Ron Miller (fencing coach)

As a student, Miller was competitive in high school in basketball, football, wrestling, and track, while fencing at a local YMCA. He originally wanted to be an architect, but after a frost wiped out his family's crops, he had no money for architecture school. While in graduate school, Miller had written a paper on the kinesiology of fencing and a professor of his put him in touch with the chair of UNC's physical education. Miller moved to UNC as a physical education instructor and started the fencing program at UNC in 1967. He finished 8–1 in his first season, and built the team into a varsity sport in 1970. == Career ==

Miller taught between 40,000 and 50,000 fencers throughout his career Under his leadership, UNC won eight conference titles from 1971 to 1980. He maintained his team GPA above 3.0 for his 52 years Miller was two-time NCAA Coach of the Year and in 2017 was honored as a Priceless Gem at UNC, “in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the University of North Carolina.” In 2023, he was inducted in the USA Fencing hall of fame. == Death ==

Miller died from complications of melanoma on June 5, 2023, at the age of 78. ==See also==