Julia Jones-Pugliese

Julia Jones-Pugliese (May 9, 1909 – March 6, 1993) was an American fencer. She took up fencing as a New York University student in 1927. In 1929 she was the first women's US National Intercollegiate champion, and had a 60-year career as a fencing coach. Born Julia Jones, she married Anthony Pugliese. She was the first woman to coach a collegiate fencing team, leading N.Y.U. to national championships in 1933 and 1938, and coaching the Hunter College team to a national title in 1970. Mrs. Jones-Pugliese was the Hunter coach from 1956 until her death in 1993.

She helped found the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association. The association, whose membership grew from 4 to more than 70 colleges, conducts what is considered the oldest collegiate championship for women in any sport.

In 1928 she founded, with Dorothy Hafner and Elizabeth Ross, the IWFA (later, NIWFA). In 1928 she was the winner of the IWFA Individual Championship (and member of the winning NYU team). For 1932-38 she was coach of the NYU team when it won IWFA championships in 1932, 1933, and 1938. 1956-93 she was coach of Hunter College fencing teams. In 1970 she was a Fencing Coach of the Hunter College World University Games team. The Hunter team won the NIFWA title and she was named NIFWA coach of the year. In 1977 and 1981 she was United States women’s and men’s fencing coach at the Maccabiah Games.

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