USA Fencing Sets Hall of Fame Ballot for Class of 2026, With Member Voting to Take Place in May

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The latest USA Fencing Hall of Fame ballot is out — and by all accounts, the Class of 2026 could be one the most star-studded lineups we’ve ever seen. 

The Board of Directors, in a March 7 vote, has greenlit a stacked roster of Olympic medalists, iconic coaches and behind-the-scenes powerhouses — all set to vie for a coveted spot in fencing immortality. These individuals were selected by the USA Fencing Hall of Fame Committee, with input from the community through our suggestion form.

The Hall of Fame election opens May 12, 2025, meaning eligible members will play a big role in choosing which of these fencing legends secures their spot in the USA Fencing Hall of Fame.

In order to vote, members must be 18 or older and in good standing as of Feb. 1, 2025, holding any of these membership types: Life, Competitive, Collegiate Competitive, Supporting, Access, Olympian Life, Paralympian Life, Life Installment, or Coach.

In most categories, voting results are then combined with objective scoring criteria to determine the inductees. 

After the vote counts and final tabulations are revealed, those fencers, coaches and contributors who make it into the Hall of Fame will officially be inducted at the 2026 Summer Nationals.

Why are Olympic gold medalists Lee Kiefer OLY and Mariel Zagunis OLY not on the ballot? That’s because the Board also enacted a historic motion that automatically grants Hall of Fame induction to any U.S. fencer who earns an individual Olympic or Paralympic gold medal. That means Kiefer and Zagunis will be inducted this summer in Milwaukee.

We also want to take a moment to acknowledge the lack of parafencing nominees on the Hall of Fame ballot. We look forward to continuing the growth and progression of parafencing in the United States and on the international stage. In the meantime, we encourage our members to nominate worthy parafencers using the nomination form in both the athlete and contributor categories.

Olympic Athletes (3 to be inducted):

• Herbert Cohen
• Kelley Hurley
• Race Imboden
• Steve Kaplan
• Tom Losonczy
• Tim Morehouse
• Ibtihaj Muhammad
• Nicole Ross
• Dagmara Wozniak

Veteran Athlete (1 to be inducted):

• Elizabeth Kocab
• Julie Seal
• Jennette Starks Faulkner
• Anne-Marie Walters

Coach (1 to be inducted):

• Gary Copeland
• Mark Masters
• Gil Pezza
• Laurie Schiller

Contributor (1 to be inducted):

• Leon Auriol
• Gerrie Baumgart
• Peter Harmer
• Jon Moss
• Andy Shaw