Fate is a funny thing sometimes.

Just ask Thomas Strzalkowski, a coaching assistant for the Penn State fencing team. If fate had not intervened in his life, he would not be where he is today.

Strzalkowski is the No. 1-ranked men's sabre fencer in the United States, a three-time NCAA champion and holder of many junior and senior fencing titles. But he would not have much if not for a fateful meeting with Penn State Assistant Coach Wes Glon in an airport several years ago.

The two had met in Moscow as they boarded the same plane. On the flight to Richmond, Va., they began to talk and quickly became friends.

Originally born in Poland, Strzalkowski and his family moved to Austria in 1981 because Poland had fallen on hard times, both politically and economically.

"There were a lot of hardships, like it was really hard to get food and clothes, and you had to wait in line to get everything," he said. "My parents had been to Eastern Europe and knew how nice it was there and they decided to move us to Austria."

Over the next two days -- while he and Glon got their papers straightened out -- the two families became very close. Six months later, Glon opened his own fencing academy in Richmond. He told Strzalkowski to stop by, and again fate took over.

"One night I was bored and had nothing to do," Strzalkowski said. "So I decided to stop by and see what it was like."

Until that point, the 13-year-old Strzalkowski had never fenced before. But he was about to learn -- and learn well.

He liked fencing so much he wanted to continue, so Glon taught him, spending endless hours with Strzalkowski long after the other students had left.

"I decided to give Thomas extra help becuase I saw in him two things," Glon said. "The first I would call talent, and the second desire."

All the hard work paid off -- Strzalkowski graduated high school as one of the top junior fencers in the country. He was a member of the 1990 U.S. Junior World Cup team and a three-time member of the Junior World Championship team.

At the Junior Olympic Championships, Strzalkowski finished third in sabre in 1989, 13th in 1990 and won a silver medal in the under-20 division in 1991.

After his stellar junior career, he was recruited by Notre Dame, Duke and Penn State.

Notre Dame offered him a full scholarship, but Penn State had something no other school did -- Glon. That, and the Lions' reputation as a fencing powerhouse, are what attracted Strzalkowski most.

Once in Happy Valley, it did not take him long to make an impact. In his freshman year, Strzalkowski helped the Lions win the NCAA title and garnered the first of four All-America honors he would earn while at Penn State.

In addition, he went on to become a three-time NCAA individual champion in sabre from 1992 to 1994.

Strzalkowski's achievements were not confined to Penn State. He was a three-time member of the U.S. Olympic Festival team, a member of the 1993 World University Games team and a member of the 1994 World Championship team.

They have all been stepping stones for Strzalkowski's ultimate goal -- the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

"It was a dream of mine when I was little," he said. "I imagined what it would be like to have the American flag behind me and be on the medal podium as an American citizen. Now, it's almost become a dream come true."

Penn State Fencing Coach Emmanuil Kaidanov said Strzalkowski has an advantage over others competing for the three Olympic spots -- pure desire.

"There are a bunch of experienced guys that will compete for the Olympic team," Kaidanov said, "but I don't think many of them want it as much as Thomas."