EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head fencing coach Laurie Schiller has been named the 2014-15 Midwest Fencing Conference (MFC) Coach of the Year, the league announced this week. It is the 10th time that the Wildcats' head coach has earned the honor.
Schiller, who has been at the helm of the program since 1978, won his 1,200th match earlier this season when the Wildcats beat Stanford, 20-7, at the Western Invitational on January 17. He helped the 'Cats open the season with 20 consecutive dual wins before finishing with an overall record of 38-7.
Northwestern, which was ranked in the top 10 of the CollegeFencing360.com coaches poll for the entire season, picked up several memorable wins throughout the campaign. In addition to perfect showings at the first NU Duals, the Western Invitational, and the Duke Duals, Schiller and the 'Cats beat the likes of Yale, Ohio State, Penn and Temple.
The NU epée squad followed up its thrilling win over the Buckeyes at the NYU Invitational in January with another nail-biting triumph at the MFC Championships in February. The Wildcats won 5-4 at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and it was the program's first epée title since 2002.
Schiller helped Northwestern achieve a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships for the 16th straight season. Northwestern qualified a full complement of six fencers and the group placed seventh among the women's teams in attendance. That marked the program's best showing at the national championships since the 2009 campaign.
Three Wildcats earned All-America accolades at the NCAA Championships, the most for a Schiller-led squad since 2008. Under his direction, 33 fencers have earned All-America honors since 1998.
Schiller, who has been at the helm of the program since 1978, won his 1,200th match earlier this season when the Wildcats beat Stanford, 20-7, at the Western Invitational on January 17. He helped the 'Cats open the season with 20 consecutive dual wins before finishing with an overall record of 38-7.
Northwestern, which was ranked in the top 10 of the CollegeFencing360.com coaches poll for the entire season, picked up several memorable wins throughout the campaign. In addition to perfect showings at the first NU Duals, the Western Invitational, and the Duke Duals, Schiller and the 'Cats beat the likes of Yale, Ohio State, Penn and Temple.
The NU epée squad followed up its thrilling win over the Buckeyes at the NYU Invitational in January with another nail-biting triumph at the MFC Championships in February. The Wildcats won 5-4 at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and it was the program's first epée title since 2002.
Schiller helped Northwestern achieve a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships for the 16th straight season. Northwestern qualified a full complement of six fencers and the group placed seventh among the women's teams in attendance. That marked the program's best showing at the national championships since the 2009 campaign.
Three Wildcats earned All-America accolades at the NCAA Championships, the most for a Schiller-led squad since 2008. Under his direction, 33 fencers have earned All-America honors since 1998.