Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Stephen Carrera
Laurie Schiller To Retire After 38 Seasons With Northwestern Fencing
10/3/2015 9:05:00 AM | Women's Fencing
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern fencing head coach Laurie Schiller will retire at the conclusion of the 2015-16 season, his 38th at the helm for the Wildcats.
"Laurie Schiller is one of the most accomplished coaches in college athletics history, regardless of sport, gender or division," said Jim Phillips, Northwestern vice president for athletics & recreation. "His student-athletes have set a remarkable standard not just in competition, but in the classroom and in the community. Over the last four decades he has made an indelible impact on the entire Northwestern family. Laurie is deeply woven within the fabric of this University thanks to his experiences as a student, professor and coach. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for his immense contributions to this institution."
"I am so grateful to Northwestern for providing me the opportunity and resources to create a top-notch fencing program," said Schiller. "It has been a wondrous journey for me which was only possible with the help of my wife, staff, student-athletes, and the exceptional support from all the members of our athletics administration. Together we have accomplished something truly great and I am confident that I am leaving it in good hands."
Schiller is one of the most successful coaches the sport of fencing has ever seen. He took over the Northwestern program in 1978 and led both the men's and women's programs until 1994, and the women's varsity team since. The Brooklyn native has amassed more than 1,200 wins, second on the sport's all-time list, and has led the Wildcats to 16 consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
He has coached 17 different All Americans, including four student-athletes – Julia Foldi, Christa French, Sam Nemecek and Dayana Sarkisova - who earned All-America honors four times. Overall, Northwestern fencers have combined for 33 such awards.
Schiller has received numerous awards from the fencing community, including twice being named the United States Fencing Coaches' Association Collegiate Coach of the Year. He earned a fencing masters from the USFCA in 2002 and has served on the NCAA Fencing Committee. He has won the Midwest Fencing Conference Coach of the Year award 10 times during his storied career.
An alumnus of Rutgers University, where he was a three-year letterman and co-captain of the Scarlet Knights, Schiller graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in African and Afro-American Studies. He came to Northwestern in 1972 as a graduate student, was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship in 1976 and received his doctorate in African History in 1982. In addition to his coaching duties, Schiller has taught history at Northwestern and had a monograph published by the Blue and Gray Education Society on the evolution of the Federal cavalry tactics in the Civil War.
Schiller will be succeeded by current Wildcats assistant coach Zach Moss.
Moss came to Evanston in 2014 with an extensive background as both a competitive fencer and as a coach. The Lee, N.H., native was four-year letterwinner and two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member for Duke University.
In 2010, Moss became the head fencing coach at Saint Paul (Minn.) Academy and Summit School. In four years, he helped guide the program to a pair of team state championships and two individual state titles. From 2011-14 he also served as the Director of Competitions for the Minnesota High School Fencing Coaches Association.
"Laurie Schiller is one of the most accomplished coaches in college athletics history, regardless of sport, gender or division," said Jim Phillips, Northwestern vice president for athletics & recreation. "His student-athletes have set a remarkable standard not just in competition, but in the classroom and in the community. Over the last four decades he has made an indelible impact on the entire Northwestern family. Laurie is deeply woven within the fabric of this University thanks to his experiences as a student, professor and coach. We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for his immense contributions to this institution."
"I am so grateful to Northwestern for providing me the opportunity and resources to create a top-notch fencing program," said Schiller. "It has been a wondrous journey for me which was only possible with the help of my wife, staff, student-athletes, and the exceptional support from all the members of our athletics administration. Together we have accomplished something truly great and I am confident that I am leaving it in good hands."
Schiller is one of the most successful coaches the sport of fencing has ever seen. He took over the Northwestern program in 1978 and led both the men's and women's programs until 1994, and the women's varsity team since. The Brooklyn native has amassed more than 1,200 wins, second on the sport's all-time list, and has led the Wildcats to 16 consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
He has coached 17 different All Americans, including four student-athletes – Julia Foldi, Christa French, Sam Nemecek and Dayana Sarkisova - who earned All-America honors four times. Overall, Northwestern fencers have combined for 33 such awards.
Schiller has received numerous awards from the fencing community, including twice being named the United States Fencing Coaches' Association Collegiate Coach of the Year. He earned a fencing masters from the USFCA in 2002 and has served on the NCAA Fencing Committee. He has won the Midwest Fencing Conference Coach of the Year award 10 times during his storied career.
An alumnus of Rutgers University, where he was a three-year letterman and co-captain of the Scarlet Knights, Schiller graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor's degree in African and Afro-American Studies. He came to Northwestern in 1972 as a graduate student, was awarded a Fulbright-Hays Fellowship in 1976 and received his doctorate in African History in 1982. In addition to his coaching duties, Schiller has taught history at Northwestern and had a monograph published by the Blue and Gray Education Society on the evolution of the Federal cavalry tactics in the Civil War.
Schiller will be succeeded by current Wildcats assistant coach Zach Moss.
Moss came to Evanston in 2014 with an extensive background as both a competitive fencer and as a coach. The Lee, N.H., native was four-year letterwinner and two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member for Duke University.
In 2010, Moss became the head fencing coach at Saint Paul (Minn.) Academy and Summit School. In four years, he helped guide the program to a pair of team state championships and two individual state titles. From 2011-14 he also served as the Director of Competitions for the Minnesota High School Fencing Coaches Association.
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