MISHA MOKRETSOV, HEAD COACH
Misha Mokretsov began fencing at the age of 12 in his native city, Khmelnitsky. His coach, Yury Mazur, helped him to become a Ukrainian National Championship Silver medalist in 2005, and a member of the Junior National Epee Team and European Championship finalist in team event in 2004. Throughout his national team career, Misha has competed in numerous cadet and junior World Cups and European Championships.
Misha was offered an athletic scholarship to St. John’s University where he earned All-American Athlete honors in 2008, Academic All-Star honors in 2006-2007, and served as team captain and team manager, under Coach Yuri Gelman.
Misha has been coaching in the NY metropolitan area since 2006. While in college, he was a coach at several fencing clubs and high schools in New York City and Long Island.
In 2010, Misha graduated and founded New York Fencing Academy, which has quickly become a center for excellence in epee with one of the strongest competitive youth programs in the country. Misha has produced many top ranked fencers including National and World Cup Champions, and members of USA and French National Teams. His young athletes have won multiple Super Youth Circuits and earned hundreds of SYC finalist medals. In 2015-16, New York Fencing Academy was ranked the #1 club in the US for youth men’s and women’s epee based on national podium points.
NOTABLE STUDENTS
International Medalists:
- Romain Cannone
- Gold – Junior Team European Championship, Plodiv 2017
- Bronze – Junior World Cup, Espoo 2017
- Gold – Junior Team World Cup Championship, Udine 2016
- Bronze – Junoir Team World Cup, Riga 2016
- Gold – Junior Team European Championship, Maribor 2015
- Silver – Junior Team World Championship, Tashkent 2015
- Bronze – Junior World Cup, Basel 2015
- Gold – Cadet World Cup, Bratislava 2014
- France Junior National Team Member, 2015-2017
- Alan Temiryaev
- Silver – Cadet Team World Cup, Grenoble 2016
- Bronze – Cadet World Cup, Grenoble 2016
- Bronze – Cadet World Cup, Klagenfurt 2016
- Bronze – Cadet Team World Cup, Klagenfurt 2016
- USA World Team Member 2017
- Anton Chmut
- Gold – Cadet Team World Cup, Bratislava 2017
- Bronze – Cadet World Cup, Bratislava 2017
- Bronze – Cadet Team World Cup, Klagenfurt 2016
National Gold Medalists:
- Alan Temiryaev – Junior Junior Olympics 2017, Cadet July Challenge 2016
- Jaclyn Khrol – Y12 Summer Nationals 2016, Y12 NAC 2016, Y10 NAC 2014, Y14 Team NAC 2017, Y14 Team NAC 2016
- Romain Cannone – Junior NAC 2014, Cadet NAC 2013
- Caralina Khrol – Y10 NAC 2016, Y14 Team NAC 2017, Y14 Team NAC 2016
- Ethan Kushnerik – Y12 NAC 2016, Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Skyler Liverant – Y10 NAC 2015, Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Ian Goldfine – Y10 NAC 2016
- Nadia Gaberkorn – Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Jordan Liverant – Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Mark Dolgonos – Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Jack Kambeseles – Y14 Team NAC 2017
- Anna Lanzman – Y14 Team NAC 2016
- Melanie Dolgonos – Y14 Team NAC 2016
National Finalists:
- Multiple national finalist medals earned by: Skyler Chin, Annie Morelli, Romain Cannone, Anton Chmut, Alan Temiryaev, Jaclyn Khrol, Nathan Vaysberg, Ethan Kushnerik, Skyler Liverant, Anna Lanzman, Mark Dolgonos, Jordan Liverant, Joshua Shuster, Anna Temiryaev, Ian Goldfine, Michael Mogilevich, Andrew Mufel, Joshua Sikarevich, Richard Kim
Super Youth Circuit Gold Medalists:
- Over 250 SYC medals including more than 50 SYC Gold Medals earned by: Jaclyn Khrol, Ethan Kushnerik, Caralina Khrol, Skyler Liverant, Anton Chmut, Ian Goldfine, Mark Dolgonos, Nadia Gaberkorn, Anna Temiryaev, Alan Temiryaev, Melanie Dolgonos, Nathan Vaysberg, Joshua Shuster, Skyler Chin.
YARIK PONOMARENKO, EPEE COACH
Yarik began fencing at the age of 9 in the small city of Simferopol, Ukraine. He has 15 years of fencing experience and was a member of the national fencing team of Ukraine for 9 years. Yarik is a silver and bronze medalist in the Junior World Championships in 2008 and 2009 (team) and multiple medalist in the European Fencing Championships in individual and team events in 2008, 2010, 2012. Yarik graduated in 2013 from the National University of Physical Education and Sport of Ukraine majoring in Sports Psychology and Coaching. He was awarded Master of Sports of Ukraine in International Class in Fencing by the Ministry of Ukraine of Family, Youth and Sport.
Before joining NY Fencing Academy’s coaching staff, Yarik coached at the Dream Fencing Club in London, UK in 2014, and was head coach of the epee program at MindSportz Fencing Club in Shenzhen, China from 2015-2016.
ED MUFEL, EPEE COACH
Edward trained in fencing from fourth grade at one of the most prestigious specialized Athletic schools in Kazakhstan. This school has produced famous athletes around the world. Upon immigrating to the United States, Edward went on to compete with Pennsylvania State University’s fencing team. With the team, he won All-American NCAA titles from 1988-1991. In 1988, Edward was ranked number 4 in the United States. Individually, he was the NCAA Champion in 1989, and won second place in 1988. Edward competed in several international championships, showcasing his talent with foil. Edward also taught at Metropolis Fencing School in Manhattan for four years, from 1992 to 1996.
YEVGENIY (JENYA) KARYUCHENKO, EPEE COACH
Yevgeniy started fencing in Ukraine when he was 10. As a Cadet, he won 2 individual Ukrainian National Championships in a row as well as 2012 European Championship. Also, he finished 10th at the World Championship in Moscow. Jenya was offered a full athletic scholarship to St. John’s University where he won individual gold at 2014 NCAA championship and took Bronze in 2016. During his St. John’s career Jenya earned 2x First-team All-American and Second-Team All-American honors.
