National Team Staff#

Ralf Bissdorf, a former Olympic silver medalist and world champion, leads Team USA’s talented women’s foil squad. Before joining the USA team, he led Singapore Sports School's Fencing Academy and worked with Z Fencing Pte. Ltd. in Singapore. Bissdorf, originally from Germany, is an accomplished athlete and coach with a background in political science from the University of Augsburg.

Franco Cerutti, who boasts a rich background in fencing, took over the helm of the men’s epee squad in 2022. He previously served as the executive director of high performance at Swiss Fencing, leading the Swiss team to their first senior world title in men's epee at the 2018 World Championships. Cerutti holds a Maitre d’Armes title from the British Academy of Fencing and a coaching diploma from the Swiss Federal Office of Sport.

Natalie Dostert, an experienced coach and former German national champion, leads Team USA’s women’s epee squad. She has been pivotal in training U.S. national team members and guiding athletes to international success since joining the Alliance Fencing Academy in Houston in 2015. Dostert, a biology graduate from the University of Bonn, holds a German “Coaching ‘A’” license and has a strong track record in developing elite fencers.

Greg Massialas, a celebrated coach and member of the USA Fencing Hall of Fame, has led the men’s foil team to global success over the last decade. Under his guidance, the team has consistently ranked number one in the world and earned numerous Olympic and World Championship medals. An Olympic athlete himself, Massialas is also the founder of the Massialas Foundation in San Francisco and holds a degree in business and marketing. He’s also the proud father of Olympians Alexander Massialas and Sabrina Massialas.

Aleks Ochocki, a former NCAA and U.S. national champion, brings extensive experience to his role leading Team USA’s women’s saber squad. His coaching career includes successful tenures at the University of Notre Dame, and he was team captain at the Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships. Ochocki, a graduate in recreation, park, and tourism management, has also excelled as an athlete, winning medals at both junior and senior levels.

Akhi Spencer-El, a respected coach with a history of producing Olympic medalists, leads the men’s saber squad. His coaching roles at the New York Fencers Club, Columbia University and the Peter Westbrook Foundation underscore his expertise in developing top-tier talent. Spencer-El, who holds a master’s degree in physical education from Semmelweis University, made history by coaching Eli Dershwitz to America's first men’s saber world championship and is the first Black national coach in USA Fencing history.