs. the Beijing (China) Teachers University. He also has a Since 1997, Ma has also produced more than 200 master’s in Sports Psychology from Ohio State. medalists in United States Fencing Association (USFA) national and NAC competitions, World Cup competitions, and World Championships. Internationally, Ma coached the United States Cadet Saber team from 2003 to 2008, and in both 2005 and 2008 he was selected Coach of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The Ma File President of the USFA’s South Jersey Division, he is a certified USFA Experience (Assistant Coach) fencing director and 3 Seasons (Penn) earned the highest 2 Seasons (Ohio St.) competitive rating of “A” by the USFA in Saber in Men’s & Women’s Record at Penn 1992. First Season In addition to his work at the Fencing Academy, Ma served two stints Memberships as Micahnik’s assistant President of USFA South Jersey coach at Penn, the first from 1994-96, and the Honors & Accolades second from 2005-06. Coach - U.S. Cadet Saber team 2003-2008 During his first stint, U.S. Olympic Committee Coach of the Year (2005, 2008) Penn won the Ivy Two-time National Saber Champion of League Women’s Team Chinese Fencing Association (1985, 1988) Championship twice, Two-time Chinese Intercollegiate Saber Champion in 1994 and 1995, as he (1983, 1985) trained a first-team men’s saber All-America and a Education second-team men’s foil Beijing (China) Sports University ‘85 All-America. Beijing (China) Teachers University ‘88 Ma was also an Ohio State ‘91 PennAthletics.com 2 0 0 9 - 1 0 F ENCING Iosif Ben Viteskiy Wieder Assistant Coach Volunteer Assistant Coach 12th Season 1st Season Kiev St. University Penn C’ 09 Iosif Vitebskiy enters his 12th season as the assistant Former All-America Ben Wieder enters his first season coach of the University of Pennsylvania fencing as a member of the Penn coaching staff. program, following one of the most successful seasons Wieder enters the coaching realm following an in school history. In addition to catpuring the Ivy impressive four-year career with the Red and Blue. League men’s title Vitebskiy coached four different Last season, Wieder served as captain for a Penn players to All-America honors and had eight participate squad which went a perfect 17-0 in the regular in the national championships. season, culminating in the school’s first Ivy League In 2007-08, he worked with Penn’s four All-Americans, championship since 2003. The Quakers also won the IFA including extensive work with Ron Berkowsky, Penn’s team championship, as well as the IFA three weapon first-ever four-time All-America. title, IFA sabre title, IFA Epee title and Penn’s first ever Vitebskiy helped the 2003-04 women’s squad claim its combined six weapon title. 10th Ivy title in program history and finish the season An All-America honoree in 2009, Wieder is also a ranked fourth by the USFCA. Under Micahnik’s and three-time NCAA Championships qualifier, and three- Vitebskiy’s tutelage, the Quakers’ women’s team also time Academic All-Ivy. He graduated Magna Cum made history at the Intercollegiate Fencing Association Laude from Penn in 2009 with a B.A. in Physics and (IFA) championships at the end of February, claiming its Astronomy and is currently working as a researcher in first-ever IFA title in 2004. the physics department at Penn. His vast knowledge and experience made an immediate impact in 1998-99, as he helped guide the men’s team to its first Ivy League title since 1983, while the men’s and women’s teams combined for a seventh- place finish at the NCAA Championships. Prior to his appointment at Penn, Vitebskiy served for 10 years (1988-1998) as the director of the school for high sport achievements at the State University of Ukraine. Before that, he was head coach of the Ukraine Republic National Team for 13 years, where he guided five epee fencers to national and Olympic championships. A graduate of the Kiev State University with a degree in physical culture and sport, Vitebskiy was a member of both the Soviet Union and Ukraine national teams. A 19-time national championship medalist—10 gold, six silver and three bronze medals—Vitebskiy was a three- time winner of both the Soviet Union and the Europe Cup tournaments. He is a former member of the USSR team that won three consecutive World Championships (1967-69) and earned a silver medal at the 1968 Olympic Games. In the summer of 1999, Vitebskiy won the gold medal in the Veteran 60 Men’s Epee at the Summer National Championships in Charlotte, N.C. Vitebskiy and his wife, Emma reside in the northeast section of Philadelphia. They have two sons, Dmitriy and Alex. PennAthletics.com UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA 2009-10 Rosters Men’s Roster Name Weapon Year Hometown Douglas Abelow Sabre Jr. Dover, Mass. Benjamin Bell Sabre Jr. Woodbridge, Conn. Jonathan Berkowsky* Sabre Sr. Sicklerville, N.J. Andrew Bielen Sabre Sr. Philadelphia, Pa. Thomas Boutin Sabre Jr. Stony Brook, N.Y. Jon Berkowsky Brett Cloak-Gentile Epee Jr. Newtown, Conn. Anthony Diepenbrock Epee Fr. San Jose, Calif. Anders Eiremo Sabre Sr. Carmichael, Calif. William Goldhirsch Foil Fr. Princeton, N.J. Zane Grodman Foil So. Califon, N.J. George Igoe Sabre Jr. Staten lsland, N.Y. Steven Jow Foil Fr. Aberdeen, N.J. Vidur Kapur Foil So. Syosset, N.Y. Mario Ponticello Foil Sr. Medford, N.J. Evan Prochniak Sabre Fr. Hudson, N.H. Zachary Propert Epee So. Ft. Myers, Fla. Sinatrio Raharjo Foil Fr. Calgary, Alberta Benjamin Scholom Epee Sr. Chicago, Ill. Daniel Shiff Foil Jr. Owings Mills, Md. Alexander Simmons Foil So. Sonoma, Calif. Jacob Wischnia Epee Jr.