Khristopher White '15, a former Northeast Conference and New England epee champion, has been named the head coach of the Pioneers' fencing teams.
White has been the Athlete Performance Manager and Program Coordinator for the Peter Westbrook Foundation, a New York City organization that addresses social, physical, academic and health barriers by using fencing to offer structured activities and academic support to underprivileged youth. He served as mentor and coach to over 150 kids while also managing more than 40 athletes from ages eight to 30 in reaching their goals in the sport. Four of those athletes qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"I am beyond excited and thankful for the opportunity to return to my alma mater. Sacred Heart, as a school, has gone through many changes since I graduated in 2015. I have learned throughout my meetings with the athletics department that all of them have been positive," said White.
Also the head fencing coach at Grace Church High School from 2015 to 2023, White transitioned the team from a school activity to a competitive team, winning multiple meets in its first year in a league.
White had a decorated career as a Pioneer, helping his team win four consecutive NEC championships while twice earning all-conference honors. He was part of a first-place epee squad that led the Pioneers to a New England Intercollegiate Fencing Championship in 2015, SHU's second such title with White. He was also part of the first Sacred Heart epee unit to finish first at the National Collegiate Squad Championships in 2015, the winter that he qualified for the NCAA Championships.
"I have many ideas and goals in mind about what this program can become, and I am ready to work with the team to ensure that our goals align and the paths we can take to reach them," said White. "I understand that coming in during the final stretch of the season has its difficulties, but with time and effort from all of us, I believe Sacred Heart can return to its status as a perennial conference power."
