Ohio State Coaches Recognized with CCFC Awards
4/8/2026 11:16:00 AM | Fencing
Anthony and Gregory both honored for third time
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A trio of Ohio State fencing coaches have been recognized with Central Collegiate Fencing Association awards, the conference announced this week. Donald Anthony Jr. was named the CCFC Men's Team Coach of the Year, Elvis Gregory was selected the CCFC Men's Team Assistant Coach of the Year and Dimitri Lapkes was honored as the Women's Team Assistant Coach of the Year.
Anthony is now a three-time Men's Team Coach of the Year (2021, '22). He led the 2026 Buckeye men to a sixth consecutive conference championship and the men's weapon squads swept the CCFC titles for the third straight year. The men were 21-14 during the regular season and then posted a 4-0 record at the CCFC Championships.
Gregory was recognized with an assistant coach of the year award for the third straight season. He was the men's honoree in 2024 and the women's recipient last year. In 2026, Gregory led the Buckeye men's foil team to the CCFC squad title, their sixth in a row, and Ohio State fencers earned the Top 6 spots in the individual conference championships. Two Buckeyes were NCAA qualifiers in men's foil. Among the highlights for the Buckeye men during the year was a 14-13 victory over eventual national champion Notre Dame, helped by a 7-2 win in foil.
Lapkes, who coaches the Buckeye saber squads, led Natalia Botello to the first NCAA women's saber championship in program history. She also captured the CCFC and NCAA Midwest Regional titles under Lapkes' guidance and coaching. Botello's title was the fourth NCAA women's individual championship for the program and the first since Eleanor Harvey claimed the foil title in 2016.
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Anthony is now a three-time Men's Team Coach of the Year (2021, '22). He led the 2026 Buckeye men to a sixth consecutive conference championship and the men's weapon squads swept the CCFC titles for the third straight year. The men were 21-14 during the regular season and then posted a 4-0 record at the CCFC Championships.
Gregory was recognized with an assistant coach of the year award for the third straight season. He was the men's honoree in 2024 and the women's recipient last year. In 2026, Gregory led the Buckeye men's foil team to the CCFC squad title, their sixth in a row, and Ohio State fencers earned the Top 6 spots in the individual conference championships. Two Buckeyes were NCAA qualifiers in men's foil. Among the highlights for the Buckeye men during the year was a 14-13 victory over eventual national champion Notre Dame, helped by a 7-2 win in foil.
Lapkes, who coaches the Buckeye saber squads, led Natalia Botello to the first NCAA women's saber championship in program history. She also captured the CCFC and NCAA Midwest Regional titles under Lapkes' guidance and coaching. Botello's title was the fourth NCAA women's individual championship for the program and the first since Eleanor Harvey claimed the foil title in 2016.
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