A top foil coach and 1969 Junior Champion of the former U.S.S.R., Edward Elterman has been an assistant coach with the New York University men’s and women’s fencing programs since the 1991-92 season.
NYU did not compete in 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, 18 members of the men’s team and 12 members of the women’s team earned University Athletic Association (UAA) Winter Sport All-Academic honors.
Over his first 29 seasons at NYU, Elterman has been a key member of eight UAA Coaching Staff of the Year award winners and has helped lead the Violets to top-25 national finishes every season.
The 2019-20 season featured several milestones as the women’s team recorded a program-record 18 victories, while the men won 20 (the second-most in team history), including a win over defending National Champion Columbia University. Though the NCAA National Championships were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, four fencers who qualified were still honored as All-Americans: Sam Bekker (epee), Zohaib Mannan (foil), freshmen Brian Kim (sabre), and Darren Yen (sabre).
The 2018-19 season produced another top-20 national finish for NYU’s combined squad at the NCAA Championships as the Violets finished in 17th place, highest of all Division III teams. Four fencers qualified for nationals, with Mickey Bak producing the best individual finish (16th place-saber). The men’s squad finished with a 13-12 match record, its fifth-straight winning season, while the women produced double-digit victories (14-17) for the third consecutive season.
In 2017-18, the teams combined for a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships, the highest among non-Division I participants for the fourth consecutive season. Additionally, Mannan and Grant Williams earned All-America honors. The men’s team finished with an overall record of 21-9 while the women’s team ended with a 13-15 record.
Elterman helped guide the combined men’s and women’s squads to an 11th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2016-17, which was the highest finish among all Division III programs and the best overall finish for NYU at the national event since 2005 (ninth place).
NYU sent seven fencers to the NCAA Championships and produced two All-Americans: Williams and Philip Shin. Williams tallied 15 wins in sabre to place sixth in the weapon a year after landing in 17th place as a freshman. Shin doubled his victory total from the previous year, collecting 12 victories in foil to secure 12th place.
The men's team finished the season with an 18-8 record, including six straight victories to end the campaign. The women's team posted a 13-14 record, including a 5-1 mark at the University of Pennsylvania's Philadelphia Invitational.
In 2015-16, Elterman helped lead the men to a 14-8 campaign and the women to a 7-13 record. The squad had a 13th-place finish at the NCAA Championship, the highest among all Division III programs
In 2014-15, the men’s squad finished with an 11-10 record. Elterman helped guide foilist Daniel Sconzo to a 20th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Along with John Cramerus, who also finished 20th in epee, the duo’s performances helped lift NYU to a 19th-place finish nationally, the highest of any Division III school.
The women’s season was highlighted by the performance of Audra Fox, another foilist who led the squad with 31 victories and finished 14th at the NCAA East Regional Championships.
In 2013-14, Elterman’s tutelage helped guide Christian Vastola to two UAA Athlete of the Week honors and a berth in the NCAA Championships. Competing in foil, Vastola placed 22nd, and along with sophomore saber fencer Andrew Kelly, led the Violets to a 23rd-place finish at the NCAA’s.
In 2012-13, three student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships. Phillip Jamesson, Jackie Leval and Kelly combined to give the Violets an 18th-place finish in the overall team standings, good for second among Division III schools. With the help of Elterman’s tutelage in foil, Jamesson finished 17th individually, his fourth-consecutive top-20 showing.
During the 2011-12 season, Jamesson finished 13th in his weapon. The Violets finished 22nd overall and second among Division III programs.
The 2010-11 season was a strong one for the Violets, as well. Jamesson represented NYU at the NCAA’s and finished 16th in foil, leading the Violets to 23rd place in the combined men’s and women’s team standings.
The 2009-10 season was also a huge success, as three student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Championships. Sam Roukas (saber), Byron Neslund (epee) and Jamesson (foil) represented NYU at the NCAA’s. The Violets’ combined men’s and women’s teams placed the highest of all Division III squads at the competition, coming in 16th place.
The Violets have finished as high as seventh nationally (1993-94) during Elterman’s tenure with the program.
Overall, Elterman has helped NYU post six top-10 national finishes and capture a combined 21 (13 men, 8 women) UAA Championships. His tutelage also helped foilist Gabriel Sinkin become a three-time All-American (2004-06).
A 1976 graduate of the Polytechnic Institute of Minsk, Belarus, Elterman earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He also graduated from Minsk’s School of Coaching in 1978.
Since moving to the United States in 1989, Elterman has coached at the New York Fencers Club, where he has built a strong foil program. Many of his students are nationally ranked.
Elterman is a native of Belarus and resides in Brooklyn, NY.
