Victor Svatenko, retired fencing coach at Penn State, brings a distinguished background in fencing and modern pentathlon to UIW.
A graduate of the University of Physical Culture in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Svatenko became the Head Fencing Coach of the Republic of Kazakhstan’s national team, serving in this position from 1977 through 1985. He has coached several elite athletes in epee.
In 1982, the former U.S.S.R. Olympic Committee named him the Fencing Coach of the Year for the Republic of Kazakhstan. Later, he became the Assistant Director of Sports Science for Kazakhstan and then the Director/Chief Administrator of the Sports Training Center for Elite Athletes.
Svatenko came to the United States in 1990 and quickly established himself with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), becoming the Head Fencing Coach of the United States’ national modern pentathlon team. He was a four-time Olympic coach, and coached several teams in World Championships, including the teams Velizar Iliev, Head Coach of Olympian Fencing Club and Volunteer Coach for UIW was a member of.
During his tenure as fencing coach with the USOC, his athletes claimed a silver medal at the Olympics as well as three gold, one silver, and a bronze medal at the Modern Pentathlon World Championships. He also coached athletes to four gold medals at the Pan American games. From 1998 through 2001, he was named the USOC’s National Coach of the Year in Modern Pentathlon. From 2002 through 2004, he was the USOC’s Developmental Coach of the year.
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