This summer and fall, we'll be taking a look back at our 2022 Hall of Fame inductees through the lens of The Justice, Brandeis's student newspaper.
We hope you can join us for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Gosman Sports Center on October 8, 2022. Tickets are still available for purchase!
This week, a review of the 1994 NCAA Fencing Championships, when Bill Shipman was named USFCA National Coach of the Year!
TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1994
The Justice Sports
NCAA FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS
FOELLMER ’97 CAPTURES BRONZE by MIRIAM LEIBOWITZ and
SHIPMAN HONORED by DAN FRIEDELL
FOELLMER ’97 CAPTURES BRONZE by MIRIAM LEIBOWITZ
Kristen Foellmer ’97 won a bronze medal yesterday at the National Collegiate athletic Association (NCAA) Fencing Championships.
“I’ve never fenced in the NCAAs before. I’m not going to pressure myself to reach a certain goal. I’m going to try my best and see what happens,” Foellmer said.
Until she found herself in the individual women’s foil championship round during the 50th NCAA Fencing Championships, she said she had modest hopes for herself.
“I had a goal (to make the final eight), and when I reached that goal, I realized that I could go further, so I decided to go for it,” Foellmer said yesterday after placing third in the women’s individual foil competition.
Foellmer, originally placed below 21st-ranked women’s team captain Mina Benes ’95, advanced from the 24th seed in the second round of competition. Penn State University swept the top two spots in the competition.
The tournament took over Brandeis’ Gosman Sports and Convocation Center on Thursday, and the Judges took part in the women’s team foil, women’s individual foil and men’s individual epee in the eight-part competition.
The men’s foil competition was decided Friday, while the men’s individual sabre and women’s team foil competitions were decided on Saturday.
Women Place Eighth
Penn State, UPenn and Notre Dame took the top three spots in the women’s team foil tournament. The Judges placed eighth out of twelve teams in the event. Brandeis head coach Bill Shipman, 1993-94 National Fencing Coach of the Year, said if someone had told him the team would have placed eighth in the NCAAs at the beginning of the season, he would have been very happy.
“Competition is very strong (in the NCAA Tournament). It’s not just another meet. You’re fencing the best (teams) on the collegiate level. They’re the best teams we’ve fenced all year,” Benes said.
In a much anticipate match by the Judges, the women defeated Princeton, 9-7. Earlier in the season, the Judges bear the Tigers by one touch.
“We were very nervous to fence Princeton, but, at the same time, we knew that we could beat them,” Amanda Sacher ’96 said.
The women lost to Temple University (9-5), Penn State (9-2) and St. John’s University (9-4) in their final matches of the season.
Burmeister takes 16th
The men’s individual epee and men’s team foil competitions were decided on Sunday. Brandeis’s Justin Burmeister ’96 placed 16th in epee.
Burmeister said the competition was overwhelming. When he realized that the fencers in his pool were the best in the country, he was honored to be among them.
Penn State, Notre Dame and UPenn were first, second and third in the overall team scores at the end of yesterday’s competition. Brandeis is currently 12th overall.
SHIPMAN HONORED by Dan Friedell
Friday night, fencing coach Bill Shipman was named the 1993-94 United States Fencing Coach’s Association Coach of the Year. Shipman,in his 13th year at Brandeis, led the team to a solid performance in the National Championships, held at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center this past week.
The Judges held 12th place heading into the final day of competition.
“No fencing coach in the country has put in more hours to prepare for the championships. (Shipman’s work) has shown in the success of the competition and minimal complaints we have had,” Jack Molloy, assistant athletic director and sports information director said.
The work Shipman has put into the team and into improving Brandeis’ reputation is visible in the awarding of the privilege to host the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament.
“It’s a wonderful recognition for Bill’s effort, which goes so far beyond what Brandeis could expect. What he has done nationally brings great respect to this school,” Athletic Director Jeff Cohen said.
That Shipman won the award is a testament to his excellence, since he was competing against all the larger universities and organizations that field fencing squads.
“He is … A Division III coach being recognized as the national fencing coach of the year,” Cohen said.
The award says a great deal about Shipman as a coach, but even more about him as a person.
“It shows recognition and respect from your peers, also that the fencers you’ve coached had always conducted themselves in a manner that doesn’t reflect poorly on the school,” Shipman said.
This awarding of this honor to Shipman shows that small programs can be recognized for their efforts national, just like large, well-funded organizations, he said.
Shipman’s excellent qualities as a coach were easy to touch on for women’s captain Mina Benes ’95.
“He knows what you need to do to beat people, he makes us want to win for him. We were thrilled and glad he was recognized,” she said.