ABOUT US
Founded in 2001 by 3-time Olympic National Team Coach Zoran Tulum, Zeta Fencing has become the leading sabre club in New England over its 20+ year history. During this time, the program has produced 3 Olympians, 4 NCAA champions, 7 world championship medalists, 41 world championship team qualifications, and countless national champions and medalists.
In spring 2025, Zeta Fencing welcomed the first woman Master Coach to its staff, Coach Ipek Irem Ülkü. In August 2025, Zeta Fencing's most renowned graduate Eli Dershwitz returned to the club as owner and president. Under his leadership, Zeta Fencing will continue to build on its distinguished legacy, educating new generations of fencers at all levels, and preparing them to compete at the sports' biggest stages.
Regardless of the level of competitive commitment, the sport of fencing develops quick thinking, poise, agility and speed, as well as self-confidence and sportsmanship. Fencing is a lifetime sport, equally suitable for men and women, children and adults.
Coaches and Staff
Eli Dershwitz, 2023 World Champion and 3 x US Olympian
Owner & President
Eli Dershwitz grew up in Sherborn, MA where he attended public schools. He began fencing at Zeta in 2004 with founder and former head coach Zoran Tulum. Under Zoran's coaching, Eli won multiple US National Championships and individual NCAA titles at Harvard. In 2015, he became the first American men's saber fencer ever to win an individual world title with his gold at the U20 World Championships in Uzbekistan. In 2023, Dershwitz won gold at the Senior World Championships in Milan, making him one of only two American men ever to win an individual senior world title. He has competed at the past three Olympic Games. He is also the only American men's saber fencer to finish an entire season as the #1 ranked fencer in the world.
After graduating from Harvard in the Spring of 2019, he joined the Harvard coaching staff as an assistant fencing coach. During that time, he coached multiple individual NCAA champions and trained with members of the college team who would end up being his Olympic teammates at the 2024 Paris Games. In the Fall of 2023, he moved to NYC to prepare for the Paris Olympics, and spent the next two years coaching full time at the Tim Morehouse Fencing Club. During that time, he coached numerous students to national medals at NACs and national championships.
As owner and president, Eli oversees and is involved in all aspects of coaching and training: giving private lessons, running group classes, coaching at tournaments, offering special clinics and camps, and bringing in top national training partners to ensure that Zeta's overall training level is second to none.
Barnabas "Barni" Csanyi, Maître de Sabre
Head Coach
Barnabas Csanyi began fencing in his native Hungary in 1992 with legendary coach Istvan Decsi. He won multiple medals at Hungarian national championships in different age groups and competed internationally for Hungary as a member of the Cadet and Junior national teams.
In 2008, he began his coaching career with Coach Decsi at KVSE, one of the most renowned sabre clubs in Hungary. During that time, Barnabas also completed his coaching diploma at Semmelweis University in Budapest. He left Hungary in 2011 to coach at Z Fencing Club in Singapore where he produced several national medalists who also competed successfully internationally, qualifying for Asian Championships. In 2014, he moved to Germany where Luis and Raoul Bonah became his students. Raoul Bonah finished 19th at the Cadet World Championships in Tashkent in 2015. Starting in 2019, Barnabas worked at FC Wuerth Kuenzelsau, one of Germany's premier sabre clubs. Again, his students in all age groups regularly medaled at national championships and competed in international competitions at all levels.
Wherever he has coached, Coach Barnabas has produced a proven track record of fencers medaling at all levels and in all age groups, including at European, Asian, and World Championships.
Since joining Zeta Fencing in 2023, Coach Barnabas teaches all class levels, from Beginner to Elite, gives private lessons, and strip coaches at competitions. As Head Coach, Barnabas oversees all class programming, training schedules, and coach development. Coach Barnabas is a certified Master of Sabre of the United States Fencing Coaches Association.
Ipek Irem Ülkü, Maître de Sabre
Sabre Coach
Ipek Irem Ülkü was the first Turkish woman fencer to medal internationally for her native country. As a coach during the last 18 years, she trained the Cadet Men's Saber National Team and the Veteran Men's Saber National Team in Turkey. In 2017, her student Deniz Selin Ünlüdağ won the team championship at the Under-23 European Championships in Sochi, and in 2018, she became European Champion in the Cadet and Junior Championship. She has been recognized as an international referee for the FIE since 2003, having officiated at World Cup semifinals and finals.
From 2023-2025, she successfully grew the program at Tim Morehouse Fencing Club in Manhattan. Her students regularly medaled at the regional level and competed at national championships.
Coach Irem holds the Maître de Sabre certification from the USA Fencing Coaches Association, is a board member of WFencing, and is a member of the Sports Performance Resource Committee of USA Fencing. She has a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from Turkiye Ege University and a Master's degree in Coaching Sports, and Health Sciences from Turkiye Celal Bayar University. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate who researches and prepares articles on the sport of fencing in her field of Sports Biomechanics and conducts performance research on fencers. She also serves as Assistant Saber Coach at Brown University.
As Zeta Fencing's first female Master Coach, Coach Irem teaches all class levels, vacation programs, and gives private lessons. She also coaches and referees at all levels of fencing competitions.
Kim Phillips
Sabre Coach & Club Armorer
Kim Phillips's fencing career spans over 30 years. He worked with well-known coaches Henry Harutunian OLY and Vassil Etropolski to develop his fencing and coaching style. In 1994, he was a member of Yale University's NCAA men's saber championship team. An active competitor in national veteran tournaments, Kim won the V50 MS national championship in 2024 and 2025. He represented Team USA at the Veteran World Championships in Dubai for the second time in October 2024, winning an individual Bronze in V50 and Gold with the USA Men's Saber Team. In 2025, he again competed in the V50 age group for Team USA at the Veteran Fencing World Championships and earned Bronze in the team event.
Coach Kim holds the rank of Captain and served in the US Marine Corps as Communications Officer for 14 years.
In 2018, he transitioned to coaching. Prior to joining Zeta in 2024, he coached at PDX Fencing in Oregon and Houston Sports Swords. At Zeta, he oversees the Adult Program, teaches classes, private lessons, and vacation programs, and provides strip coaching at competitions. He also serves as the club armorer.
Annette Pein, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Annette Pein has an extensive background in education, having taught at Harvard University and having led the award-winning German Saturday School Boston.
Annette's family joined Zeta Fencing in 2008 when her older daughter started in the Beginner Classes. By 2023, both her daughters had graduated from Zeta's Elite Class. During their time at Zeta, they medaled in regional, national, and international competitions. Her older daughter became a four-time NCAA Championship qualifier for Duke University and earned All-American honors in 2020 and 2021. Her younger daughter currently competes for Duke University's Division 1 fencing team. In 2021, Annette started fencing herself in Zeta's Adult Classes and has medaled in veteran competitions. In November 2025, she competed for her native Germany in the V50 age group at the Veteran Fencing World Championships in Bahrain.
As Zeta Fencing’s Executive Director, Annette oversees all aspects of the club’s administration, programming, and communications. She educates parents and fencers about USA Fencing regulations, tournament types, points lists, and qualification paths for national championships.