Slava Danilov recently completed his eighth season with the Red and Blue in 2021-22. Danilov has helped contribute to three Ivy League title with men's fencing during his tenure at Penn.
A professional fencing coach and master, Danilov brings 41 years of fencing experience from all different levels, ranging from high school coaching to fencing with the Kharkov Regional Ukrainian and Soviet Union National Teams. He most recently prior to Penn, Danilov served as the head coach at Ridge High School and Morris Fencing Club in New Jersey. His other coaching experiences include the Fencing Academy of South Jersey, Medeo Fencing Club & School, as well as coaching at Kharkov fencing club "Echo" in Ukraine. In addition, Danilov was also an assistant professor in physical education at Kharkov State Pedagogical University.
During his coaching career, Danilov has led the Ridge High School fencing team to the 2009 New Jersey High School Championship title and a Vice-Championship in 2014. Over the year, his students have seen a breadth of success including a World Junior Championship silver medal & World Championship silver medal, a title as Champion of Ukraine, a gold medal at the Division IA Summer National Championship, a NAC Champion, and third place at the Youth Summer National Championship.
In his own right, Danilov has been widely successful. As a full-time fencer, he was a part of the 1985 Champion of the World University Games epee team, placed seventh with his team at the World Championships in ’94 and was then crowned the ’95 European Cup Champion with his team. In ’96, Danilov was a World Cup bronze medalist and a gold medalist in the International World Championships Competition in Brussels.
Danilov holds a BA in Physical Education along with a Master’s in Sport Psychology. He is also a Master of Sports International Class in Fencing, which is the highest classification in sports in the former USSR.
