Stephen Matias Kovacs was an American saber fencer and fencing coach.
23 Facts About Stephen Kovacs
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Stephen Kovacs was a three-time NCAA All American for Columbia University, four-time All-Ivy League, and the first fencer to win four consecutive Intercollegiate Fencing Association championships.
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On January 15,2022, Stephen Kovacs committed suicide in Somerset County Jail.
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Stephen Kovacs' hometown was Hampton, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and he later lived in Clifton, in Passaic County and in Watchung in Somerset County.
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In 1989, Stephen Kovacs won the United States Fencing Association Under-17 saber championship, and in 1990 he won the USFA Under-20 saber championship.
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Stephen Kovacs was coached at the New York Athletic Club by Vasil Etropolski, the 1983 saber world champion from Bulgaria.
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Stephen Kovacs then attended Columbia University in New York City, where he majored in Eastern European History and Economics.
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Stephen Kovacs overcame a serious fencing injury, after in 1992 suffering a rupture of his Achilles tendon while lunging during a college tournament.
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In 1994 he became the first fencer to win four consecutive Intercollegiate Fencing Association championships, and came in fourth in the NCAA Saber Championship; Stephen Kovacs was an NCAA First Team All American in 1991,1993, and 1994, and was four-time First Team All-Ivy League.
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Stephen Kovacs was part of the New York Athletic Club saber team led by Olympians Paul Friedberg and John Friedberg that won the 1993 USFA saber team championship.
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From 2007 to 2008, Stephen Kovacs taught sixth grade Humanities and began his coaching career by coaching fencing at the Pingry School in the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey.
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Stephen Kovacs left to work in business on Wall Street.
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In 2013, Stephen Kovacs joined the staff of Medeo Fencing Club in Bridgewater, in Somerset County, New Jersey.
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In 2018, Stephen Kovacs founded and thereafter owned Kaprica United Fencing Academy in Bound Brook, in Somerset County, New Jersey, where he was head coach.
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Stephen Kovacs was appointed the Ridge High School head boys' fencing coach by the Bernards Township School District on November 11,2019, for a salary of $8,542.
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An affidavit of probable cause filed by police in support of charges against Stephen Kovacs said that he first preyed on teens while on long-distance trips with them for competitions.
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The affidavit said that Stephen Kovacs assaulted the 16-year-old in May 2019, at a competition in Salt Lake City, Utah that due to its distance from New Jersey required an overnight stay.
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In September 2021, Stephen Kovacs was "provided temporary shelter" at the girl's Somerset County home for five nights.
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The affidavit said that Stephen Kovacs assaulted her first in April 2019, at a competition in Europe that required an overnight stay.
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Stephen Kovacs was charged with felony fourth degree false swearing, and incarcerated in the Somerset County Jail, pending a detention hearing.
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On October 29,2021, SafeSport temporarily suspended Stephen Kovacs, pending an investigation by it of allegations against Stephen Kovacs.
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On January 15,2022, Stephen Kovacs committed suicide in Somerset County Jail.
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Stephen Kovacs's death was investigated by the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, to avoid any potential appearance of a conflict of interest.