Assistant coach Ian Farr named to U.S. coaching staff for women's sabre World Cups
Ian Farr - a former standout sabreur for Penn State University and member of the Oregon Fencing Alliance, which has produced several University of Notre Dame fencing prospects - enters his third season with the Irish fencing team as an assistant coach and sabre specialist.
Under Farr's tutelage, women's sabreuse Lian Osier claimed her second consecutive All-America honor (second team) with an eighth-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Championships. Osier logged a 13-9 record and a +8 indicator during the competition. On the men's side, Kevin Hassett wrapped up his first NCAA Championship in seventh place (14-9, +14 indicator) to also cop second team All-America recognition.
In his first season with the program - a national championship season - Farr helped the maximum four fencers qualify for the NCAA Championship and earn All-America recognition in the process. Senior sabreists Barron Nydam (6th) and Eileen Hassett (3rd) both entered the Irish record books as four-time All-Americans following the 2011 campaign, while Avery Zuck (2nd) concluded with three such accolades. Farr also helped Osier (9th) capture third team All-America honors in her first NCAA Championship appearance.
Before joining the Notre Dame coaching staff, Farr worked as a volunteer assistant coach at Northwestern University. He was responsible for coaching 35 female student-athletes, providing each member of the eight-person sabre squad with one-on-one instruction. In his one season in Evanston, Ill., the Wildcats put together successful 45-5 record. Before accepting the volunteer coaching position at Northwestern, Farr worked in the University's camps department, leading fencing related drills and activities for open and competitive fencing camps in the summer of 2008.
Prior to his tenure on the Wildcat staff, Farr worked for 11 months in the Portland State University athletics department (2007-2008). His responsibilities included, but were not limited to, assisting event managers in preparation for athletic events, including football. Farr also served as the intermediary between the officials and visiting teams to ensure a safe and friendly environment for all parties, as well as managing the student-worker staff.
Before entering into the athletics field, Farr served as a documents and legal assistant at Thompson & Bogran P.C. in Lake Oswego, Ore., from 2007 through 2008. He maintained existing cases and was responsible for organizing incoming discovery for the law firm.
During his college career, Farr competed with a very talented Penn State team, including the 2007 team that went on to capture the NCAA title. Along with helping the team capture the title, he also grabbed All-America honors in each of the 2004 and 2007 seasons and served as the men's fencing team representative in 2006-07 for the Student-Athlete Advisory Board. Farr was also chosen to represent the United States in several World Cup fencing competitions.
Farr continued his schooling while on staff at Notre Dame, earning a degree in sports administration from Northwestern University in 2012.
