There are very few coaches in college sports who have led their teams to greatness time and time again. John Wooden, Knute Rockne, Joe Paterno, Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Summit and Bear Bryant are just a few.

Another name can be added to the list. Last weekend, Penn State fencing coach Emmanuil Kaidanov, one of the winningest coaches in collegiate fencing history, added to his legacy as he notched his 500th career victory when his Lady Lions beat Brandeis, 22-5.

Kaidanov's most recent accomplishment is spectacular to everyone but himself.

"What is 500? It tells me only that I'm getting old," he said.

Senior captain Stephanie Eim disagrees, and considers herself lucky to have been coached by Kaidanov. She said that while there is a language barrier between them, it has never been a problem. Eim's native language is German, while Kaidanov's is Russian, and they were trying to communicate in English.

"It's not so much his words, it's his actions," she said. "He taught me that even if something seems so bad at the moment, everything will be fine in the end. I learned that I could smile under my mask and have a good time."

Assistant coach Wes Glon, who has been coaching alongside Kaidanov since 1985, said he feels privileged to work with Kaidanov and run the kind of program that they do.

"The program was respectable before him, but he built it to national prominence, a dynasty," Glon said. "He brings people in who are not necessarily the strongest fencers, but who fit in with the team."

Junior Jessica Burke sees Kaidanov as a grandfather figure. When she was in the hospital last season battling Crohn's disease, Kaidanov and his wife visited her every day. And when she got out of the hospital, the couple often brought Burke food, because she was unable to cook herself. Senior captain Daniel Langren, who was the NCAA epee champion in 2000, credits Kaidanov with his development as a fencer.

"He's been enabling me to see the whole picture with regards to fencing," Landgren said. "Before, I was just a tank, but he taught me how to really fence."

On the first day of practice after last weekend's competition, the team presented Kaidanov with a homemade poster, signed by every fencer. He addressed his team members and thanked them, then deferred the credit back to all the Penn State fencers.

"When they gave me the plaque, I told them, 'It was you, not me,' " he said.

Senior Stephanie Tam was given her chance with the fencers as a walk-on in 2000. Though she had never tried sabre before, she said that Kaidanov encouraged her and gave her the opportunity she needed. Tam has developed into one of the top sabre fighters in the country, and is a two-time All-American.

"He gave me the opportunity, he gave me the chance," Tam said. "He's been my coach and my guide, and I thank him for that."

Growing up in the former Soviet Union in the region that is now Ukraine during the 1940s, Kaidanov became interested in fencing as a teenager. When he was 13, he saw one of his friends fencing, and soon was joining him at a local club. Kaidanov attained the status of Master of Fencing at the State College of Physical Education in Kharkov and was a candidate for the U.S.S.R. national sabre team from 1958 to 1964. He served as a fencing coach for ten years before immigrating to the United States.

Kaidanov arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport on June 27, 1979, and soon found a job as a security officer. He started coaching collegiately, and eventually made his way to Penn State, where he succeeded Maxwell Garrett as head coach of the men's team in 1982. When women's coach Beth Alphin retired in 1985, Kaidanov assumed responsibility of the Lady Lions as well. Kaidanov's success since then has been phenomenal. He quickly built Penn State into a fencing powerhouse, and the fencers won their first NCAA championship in 1990. They followed that up the next season when both the men and the women went undefeated in dual meets, and the Lions won their second consecutive championship.

After finishing as the runners-up in the next three NCAA tournaments, Kaidanov led his team back to the title in 1995. The Nittany and Lady Lions then won another five national championships, for an unprecedented six NCAA titles in a row. Last season, for the first time since 1994, the Lions finished in second, losing a close battle to St. John's.

With his recent achievement, Kaidanov joins a select group of Penn State coaches in the 500-win club, including women's basketball coach Rene Portland, women's volleyball coach Russ Rose and men's cross country coach Harry Groves.

Kaidanov's career record at Penn State now stands at an astonishing 506-35-1, for a winning percentage of .934. He has won eight NCAA championships and coached 119 All-Americans, five Olympians and 16 individual national champions.

"Maintaining excellence, it's a hard thing to do," Landgren said.

Coach Emmanuil Kaidanov has done it better than anyone.