Coaches' Corner: Juan Ignacio Calderon

This summer we'll be featuring various coaches from our 23 teams in a Q&A format on UCSDTritons.com as well as our social media accounts.

Juan Ignacio Calderon recently completed his fourth season as head coach of UC San Diego's fencing program. The Tritons put together a historic campaign with several major victories and yet another trip to the National Collegiate Fencing Championships.

In early December, UC San Diego traveled to the Elite Invitational at Ohio State for the first time in program history. There the men's team compiled a 5-1 record with victories against No. 3 Ohio State and No. 7 Penn. Milan Rona went 14-2 in Men's Epee and Julia Hill put together an impressive 18-3 mark in Women's Saber.

At the NCAA West Regionals in San Antonio, Shawn Kim successfully defended his West Region Men's Saber Champion title. Sarah Shen became the 2022 West Region Saber Champion on the women's side. Alongside Kim and Shen, three other Tritons, including Rafaella Gomes (foil), Hill, and Justin Park (saber), finished on the podium to earn automatic berths in the National Collegiate Championships.

The very next day at the first-ever Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championships, Kim added another title to his resume by winning the Men's Saber event.

At Nationals, Kim took third, equaling the best-ever individual finish by a Triton. UC San Diego placed 13th overall, which tied the program's top finish at a full-field Nationals. 

To wrap up an outstanding season, Kim was tabbed the USFCA Men's Saber Fencer of the Year as well as the MPSF Men's Fencer of the Year. A total of 23 Tritons were recognized with All-Academic honors from the USFCA. Calderon was the recipient of UC San Diego's Excellence in Coaching Award.

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What's an interesting fact about you that's not listed in your bio?
I owned and ran a restaurant when I was living in Germany.

What's one skill/talent you wish you had or would like to learn?
Play a musical instrument.

What are three words you would use to describe your team culture?
Personal growth (sorry it is only two).

What are you looking forward to most with your squad next season?
Eighteen new Tritons, our biggest recruiting class ever!

What's your favorite coaching memory?
When we beat Ohio State and Penn at the Elite Invitational this past season.

Who has influenced you most in your career and why?
Angel Fernandez, the Spanish National Coach.

What's one piece of advice you've received that stuck with you?
Make sure you surround yourself with people that don't always agree with you.

What advice would you give to potential scholar-athletes who are going through the recruiting process this summer?
We look for three things - strong academics, a  fencer that wants to grow, and a person that you really want to be here.

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Check back on UCSDTritons.com all summer long for future editions of “Coaches' Corner" from other UC San Diego coaches. Previous “Coaches' Corner” entries are below.

• Fred Hanover (Men's Golf)

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program has begun a new era as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.