| xx |
| xx |
| UNC Varsity Fencing Coaches |
| Coach Ron Miller, Ph.D., M.d’A. Head Varsity Fencing Coach University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC Ron Miller came to Carolina in 1967 as a physical education instructor. A Kentucky native who grew up in Florida, Miller brought knowledge of a sport virtually unknown to a southern campus bred on basketball and football. Not only did Miller impart that knowledge to countless students in physical education classes, he established and maintained the South’s dominant fencing program. Now in his 52nd season as Carolina’s fencing coach, Miller’s inspirational dedication to his school, his sport and his teams has come to be recognized as impressive as that of another longtime Carolina icon. Miller’s influence on his fencing squads parallels that of legendary basketball coach Dean Smith’s impact on former basketball players and coaches. Smith’s October 9, 1997, retirement left Miller as the most tenured coach at Carolina. More than 140 former fencers, whose numbers included team members from nearly every squad since 1968, gathered at the Dean E. Smith Center on October 18, 1997, to celebrate and honor Miller’s tenure. Commitment, dedication and integrity, were uttered in same building for another coach so recently, were spoken in homage of Ron Miller. NCAA champion fencer, 1992 Olympic fencer and 1983 Carolina alumnus John Friedberg, in thanking Miller, called the Carolina program a “unique, special environment to learn in.” |
James Murray, Fencing Master since 1976, is in his 38th season
as a college coach; his eighth year at UNC.
Coach Murray’s initial head coaching position was at Haverford
College for twenty seasons. He was the women’s head varsity
fencing coach at Johns Hopkins for eight years. Jim coached the
intermediate and master levels in foil, epee and sabre at the
Virginia Academy of Fencing in Springfield, Va.
UNC is happy to have him travel to Chapel Hill from Hunt Valley,
Maryland during the season to assist coaching team practices as
well as traveling to UNC varsity competitions.
Jim also coaches NCFDP’s Club on Tuesday and Thursday nights
during the UNC practice season.
"Years of being my opponents - but still Carolina was my favorite
team. Go figure", said Murray.
as a college coach; his eighth year at UNC.
Coach Murray’s initial head coaching position was at Haverford
College for twenty seasons. He was the women’s head varsity
fencing coach at Johns Hopkins for eight years. Jim coached the
intermediate and master levels in foil, epee and sabre at the
Virginia Academy of Fencing in Springfield, Va.
UNC is happy to have him travel to Chapel Hill from Hunt Valley,
Maryland during the season to assist coaching team practices as
well as traveling to UNC varsity competitions.
Jim also coaches NCFDP’s Club on Tuesday and Thursday nights
during the UNC practice season.
"Years of being my opponents - but still Carolina was my favorite
team. Go figure", said Murray.
Miller served as a coach for the U.S. Junior World Team in 1981 and was also the coach for the Senior World
Championship Team in 1983. The 1987 Junior Pan American Team was also coached by Miller. From 1985-95, he
served as the director of the USFA’s National Coaches College and from 1983-91 he was the director of the USFA’s
National Junior Elite Summer Programs. He is a three-time member of the NCAA’s Fencing Committee and is a three-time
NCAA Regional Committee Chair. Miller has been a USFA National Coaching Staff member since 1977.
Miller has other little known talents, too. He single-handedly restored several of his past homes as well as one for NC
sculptor Peggy Burke. He has a fine eye for architecture; challenging himself to design and construct a prototype one
room living space using no power tools; even carrying water for cement footings from a near-by creek. His early jobs
during various stages of schooling included drafting, designing swimming pools and catching rattlesnakes bare-handed
to sell for venom. His father had a professional landscaping business in Florida so Miller grew up with a knowledge of
plants,animals and tools. A multi-sport athlete, Miller played "any sport with a ball" all through school. Miller loves to
dance, build projects, work on landscaping his 7.77 acres and invented his own cookie recipe.
Coach Ron Miller and artist wife Susun live in Haw River, NC. They love sharing books, films and a remodeling project.
Ron has three children: Caroline (married to Trent Walton), Joe and Kurt; two step children: Myah C. Drumm (married to
Brian Drumm) and Grey C. Cook (married to Teresa K Cook). They have seven grandchildren who also call him "Coach"!
Championship Team in 1983. The 1987 Junior Pan American Team was also coached by Miller. From 1985-95, he
served as the director of the USFA’s National Coaches College and from 1983-91 he was the director of the USFA’s
National Junior Elite Summer Programs. He is a three-time member of the NCAA’s Fencing Committee and is a three-time
NCAA Regional Committee Chair. Miller has been a USFA National Coaching Staff member since 1977.
