RFC Coaching Staff

Head Coach- Jeff Snider

Head Coach Jeff Snider is an internationally accomplished fencer, having competed in 30 or more World Cups, fenced on six continents, and represented the United States at the 2002 World Championships in Lisbon Portugal. Having been ranked in the top 40 in the world and 3rd in the nation, he has won countless medals and awards throughout his career, including four Virginia State championships, three Southeast Section championships, two National medals, four top-16 finishes in World Cups and three World Cup finals from Havana Cuba, Bogota Columbia, and Sydney Australia. This wealth of international experience, and a personal familiarity with Olympic gold medalists, informs Coach Jeff's instruction every day.

Recently, Jeff has coached successful fencers at the Baltimore Fencing Club, the DC Fencing Club, and the Olde Town Fencers in Alexandria Virginia, as well as being the fencing coach at a private K-12 school.

Nationally Rated Referee in Foil(4) Epee(3) Sabre(6)

Coach Dee Hayes

Dee Hayes, a native of Cuba, started fencing at 9 years old at Barbados Heroes, a national sports school in Havana, Cuba. Her beginning was in foil but after 4 years, started epee. She studied under Coaches Ichi, Margarita Rodriguez, Jorge Valdez, Orlando Durruty and Manuel Ortiz. All of them world renowned and recognized ranking icons.

After graduating the University of Sports "Manuel Fajardo" in Havana, she taught at the National Academy in Havana. During her 5 year tenure, Dee monitored 72 athletes between the ages of 7 and 21 and promoted an innumerable amount of students to higher techniques schools and the Cuban National Team of Fencing.

Fencing Achievements

- Captain of the Women's' team of Havana

- Champion of the Cuban National Tournament in the categories 13-14 and 15-16 for three years

- Champion of the Tournament Games of the Youth

- Gold Medalist in the National Tournament of Teams

- Silver Medalist in the Tournament Holy Cross of the North

- Bronze Medalist in the National Games Tournament

- Bronze Medalist in the Games of Peace Tournament

Coach- Cyndi Lucente

E-mail Coach Cyndi

Cyndi started fencing in 1993 at Virginia Tech. She has studied under Matt Stone, Jamie Met, Pat Gray,

Curtis Huey, Daniel Calder, Carl Przystawik, and Allen Evans

Assisted with the beginners classes at VT, from 1995-1998

Assistant coach of the women's team VT 1997

Women's foil coach at VT 1998

Fencing Achievements

Captain of the Women's Team at Tech 1995-1997

Chair of the Virginia Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association 1997

2001 1^st Place Team Foil - Virginia Commonwealth Games.

2002 1^st Place Team Sabre – Virginia Divisional

Virginia Division Women’s Foil Points Champion in 2003, 2004, 2005

Virginia Division Women’s 3-weapon Points Champion in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Division 2/3 Qualifiers: 2002, 2003 - champion; 2004: finalist

Division Championships: 2003-2004 - finalist; 2002-3rd place

Team championships: 2002,2003,2004, 2005 - Silver medallists

Division Championships: 3rd place women's epee, 2004

Division 2/3 qualifiers: 2002 - finalist, women's epee

Nationally rated referee in Foil(6), Epee(6) and Sabre(6)

Coach- Scott O'Neal

E-mail Coach Scott

Coached by Allen Evans of Dominion Fencing .

Instructor for Purdue Fencing Club, Collegiate Team Captain: 1997-2002

Purdue Fencing Club President: 1997-2001

Purdue Fencing Club Graduate Advisor: 2001-2002

Coach for Richmond Fencing Club: 2003 to present

Fencing Achievements:

Big 10 Championships: Men's Epee 1^st Place 2000

Virginia Division Championships, Men's Epee 2^nd Place: 2004 and 2006

Virginia Division Championships, Men's Epee 3^rd Place: 2005 and 2007

Virginia Division Men's Epee Points Champion: 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons

Virginia Division Secretary: 2004 to present

Earned A07 Classification in Epee

3 Top 32 finishes in Division I NAC Epee events, 2005-2006

Highest national ranking: 27th on the National Rolling Points List, and 16th on the Team Points list

Referee Ratings: Nationally Rated Referee in Foil(7), Epee(7) and Sabre(8)