Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus Men's Fencing

Penn State fencing named Renata Knapik-Miazga as assistant coach for the Nittany Lion men’s and women’s fencing teams prior to the start of the 2024-25 season. She is now in her second year at Penn State. Knapik-Miazga is a current member of the Polish National Team and was a 2024 Olympian for Poland. She is the founder and head coach of the Tarnow Academy of Fencing and president of the Lesser Poland Fencing Association. In addition to being a current member of the Polish National Team, Knapik-Miazga fences for the Fencing Club Academy of Physical Education in Cracaow and the Fencing Club Parmentier Grenoble. As an athlete, Knapik-Miazga competed in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games for Poland, placing 15th in the women’s epee and helping Poland to a sixth-place finish in the women’s epee team standings. A veteran of international competition, she owns a second-place finish at the 2021 Polish National Championship, the Polish National Championship in 2020 and European Championship in 2019 among many other top five finishes nationally and internationally.

The Penn State Nittany Lion men’s and women’s fencing teams, under the guidance of head coach Matteo Zennaro, announced the hiring of Simone Mazzoni as assistant coach in September of 2025. The former Italian Fencing Federation coach is in his first season as a foil coach for the Nittany Lions. Mazzoni comes to Penn State having served as a club coach in Italy for the past 14 years and as a coach with the Italian Fencing Federation since 2019. He was the foil coach for Club Scherma Roma from 2011 to now and was the Paralympic Foil Coach for the IFC from 2019 on. Mazzoni also served as the event manager for the Italian Baseball Softball Federation from 2020 to now. His results as a coach on the international level are extensive. Mazzoni has coached athletes to 11 international gold medals, seven silver medals and six bronze medals. He coached one athlete to the foil Gold Medal at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo and another title at the 2023 U20 European Championships. Mazzoni has a degree in sports science, a Master’s in sport management and received his MBA in law and sport management.