Jennie Salmon has replaced long-time head coach of the Brandeis men’s and women’s fencing team Bill Shipman after he announced his retirement earlier this summer.
Head coach since 1981, Shipman led the Judges to 13 men’s, women’s and combined Northeast Fencing Conference titles as well as five University Athletic Association (UAA) titles, according to the UAA website. A recipient of many honors and coaching awards over his career, Shipman was named the United States Fencing Coaches Association National Coach of the Year in 1994 and was a six-time recipient of the UAA Coach of the year award.
In his time at Brandeis, Shipman coached many successful fencers, including Brandeis’ only alumnus to have competed in the Olympics, Tim Morehouse ’00. Shipman coached 15 All-American fencers over his 37-year career at Brandeis.
Shipman’s retirement took effect on June 30, according to the Brandeis Judges’ website. Over the summer a national search for a successor concluded with Salmon as the finalist to fill the coaching position.
Salmon comes to Brandeis with 22 years of experience coaching club and high school fencing teams. In addition to coaching at Ward-Melville High School in East Setauket, New York from 2000 to 2013, Salmon co-founded the Mission Fencing Club in Rocky Point, New York with her husband in 2001. She has served as head coach of the Mission Fencing Club since 2003.
In an interview with The Brandeis Hoot, Salmon said her “love of fencing came at a collegiate level.” She remarked that she was happy to have come “full circle” since her days as a student athlete at Temple University. As a student athlete, Salmon served as team captain and graduated in 1995 as a two-time foil All American with a BA in Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education.
Salmon described the “team aspect” of collegiate fencing as particularly appealing since fencing is often seen as a “one-on-one” sport. “The collegiate level is one level where its team minded,” Salmon told The Hoot.
Salmon officially began as head coach on Aug. 6. With fencing being a winter sport, Salmon has set to work on recruitment prior to the start of the season.
