University of Delaware Figure Skating Club
Encyclopedia
The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club (UDFSC) was chartered in January 1986. The University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...

 is home to the Blue (Fred Rust Arena) and Gold arenas which serve as the home of the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and the Delaware Ice Skating Science Development Center (ISSDC). The University of Delaware Ice Skating Science Development Center (ISSDC) is a year-round training facility designed to meet the needs of figure skaters, first-time competitors and Olympians. The ISSDC is directed by Ronald Ludington
Ronald Ludington
Ronald Ludington is an American figure skater and coach. He was born in Boston.-Biography:With his then-wife, Nancy Rouillard Ludington, he won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in pair skating four times, between 1957 and 1960, after having been the junior national champions in 1956...

, who has coached skaters in 9 consecutive Olympics and 36 World Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...

. His personal credentials include several skating titles: U.S. Pair Champion (1956–60), U.S. Silver Dance Champion (1958), World Bronze Medalist (1959), Olympic Bronze Medalist (1960), and World Invitational Dance Champion (1965).

Coaching staff

The University of Delaware FSC is home to many top level National and International coaches. This is one of the main draws to the skating club. Among others, top coaches include:
  • Ron Ludington
  • Pamela Gregory
  • Jeffrey DiGregorio
  • Yovanny Durango
  • Priscilla Hill
    Priscilla Hill
    Priscilla Hill is an American retired competitive figure skater who currently works as a coach. She was a two-time medalist at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and competed twice at the World Figure Skating Championships...

  • Tracey Poletis
  • Karl Kurtz
  • Tiffany Scott
    Tiffany Scott
    Tiffany Scott is an American figure skater.Scott was born in Hanson, Massachusetts. She competed in pairs with partner Rusty Fein. Prior to teaming up with Fein in 2005, she skated with Philip Dulebohn, who was one of Scott and Fein's coaches during their brief partnership. She and Dulebohn...

  • Jon-Michel Sullivan
  • Philip Dulebohn
    Philip Dulebohn
    Philip Dulebohn is an American pair skater. He competed in pairs with partner Tiffany Scott, and the duo won the gold medal at the 2003 U.S. Figure Skating Championships...

  • Ronnie Biancosino

Athletes

The following are athletes who have represented the club in competition or have trained at the club.
  • Brent Bommentre
    Brent Bommentre
    Brent Bommentre is an American ice dancer. With partner Kimberly Navarro, he is the 2008 and 2009 U.S. bronze medalist and 2008 Four Continents bronze medalist....

  • Melissa Bulanhagui
    Melissa Bulanhagui
    -External links:*...

  • John Coughlin
    John Coughlin (figure skater)
    John Coughlin is an American pair skater, best known for his partnership with Caitlin Yankowskas, with whom he skated from 2007 to 2011. They won the 2011 U.S. national title. He currently skates with Caydee Denney.- Early years :Coughlin began skating at the age of five...

  • Albena Denkova
    Albena Denkova
    Albena Denkova is a Bulgarian ice dancer. With partner and fiance Maxim Staviski, she is the 2006 & 2007 World Champion, the 2003 & 2004 European silver medalist, and the 2006 Grand Prix Final champion...

  • Melissa Gregory
    Melissa Gregory
    Melissa Gregory is an American ice dancer. With partner and husband Denis Petukhov, she is the 2004–2007 U.S. silver medalist.-Biography:...

  • Akiyuki Kido
    Akiyuki Kido
    is a Japanese ice dancer. He competes with Nozomi Watanabe. They are the three time Japanese national champions. They placed 15th at the Torino Olympics.-Results:-External links:*...

  • Anjelika Krylova
    Anjelika Krylova
    Anjelika Alexeevna Krylova is a Russian retired ice dancer. With partner Oleg Ovsyannikov, she is the 1998 Olympic silver medalist and two-time World champion. She currently works as a coach and choreographer in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan....

  • Tara Lipinski
    Tara Lipinski
    Tara Kristen Lipinski is an American figure skater. At the age of 15, she won the Ladies' Singles Olympic gold medal in figure skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Lipinski remains the youngest individual gold medalist in the history of the Olympic Winter Games. She is also the 1997 World...

  • Kimmie Meissner
    Kimmie Meissner
    Kimberly Claire "Kimmie" Meissner is an American figure skater. She is the 2006 World Champion, the 2007 U.S. National Champion, and the 2007 Four Continents Champion...

  • Jordan Miller
    Jordan Miller
    Jordan Miller is an American figure skater. He is the 2006 US National Junior silver medalist, 2007 US National Senior competitor, and won the silver medal at the 2006 Ondrej Nepela Memorial...

  • Bridget Namiotka
    Bridget Namiotka
    Bridget Namiotka is an American pair skater. She teamed up with John Coughlin in late 2004. They are the 2006 Junior national silver medalists. They announced the end of their partnership on July 3, 2007...

  • Kimberly Navarro
    Kimberly Navarro
    Kimberly Navarro is an American ice dancer. With partner Brent Bommentre, she is the 2008 & 2009 U.S. bronze medalist and 2008 Four Continents bronze medalist.Navarro previously competed with Robert Shmalo...

  • Oleg Ovsiannikov
  • Ami Parekh
    Ami Parekh
    Ami Parekh is an Indian-American skater, representing India.-Competitive highlights:For India*2007 - ISU Senior World Championships - 44th...

  • Denis Petukhov
    Denis Petukhov
    Denis Petukhov is a Russian-American ice dancer. With partner and wife Melissa Gregory, he is the 2004-2007 U.S. silver medalist.-Biography:...

