After 51 Years, Miller Retires As Tar Heel Coach
April 20, 2018 | Fencing
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – After 51 years and 1,553 victories, Ron Miller is retiring as head coach of the North Carolina men's and women's fencing programs. He coached UNC's first varsity fencing team, in 1967-68, and has mentored thousands of Tar Heel student-athletes since then.
"Ron's dedication to Carolina and the sport of fencing is just incredible," UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. "The fact he's been here for more than half a century is amazing on its own, but it's even more impressive when you know the impact he's had on Tar Heel students over that time. On behalf of everyone in Carolina Athletics and the entire UNC family, we salute him for his success and thank him for his service."
Miller has been the recipient of many honors during his UNC tenure, and most recently he was named 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Fencing Coach of the Year for both the men's and women's teams. He also earned the ACC women's honor in 2015, the first year of conference competition for women's teams and the year that fencing returned as an ACC sport, both landmarks in which he was deeply involved. He has been recognized as a Priceless Gem, and received the Jack Baker Award for Service to USA Fencing. He was the national coach of the year in 1983 and 1986, and he sent at least one fencer to the NCAA Championships in each year of his career.
"It's difficult to sum up the quality of Coach's character and impact on the program in just a few words," said Sydney Persing, a junior on the women's foil squad. "I think I speak for the entire team when I say he's put more heart into this program in 51 years than most people could have in 150. That's why, even though it will be a difficult adjustment next season without him, our team spirit, work ethic, and culture will continue on just as strong as they've always been."
Word of Miller's impending retirement leaked out during the season, and tributes from alums have poured in, each attesting to the impact the coach has had. "It's been great to hear from so many people," Miller said. "It makes me realize the reach and impact our program has, and also assures me that it has a strong foundation that extends past the person at the helm. I look forward to watching the program's continued growth, and to supporting from the sidelines."
Although well known for his grassroots work in fencing, teaching and promoting the sport to those who might never have encountered it otherwise, his former student-athletes have taken away lessons that are only tangentially related to the sport.
"Coach Miller taught me lessons as a UNC fencer that I find myself teaching my own children," said Matt Cox, a 1996 UNC graduate who fenced from 1993-96. "That's the kind of lasting impact that he's had on me – he'll always be an honored part of my family."
"Coach was the model educator," said Mark Lattimore, who overlapped with Cox, fencing from 1990-94, and earning his undergraduate degree from UNC in 1993 and his law degree in 1996. "He appreciated that both teaching and learning are both intensely personal experiences and, therefore, that one size never fits all."
The 2017-18 season, which Miller said from the start would be his last, was one of the programs' most successful. The UNC men's and women's teams combined for 55 victories, the most in program history, putting Miller's overall wins total at 1,553 in his 51 seasons as head coach. He led the Tar Heels to the 2018 ACC Women's Fencing Championship, the first in program history.
He steps down from his coaching position with a career record of 1553-868 (combined men's and women's results) and an impact that can't be gauged in numbers. In fact, for years Miller didn't keep up with his overall record, because he knew that wasn't what would ultimately define his success.
"There are so many things we want our student-athletes to take away, far beyond whether they won or lost a match," Miller said. "I've always wanted them to focus on hard work, self-belief, selflessness with teammates, strength of character and personal responsibility, and hopefully they've taken all of that with them after they graduate."
The stories about Miller's influence go on and on. After 51 years, he is synonymous with the program he started, and no one expects that to change with Friday's announcement.
"Even though Coach is retiring, his legacy and impact are not," Persing said. "The mark he's left on the program will never leave us."
"Ron's dedication to Carolina and the sport of fencing is just incredible," UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. "The fact he's been here for more than half a century is amazing on its own, but it's even more impressive when you know the impact he's had on Tar Heel students over that time. On behalf of everyone in Carolina Athletics and the entire UNC family, we salute him for his success and thank him for his service."
Miller has been the recipient of many honors during his UNC tenure, and most recently he was named 2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Fencing Coach of the Year for both the men's and women's teams. He also earned the ACC women's honor in 2015, the first year of conference competition for women's teams and the year that fencing returned as an ACC sport, both landmarks in which he was deeply involved. He has been recognized as a Priceless Gem, and received the Jack Baker Award for Service to USA Fencing. He was the national coach of the year in 1983 and 1986, and he sent at least one fencer to the NCAA Championships in each year of his career.
"It's difficult to sum up the quality of Coach's character and impact on the program in just a few words," said Sydney Persing, a junior on the women's foil squad. "I think I speak for the entire team when I say he's put more heart into this program in 51 years than most people could have in 150. That's why, even though it will be a difficult adjustment next season without him, our team spirit, work ethic, and culture will continue on just as strong as they've always been."
Word of Miller's impending retirement leaked out during the season, and tributes from alums have poured in, each attesting to the impact the coach has had. "It's been great to hear from so many people," Miller said. "It makes me realize the reach and impact our program has, and also assures me that it has a strong foundation that extends past the person at the helm. I look forward to watching the program's continued growth, and to supporting from the sidelines."
Although well known for his grassroots work in fencing, teaching and promoting the sport to those who might never have encountered it otherwise, his former student-athletes have taken away lessons that are only tangentially related to the sport.
"Coach Miller taught me lessons as a UNC fencer that I find myself teaching my own children," said Matt Cox, a 1996 UNC graduate who fenced from 1993-96. "That's the kind of lasting impact that he's had on me – he'll always be an honored part of my family."
"Coach was the model educator," said Mark Lattimore, who overlapped with Cox, fencing from 1990-94, and earning his undergraduate degree from UNC in 1993 and his law degree in 1996. "He appreciated that both teaching and learning are both intensely personal experiences and, therefore, that one size never fits all."
The 2017-18 season, which Miller said from the start would be his last, was one of the programs' most successful. The UNC men's and women's teams combined for 55 victories, the most in program history, putting Miller's overall wins total at 1,553 in his 51 seasons as head coach. He led the Tar Heels to the 2018 ACC Women's Fencing Championship, the first in program history.
He steps down from his coaching position with a career record of 1553-868 (combined men's and women's results) and an impact that can't be gauged in numbers. In fact, for years Miller didn't keep up with his overall record, because he knew that wasn't what would ultimately define his success.
"There are so many things we want our student-athletes to take away, far beyond whether they won or lost a match," Miller said. "I've always wanted them to focus on hard work, self-belief, selflessness with teammates, strength of character and personal responsibility, and hopefully they've taken all of that with them after they graduate."
The stories about Miller's influence go on and on. After 51 years, he is synonymous with the program he started, and no one expects that to change with Friday's announcement.
"Even though Coach is retiring, his legacy and impact are not," Persing said. "The mark he's left on the program will never leave us."
Players Mentioned
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