Hall of Fame
Bela de Tuscan coached the WSU fencing team from 1932-1957. His coaching record from 1938-1957 was a remarkable 80-53-2 (no records are available from '32-'38). A native of Hungary, de Tuscan was an outstanding fencer in his own right. He won a National Sabre Championship in 1919 in his native Hungary before coming to the United States, among other honors. de Tuscan is the designer and patent holder of all the electrical fencing equipment still in use today by fencers from all over the country. de Tuscan coached Hall of Famers, Byron Kreiger, one-time NCAA foil champion, and Paula Sweeney, one of the top women's fencers in the United States. He also taught private lessons at his own Salle de Tuscan in Detroit. Well known in fencing circles, de Tuscan made world exhibition tours in 1938, 1939, and 1940. He also toured the Pacific area with the USO in 1945. Before coming to WSU, de Tuscan also taught fencing at Syracuse from 1923-1925 and at the University of Michigan from 1928-1930.