Miller has other little known talents, too. He single-handedly restored several of his past homes as well as one for NC
sculptor Peggy Burke. He has a fine eye for architecture; challenging himself to design and construct a prototype one
room living space using no power tools; even carrying water for cement footings from a near-by creek. His early jobs
during various stages of schooling included drafting, designing swimming pools and catching rattlesnakes bare-handed
to sell for venom. His father had a professional landscaping business in Florida so Miller grew up with a knowledge of
plants,animals and tools. A multi-sport athlete, Miller played "any sport with a ball" all through school. Miller loves to
dance, build projects, work on landscaping his 7.77 acres and invented his own cookie recipe.
Coach Ron Miller and artist wife Susun live in Haw River, NC. They love sharing books, films and a remodeling project.
Ron has three children: Caroline (married to Trent Walton), Joe and Kurt; two step children: Myah C. Drumm (married to
Brian Drumm) and Grey C. Cook (married to Teresa K Cook). They have seven grandchildren who also call him "Coach"!
Jim trained as a Fencing Master at The American Fencing Academy, a two year program based at Cornell and was also an
exchange student at Paris’ L’ Institute National de Sport, the French school for Fencing Masters. Under Coach Murray’s
guidance, four Army Trophies as runners-up at the NIWFA (National Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Association)
Championships. and were named Top Division III Women's Team four times.
Coach Murray has twice been honored as the MACFA (Middle Atlantic Fencing Conference) Coach of the Year (1982,
1992) while the coach at Haverford College (1981-2001) Jim has also coached at The National Sports Festival, assisted
the US Team on international trips and served on several NCAA Regional Committees. He has been involved in countless
training camps, clinics and Fencing Master examination boards in his coaching career. Jim also coached at Salle Santelli
(’78-81) in New York City and assisted the legendary Maestro Lajos Csiszar at Salle Csiszar during his twenty years in
Philadelphia. Jim speaks French and Russian.
Jim and wife Natalie Blagowidow, MD., reside near Baltimore, MD. They have two sons, Nick and Andy, and beagle Gracie.
exchange student at Paris’ L’ Institute National de Sport, the French school for Fencing Masters. Under Coach Murray’s
guidance, four Army Trophies as runners-up at the NIWFA (National Intercollegiate Women’s Fencing Association)
Championships. and were named Top Division III Women's Team four times.
Coach Murray has twice been honored as the MACFA (Middle Atlantic Fencing Conference) Coach of the Year (1982,
1992) while the coach at Haverford College (1981-2001) Jim has also coached at The National Sports Festival, assisted
the US Team on international trips and served on several NCAA Regional Committees. He has been involved in countless
training camps, clinics and Fencing Master examination boards in his coaching career. Jim also coached at Salle Santelli
(’78-81) in New York City and assisted the legendary Maestro Lajos Csiszar at Salle Csiszar during his twenty years in
Philadelphia. Jim speaks French and Russian.
Jim and wife Natalie Blagowidow, MD., reside near Baltimore, MD. They have two sons, Nick and Andy, and beagle Gracie.
Coach James Murray, M.d’A.
Assistant Varsity Fencing Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Assistant Varsity Fencing Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
| Coach Ron Miller |
| xx |
| xx |
| Web Design by Susun Miller 2004 – 2019 All Rights Reserved 2004 – 2019 No part of this website copy or imagery may be reproduced without the expressed written consent of Susun Miller |
Coach Gill Adynski, RN, BSN
Volunteer Assistant Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Volunteer Assistant Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Gillian Litynski is primarily a Volunteer Assistant Coach with UNC's Varsity
Fencing Team. She studied at Beaches Saber Club in New York with
Carolyn Washburn. She also coaches at the North Carolina Fencing
Development Program.
Gill finished her first degree at UNC in Global Studies in 2014 and directly
continued on to UNC's Nursing School as a Hillman Scholar, a RN to PhD
program.
Fencing Team. She studied at Beaches Saber Club in New York with
Carolyn Washburn. She also coaches at the North Carolina Fencing
Development Program.
Gill finished her first degree at UNC in Global Studies in 2014 and directly
continued on to UNC's Nursing School as a Hillman Scholar, a RN to PhD
program.
While at UNC, she trained under coaches Ron Miller and Matt Jednak. She was Captain of the Women's Saber Squad. Gill
went to the NCAA Championships all four years and is a three time All-American Athlete. Her highest finish in her NCAA
career was 3rd place at NCAA Championships in 2013 in the Women's Saber event. Other notable finishes in US Fencing
include 3rd place at the Division I North American Cup in Salt Lake City in 2015 and 6th Place at US National
Championships in 2013 and 2014. Gill was the ACC Women’s Sabre Fencer of the Year in 2015. In 2016, Gill won Div 1A
GOLD and medaled 8th in DIV l in Sabre at the 2016 Summer National Championships in Dallas.
