Stephen Kovacs

Stephen Kovacs
Born(1972-01-04)January 4, 1972
DiedJanuary 15, 2022(2022-01-15) (aged 50)
Somerset County Jail, Somerville, New Jersey, US
Alma materColumbia University ('95)
OccupationFencing coach
Years active2007–21
EmployerRidge High School
Known forJunior national champion saber fencer; later a fencing coach; arrested for sexual assault of two teenage students; died in jail.
Criminal charges
Awards

Stephen Matias Kovacs (January 4, 1972 – January 15, 2022) was an American saber fencer and fencing coach.[4][5][6] He was a three-time NCAA All American for Columbia University, four-time All-Ivy League, and the first fencer to win four consecutive Intercollegiate Fencing Association championships. As a fencing coach, he then coached at the Pingry School, Princeton Junior School, Stevens Institute of Technology, Duke University, Ridge High School, and private fencing clubs including one that he founded. In October 2021 he was arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and false swearing, and imprisoned in the Somerset County Jail in Somerville, New Jersey. On October 29, 2021, the United States Center for SafeSport temporarily suspended Kovacs, pending an investigation by it of allegations against him. On January 15, 2022, Kovacs committed suicide (aged 50) in Somerset County Jail.

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  4. ^ "U.S. Fencing Division I Team National Champions by Year," Museum of American Fencing.
  5. ^ "BrokerCheck; Stephen Matias Kovacs". FINRA.
  6. ^ Bornstein, Arnold (June 5, 1994). "En Garde! Father-and-Son Fencing". The New York Times.