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Wayne State University Athletics

Jerzy Radz headshot

Jerzy Radz

UPDATED September 12, 2025
  • Concluded his 30th season as WSU Fencing Head Coach in December of 2020
  • Coached Eight National Champion Fencers
  • Coached 60 All-Americans
Maestro Jerzy Radz was the head of the Wayne State University men's and women's fencing programs from 1991 until his retirement on December 30, 2020.  Just the fifth head fencing coach for WSU since it began in 1932, Radz was in his 30th year at WSU when he retired.

He joined Slava Zingerman's coaching staff as a volunteer assistant in October of 2022; then re-joined Andy Tuelleners staff in November of 2023 also as a volunteer assistant coach, and will serve in that same capacity for the third straight season during the 2025-26 academic year.

Prior to WSU, Radz was the head coach of the University of Wisconsin-Madison men's and women's fencing teams for one season when they won the Big Ten Conference Championships and finished 10th in the nation.  Radz also coached at Washington University of Missouri in 1989-1990.

During his tenure, the Warriors have been one of the top collegiate fencing programs in the nation.  Radz, the 2004 Midwest Fencing Conference Coach of the Year, has coached eight individual national champions at WSU.  Harald Bauder won the men's epee in 1992, while Thorstein Becker won the men's foil in 1996.  Anna Garina won the women's epee in 2004, 2005 and 2007.  Slava Zingerman won three consecutive men's epee titles (2007-2008-2009).  Ziad Elsissy was the national runner-up in the men's sabre in 2017 and 2018.  Freshman epeeist Ahmed Elsayed finished third nationally in 2019.

Radz has also produced a number of NCAA Midwest Regional Champions.  Ziad Elsissy won the Midwest Regional in the men's sabre in 2017, while Pati Palczynska won the Midwest Regional in the women’s sabre in 2016.  Garina was crowned Midwest Regional Champion in women's epee in 2004.  Anna Vinnikov (women's epee) and Wojciech Dudek (men's epee) were crowned champions in 2003.  Throughout Radz's career at WSU, he has coached 60 All-Americans.

Men's fencing has existed on the intercollegiate level at Wayne State since 1932 and has fielded a team every season except in 1943-45 due to World War II.  WSU has won seven men's team NCAA Championships in 1975, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.  In addition, the men's team was an NCAA runner-up three times.

The women's program has been competing since 1975.  They have won three team NCAA Championships in 1982, 1988 and 1989.  In 1982, they were the first women's team to win an NCAA Championship.

The fencing program has been one of the most successful athletic programs at Wayne State.  The program has attracted both American and international fencers from around the world that dates back to former head coach Bela de Tuscan, who coached from 1932-1957.

Being no stranger to the sport himself, Radz has over 45 years of coaching experience in all weapons and has been active in organizing and conducting youth fencing programs that have developed world-class fencers.  Radz earned his master's degree in physical education from the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.

In 1973, Radz started his coaching career at the Warsaw Sports Club, which is the most prestigious fencing club in Poland, and coached there from 1973-1988.  In 1975, he began his teaching career when he accepted a position at a government sponsored sports school, working with 11-and-12 year olds.  One of his students was Marek Gniewkowski, who was a member of the 1988 and 1992 Poland Olympic Team and placed fifth in the sabre competition in 1988.  Radz was a member of the Polish Olympic coaching staff from 1979 to 1998.

For his efforts, Radz earned a fencing master's from the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) in 1990.  The USFCA is a national academy of the Academie D' Armes International (AAI), the diplomas are awarded through the USFCA and are recognized by the AAI and its national academies throughout the world.

Radz was named to the NCAA Fencing Committee for a three-year term beginning with the 2005-06 school year.

Year Men's and Women's Combined Finish National Champions
2020 COVID-19 (one qualifier)
2019 18th
2018 17th
2017 13th
2016 14th
2015 15th
2014 17th
2013 15th
2012 17th
2011 21st
2010 15th
2009 14th Slava Zingerman/men's epee
2008 9th Slava Zingerman/men's epee
2007 8th Anna Garina/women's epee
Slava Zingerman/men's epee
2006 10th
2005 10th Anna Garina/women's epee
2004 9th Anna Garina/women's epee
2003 17th
2002 T-12th
2001 10th
2000 16th
1999 9th
1998 15th
1997 13th
1996 11th Thorstein Becker/men's foil
1995 11th
1994 11th
1993 17th
1992 7th Harald Bauder/men's epee