Gill is married to Harry Adynski, also a Carolina Fencing Alum. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and painting.
went to the NCAA Championships all four years and is a three time All-American Athlete. Her highest finish in her NCAA
career was 3rd place at NCAA Championships in 2013 in the Women's Saber event. Other notable finishes in US Fencing
include 3rd place at the Division I North American Cup in Salt Lake City in 2015 and 6th Place at US National
Championships in 2013 and 2014. Gill was the ACC Women’s Sabre Fencer of the Year in 2015. In 2016, Gill won Div 1A
GOLD and medaled 8th in DIV l in Sabre at the 2016 Summer National Championships in Dallas.
Gill is married to Harry Adynski, also a Carolina Fencing Alum. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and painting.
| After graduating with a political science degree, Coach Randolph decided it would be more fun to work with children. He spent a year working with gang members in the woods of North Carolina then three years in the Maine woods working at an experiential education school and summer camp. After coming out of the woods, Coach Randolph taught at a Montessori school in Winston-Salem, NC before the siren call of UNC Fencing called him home. |
Coach William Randolph
Assistant Fencing Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Coach Randolph is entering his third year as the varsity sabre coach at UNC,
as well as handling operations and recruiting.
A 2008 UNC graduate, Coach Will Randolph grew up in Fayetteville, NC and
Lenexa, KS. A flyer in the mail started his fencing career at the age of 10 with
Vladimir Nazlymov and Kelly Williams (UNC ‘88) at the Kansas City Fencing
Center. After his first day at the club, Coach Randolph fell in love with the
sport. He competed throughout middle and high school in national and
international tournaments.
At UNC, he was a three year captain of the men’s sabre squad and a NCAA
Championships participant at the end of his first season on the team. He was
twice chosen for the Carolina Leadership Academy’s top award, the
3-Dimensional Leader award.
Assistant Fencing Coach
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Coach Randolph is entering his third year as the varsity sabre coach at UNC,
as well as handling operations and recruiting.
A 2008 UNC graduate, Coach Will Randolph grew up in Fayetteville, NC and
Lenexa, KS. A flyer in the mail started his fencing career at the age of 10 with
Vladimir Nazlymov and Kelly Williams (UNC ‘88) at the Kansas City Fencing
Center. After his first day at the club, Coach Randolph fell in love with the
sport. He competed throughout middle and high school in national and
international tournaments.
At UNC, he was a three year captain of the men’s sabre squad and a NCAA
Championships participant at the end of his first season on the team. He was
twice chosen for the Carolina Leadership Academy’s top award, the
3-Dimensional Leader award.
Coach Zoe Loh
Volunteer Assistant Foil Coach
Volunteer Assistant Foil Coach
Zoe graduated in 2018 from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in Chemistry. During her time at Notre Dame she
was a member of the back to back national championship Division 1 fencing team and 3X ACC championship team. She
posted a top 8 result in a Junior World Cup during her undergraduate years. As a sophomore she posted a 41-2 (.953)
regular season record, the 11th best single season win percentage in program history. She went undefeated during the
team competition at the 2016 ACC’s while also finishing fourth at the ACC womens foil championship behind three Irish
teammates. She is a 3X ACC All Academic Honors recipient.
Zoe Loh is currently a PhD student in the Pathology program at Duke University. She is concentrating on prostate
cancer metabolism during her time at Duke in the Huang laboratory.
was a member of the back to back national championship Division 1 fencing team and 3X ACC championship team. She
posted a top 8 result in a Junior World Cup during her undergraduate years. As a sophomore she posted a 41-2 (.953)
regular season record, the 11th best single season win percentage in program history. She went undefeated during the
team competition at the 2016 ACC’s while also finishing fourth at the ACC womens foil championship behind three Irish
teammates. She is a 3X ACC All Academic Honors recipient.
Zoe Loh is currently a PhD student in the Pathology program at Duke University. She is concentrating on prostate
cancer metabolism during her time at Duke in the Huang laboratory.
Zoe Loh was born in Hangzhou China to parents Richard and Claudina Loh.
She grew up in Mississauga, Canada before moving to Chapel Hill, NC at
the age of 15. She began fencing at the age of 11 with Toronto Fencing
Club.
During her high school years she took silver at the Canadian National
Championships and bronze at the Canada Selection Cup. She was also
twice named a Quest for Gold recipient. As a sophomore she competed at
Pan-American Championships and Cadet World Championships. In her
junior season, she placed in top 32 in the Division I North American Cup
(NAC). She has also competed in the Canadian Summer Games and
Ontario Summer games.
She grew up in Mississauga, Canada before moving to Chapel Hill, NC at
the age of 15. She began fencing at the age of 11 with Toronto Fencing
Club.
During her high school years she took silver at the Canadian National
Championships and bronze at the Canada Selection Cup. She was also
twice named a Quest for Gold recipient. As a sophomore she competed at
Pan-American Championships and Cadet World Championships. In her
junior season, she placed in top 32 in the Division I North American Cup
(NAC). She has also competed in the Canadian Summer Games and
Ontario Summer games.
