ATLANTA – The Notre Dame fencing team took home five United States Fencing Coaches Association Awards to wrap up a successful 2025-26, the organization announced. Ahmed Hesham, Eszter Muhari, head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia and assistant coach Christian Rascioni all took home accolades, with Kvaratskhelia winning two. The Irish finished as both men’s and women’s NCAA champions this spring, making it 16 national titles in program history.
Hesham won Men’s Sabre Collegiate Athlete of the Year following an impressive sophomore season. The Cairo, Egypt native won both the ACC and NCAA sabre individual championship and was named the ACC Men’s Sabre Fencer of the Year last month.
Muhari was tabbed the Women’s Epee Collegiate Athlete of the Year following her third career individual NCAA epee title back in March. The Budapest, Hungary product won the ACC Women’s Epee Fencer of the Year for the third time in her career (2023, 2025, 2026), only missing 2024 due to training for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia earned both Men’s and Women’s Coach of the Year after winning both the men’s and women’s NCAA titles this spring. He now has led the Fighting Irish to eight national championships during his remarkable tenure, including six co-ed national crowns (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025) and both men’s and women’s this season (2026).
Assistant coach Christian Rascioni earned Men’s Team Assistant Coach of the Year after guiding Ahmed Hesham to an historic campaign, guiding the sophomore to both the ACC and NCAA individual epee titles.