Northwestern fencing will conclude its regular season this weekend when it hosts four ranked teams, including a notable bout against No. 2 Notre Dame.
What’s new? The Feb. 1 & 2 event, formerly known as the Northwestern Duals, has been renamed the Schiller Duals in honor of former coach Laurie Schiller.
History maker: During his 38-year run in Evanston, Schiller ’82 had a history-making career as Northwestern’s fencing coach. He racked up more than 1,250 career wins, guiding both the men’s and women’s teams until 1994 (when the men’s program became a club team). Schiller, the two-time U.S. Fencing Coaches Association’s Collegiate Coach of the Year, retired as Northwestern’s all-time winningest head coach in any sport and the NCAA’s second all-time winningest fencing coach.
“It’s nice to be recognized for the program’s success,” he said in a Northwestern Magazine feature, “but my satisfaction comes from working with these young people for 40 years and knowing how many of them have gone on to successful lives and careers and that we’ve affected them positively. That’s ultimately why I do this.”
In 38 years at the helm, Laurie Schiller racked up more than 1,250 career wins. He retired in 2016 as Northwestern’s all-time winningest head coach in any sport and the NCAA’s second all-time winningest fencing coach.
Sustained success: Schiller turned the program over to Zach Moss eight years ago, and in that time, Moss has continued to lead the Wildcats to national success. The 2023-24 season featured a 36-12 record in dual action and a postseason run that earned the ’Cats the first outright Central Collegiate Fencing Conference (CCFC) title in program history. In 2024, for a fourth straight season, Moss was named CCFC Women’s Team Coach of the Year.
“I'm thrilled to be honoring Laurie and his innumerable contributions to Northwestern and the fencing community,” Moss said. “For 38 years, he guided this program and built a perennial powerhouse. And, when he hired me in 2014 with an eye toward retiring and leaving the program in my hands, I couldn't have been more honored. I was privileged then, and I feel privileged now that we get to recognize and celebrate everything Laurie has given to the sport and Northwestern with this event.”
What to watch this weekend: On Saturday, Feb. 1, and Sunday, Feb. 2, the Schiller Duals bring several top teams to Ryan Fieldhouse, including No. 14 Stanford, No. 11 Temple, No. 8 Cornell and No. 2 Notre Dame. The ’Cats will take on the Fighting Irish at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday followed by a ceremony to celebrate Schiller. Admission is free of charge on both days.