  • Craig Ratterree
    Craig Ratterree
    Craig Ratterree is an American figure skater. He is the 2005 US Junior national silver medalist. He won the bronze medal at the 2005 Junior Grand Prix event in Canada. He will compete at the 2006 United States Figure Skating Championships as a senior.-Competitive highlights:*J = Junior...

  • Shaun Rogers
    Shaun Rogers (figure skater)
    Shaun Rogers is an American figure skater. He is the 2002 U.S. junior silver medalist and 2000 novice national champion. He is the 2009 Finlandia Trophy silver medalist and the 2007 Nebelhorn Trophy silver medalist...

  • Scott Smith
  • Maxim Staviski
    Maxim Staviski
    Maxim Staviski is a Bulgarian ice dancer. With partner and fiancée Albena Denkova, he is the 2006 & 2007 World Champion, the 2003 & 2004 European silver medalist, and the 2006 Grand Prix Final champion...

  • Taylor Toth
    Taylor Toth
    Taylor Toth is an American figure skater who has competed in pair skating and single skating. He competed in pairs with Felicia Zhang from 2009 to 2011. Together, they are the 2010 U.S...

  • Geoffry Varner
    Geoffry Varner
    Geoffry Varner is an American figure skater. He was the 2006 U.S. Junior bronze medalist and placed third at the Junior Grand Prix final in 2005. In his first year as a senior, he has been given two senior Grand Prix assignments.In his first senior Grand Prix appearance at Skate Canada, Varner...

  • Nozomi Watanabe
    Nozomi Watanabe
    is a Japanese ice dancer. she regularly dances with Akiyuki Kido. They are the three time Japanese national champions. They placed 15th at the Torino Olympics.-Results:-External links:*...

  • Joel Watson
    Joel Watson
    Joel Watson is a New Zealander figure skater. He is the 2006-2007 New Zealand national champion.-Competitive highlights:* J = Junior level; QR = Qualifying Round-References:* -External links:...

  • Johnny Weir
    Johnny Weir
    John Garvin "Johnny" Weir is an American figure skater. He is a three-time U.S. National Champion , the 2008 Worlds bronze medalist, a two-time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2001 World Junior Champion....

  • Sara Wheat
    Sara Wheat
    Sara Wheat is an American retired competitive figure skater. She was the 1999 United States National Junior Champion and placed 10th at the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Championships. She won three medals on the Junior Grand Prix circuit...

  • Megan Williams-Stewart
    Megan Williams-Stewart
    Megan Williams-Stewart is an American figure skater. She began representing Puerto Rico in the 2008-2009 season. She is the 2009 Puerto Rican silver medalist.-Personal life:...

  • Christine Zukowski
    Christine Zukowski
    Christine Zukowski is an American figure skater. She is the 2006 World Junior bronze medalist....



In 2006, the University of Delaware sent 31 figure skaters to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

, more than any other figure skating club in the United States. Additionally, in 2011 thirty-two skaters from UD qualified for senior and junior national teams after the Eastern sectional championships.

Collegiate Results

The University of Delaware has a record of strong performances in collegiate figure skating and is one of the top teams in the country as per national rankings. They compete out of the Eastern Conference. The University has been represented at every US National Intercollegiate Figure Skating Championships ever since its inception. Teams qualify for the National Championship by competing in three conference competitions. At the conclusion of each event, skaters and university teams are awarded points in each of the three conferences: Eastern, Midwestern and Pacific Coast. The top three teams from each conference qualify for the National Championship. Every year, approximately 40 teams enter into the conference competitions and nine qualify for Nationals. The team has won the National Championships twice, first in 2002 and most recently in 2011, both in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The University of Delaware Figure Skating Team has never placed lower than 3rd at the National Championships and never lower than second in their conference. Further, individual collegiate skaters who have placed in the top 3 at the US National Collegiate Figure Skating Championships include Melissa Parker (1999, 2002 - Senior Ladies), Mark Butt (2000 - Junior Men), Laura Stefanik (2006, 2007 - Junior Ladies), Jazmyn Manzouri (2006, 2007 - Junior Ladies) and Taylor Toth
Taylor Toth
Taylor Toth is an American figure skater who has competed in pair skating and single skating. He competed in pairs with Felicia Zhang from 2009 to 2011. Together, they are the 2010 U.S...

(2007 - Junior Men).
University of Delaware Collegiate Figure Skating Results
Year Eastern Championships U.S. National Championships, location
2000 1st 3rd, Oxford (OH)
2001 1st 2nd, Boston (MA)
2002 1st 1st, Ann Arbor (MI)
2003 2nd 2nd, Denver (CO)
2004 2nd 2nd, Amherst (MA)
2005 2nd 2nd, Oxford (OH)
2006 2nd 3rd, San Jose (CA)
2007 2nd 2nd, Hanover (NH)
2008 2nd 3rd, Ann Arbor (MI)
2009 2nd 2nd, Colorado Springs (CO)
2010 1st 3rd, Newark (DE)
2011 1st 1st, Ann Arbor (MI)

Research & Development

Researchers at the University of Delaware have designed the new figure skating boot with an ankle hinge intended to reduce injuries by allowing a skater to land jumps with their heel higher in the air, reducing the stress on the hips, knees, and spine. Researchers at the University of Delaware have redesigned the traditional figure skate, with the goal of reducing the joint injuries that plague many competitive skaters.

External links

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