"With a sport like fencing, which doesn't have a very broad base of support, it was very attractive that he had been at Brown for six years, and we've heard nothing but great things about him there," McNeeley said.
Brand, who succeeds Ben Zivkovic as the team's leader, is just the third Harvard fencing coach since 1931.
Zivkovic guided the team for 23 years, and McNeeley said Brand will have big shoes to fill.
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Zivkovic "was pretty much a legend in fencing, and not just collegiate fencing," McNeeley said. "We were pretty lucky to have him for that long, and he's ready to be more of a consultant to fencing from now on."
McNeeley said Zivkovic developed new fencing masks and pioneered new techniques in the sport.