Vassar College Athletics

Bruce Gillman, a noted collegiate fencer, coach, instructor and referee, was named head coach of the men's and women's fencing teams at Vassar College in 2005, and enters his 21st season with the Brewers in 2025-26.
WOMEN
In 2021-22, the Brewers went 24-18 and won the Matt Lampell Hudson River Invite. Vassar placed fourth at the EWFC Championships and were fifth at the NEIFC Championships. Seniors Rose Parker and Zoe Tolbert received USFCA All-American and all-region honors. In addition, Tolbert, Tori Lubin, and Olvia Barnes were selected as NFC All-Stars.

The 2019-20 season continued Vassar's winning ways, posting a 26-19 dual meet record. Vassar went third at the EWFC championships with four fencers being named all-conference. Vassar went on to take third at the NEIFC Championships, with the foil squad placing first with a meet-high 34 wins to secure the Vitale Cup. Zoe Tolbert was also named NFC All-Conference.

In 2018-19, the Brewers recorded the most wins in school history at 33-14. At the EWFC Championships, Vassar had two athletes named fencers of the year in Zoe Tolbert and Rose Hulsey-Vincent. Vassar sent nine fencers to the NCAA Northeast Regional Meet.

In 2016-17, the team finished with a 28-20 dual match record and qualified multiple fencers for both EWFC and Northeast Fencing Conference All-star status, including Annie Innes-Gold in Sabre, Olivia Weiss and Rose Hulsey-Vincent in epee, and Elsa Stoff, Sophie Blumenstock, and Mirit Rutishauser in foil. The foil squad also placed 2^nd at the NEIFC Championships.

2015-16 was great year for the Brewers with a record of 25-24 and two EWFC Individual Champions, Kirsten Denman in foil and Annie Innes-Gold in Sabre.

In 2014-15, Vassar joined the Eastern Women's Fencing Conference and finished 3rd in their first year in the Conference behind Johns Hopkins and Stevens.

The 2013-14 campaign saw Gillman lead the Brewers to 16 wins, including victories over Drew University, Smith College among others. Vassar had one Northeast Fencing Conference first-teamer in 2013-14, as Olivia Weiss earned the honor. 

During the 2011-12 season, Gillman and the Brewers picked up 21 wins, which was the second-most in program history. In 2012-13, Gillman sent six fencers to the 2013 Northeast Regional, where Katherine LeClair and Caitlin Clevenget finished in the top 20.

In 2010-11, Gillman coached the women's fencing team to its best season in program history as it finished with a 31-7 record and several firsts: Northeast Fencing Conference Championship, Northeastern Conference Women’s Fencer of the Year, and wins over Brandeis, Brown, and NYU. 
 
Gillman, who has more than three decades of experience in coaching fencers of all ages and weapons began his fencing career as a member of the University of Rochester team. He has been an assistant coach at Sacred Heart (CT) University, owner and chief instructor at the Fencing Center of Long Island and a longtime Referee Examiner for the Referees’ Commission of USA Fencing. He is a member of the United States Fencing Coaches Association and a Prevot in all three weapons.

Gillman is a founding director of the Candlewood Fencing Center in Danbury, CT. A 1982 graduate of the University of Rochester, Gillman attended graduate school at The Ohio State University where he worked with the fencing team as a Graduate Administrative Assistant.  Gillman became active in officiating with the ECAC and opened the Fencing Center of Long Island, which was in operation from 1998 to 2007. Gillman became an assistant coach at Sacred Heart in 1999 and three years later became the Boys Fencing Coach at Garden City (NY) High School.

A top official on the national, collegiate, and scholastic levels, who has worked NCAA and ECAC Championships, Gillman is a member of the United States Fencing Association and the United States Fencing Coaches Association.  

MEN
Vassar posted a 20-17 dual meet record in 2021-22. The Brewers placed fifth at the NEIFC Championships. Nishay Bhatnagar, Eli Weise, and Benjamin Lee were named NFC All-Stars, while Lee was selected as USFCA All-Region. In addition, Lee, Caleb Klein, and Jack Plumer received USFCA All-America recognition. 

The 2019-20 season saw the Vassar men post the most dual meet wins in program history at 32-14. At the NCAA Regionals, Vassar sent 11 fencers with junior Evin Heintz reaching the sabre semifinals. At the NEIFC Championships, the Brewers placed second overall with Noe Berger won the foil title and Abram Gregory claimed the epee title. Vassar also had two NFC All-Stars in Jack Plumer and Heintz. 

In 2018-19, the Brewers went 26-19 overall, and had ten fencers represented at the Northeast Regionals. Vassar recorded another 20-plus win season in 2017-18, going 24-17. 

The 2016-17 campaign was a solid one for the Brewers, as VC improved its win total to 28 from 25 the previous season. The Brewers sent 10 members of their squad to the Northeast Regional, with Juniors George Whiteside and Daniel Swerzenski making their way into the semifinal round of competition. Junior Jonathan Alperstein made the final round and qualified for NCAA Championships, where he finished 19^th.
 
In 2015-16, Sophomores George Whiteside and Eli Polston as well as Senior Elam Coalson all made the semifinal round of Regionals. Polston was also Fencer of the Year with the best record in the Northeast Fencing Conference. The team finished third in the Conference behind Brandeis and Brown. The Vassar Mens Epee Squad also captured a share of the coveted Vitale Cup at the NEIFC Championships white leading the team to its first ever NEIFC 3-weapon mens title.
 
In 2014-15, freshman Eli Polston lead the sabre squad to a third place finish at the NEIFC Championships on his way to becoming Individual sabre champion.
 
The 2013-14 campaign was a solid one for the Brewers, as VC improved its win total to 21 from 14 the previous season. The Brewers sent 10 members of their squad to the Northeast Regional, with freshman Ry Farley masking his way into the third round of competition. Senior captain Matt Steinschneider was named as a All-Northeast Fencing Conference Third Team honoree. 

During the 2012-13 season, Gillman saw the squad pick up 14 wins, as the Brewers sent six men's fencers to the Northeast Regional. The previous year in 11-12, VC won the third-most matches in program history, picking up 16 victories.
 
In 2011-12 - Epee fencer Nick Johnson Finished 13th in epee at NCAA Championships at Ohio State.

In 2010-11, Gillman helped two fencers qualify for the NCAA Fencing Championships, including Andrew Fischl, who became the program's first fencer to qualify four straight years. Gillman coached the team to a program best second place finish in the Northeast Fencing Conference.

Gillman, who has more than three decades of experience in coaching fencers of all ages and weapons began his fencing career as a member of the University of Rochester team. He has been an assistant coach at Sacred Heart (CT) University, owner and chief instructor at the Fencing Center of Long Island and a longtime Referee Examiner for the Referees’ Commission of USA Fencing. He is a member of the United States Fencing Coaches Association and a Prevot in all three weapons.

Gillman is a founding director of the Candlewood Fencing Center in Danbury, CT. A 1982 graduate of the University of Rochester, Gillman attended graduate school at The Ohio State University where he worked with the fencing team as a Graduate Administrative Assistant.  Gillman became active in officiating with the ECAC and opened the Fencing Center of Long Island, which was in operation from 1998 to 2007. Gillman became an assistant coach at Sacred Heart in 1999 and three years later became the Boys Fencing Coach at Garden City (NY) High School.

A top official on the national, collegiate, and scholastic levels, who has worked NCAA and ECAC Championships, Gillman is a member of the United States Fencing Association and the United States Fencing Coaches Association.