Destanie Milo Helps ND win National Title
By Ken Peterson
Pilot Sports
SOUTH BEND -- When most people talk about athletic greatness at the University of Notre Dame, the first thing discussed most of the time is the football team.
With its 80,000-seat stadium, legions of fans across the country and a television deal with NBC, it's the cornerstone of the university's athletic department.
But another sport on campus is as strong as the well-known football program.
And it's a sport that barely gets recognition.
It's fencing.
Recently, the Notre Dame women's team won the national championship and an area resident was a key participant.
Destanie Milo of Knox, a graduate of Culver Girls Academy, is in her third year on the team.
"It's been very special because it's been the same teammates that have been working for this for the last three years," Milo said.
She started fencing at Culver at a time when it was a men's only sport.
"When I came into Culver Girls Academy, sabre (fencing) wasn't allowed," she said. "It was considered rough. I had a friend who was the captain and he encouraged me. He asked me if I would break through. I gave it a try and the rest is history."
She was named fencing captain at Culver her junior year and chose Notre Dame over Penn State, St. John's, Ohio State, Stanford and New York University.
Each of the schools on her final list is a national power in fencing.
At 5-51/2, one would have a hard time believing she can be a tough presence considering some of the girls she's faced.
"There are some that look like softball players," Milo said. "They look at me as an unthreatening girl."
Her record speaks otherwise.
Going into this, her junior year, Milo has been a solid contributor for coach Janusz Bednarski's squad, compiling a sparkling 86-19 record (.819). She finished 17th at the NCAA Tournament as a freshman and 18th her sophomore year.
This year, Milo was a stellar 32-4 (.889) and has an overall career record of 118-23 (.837).
Fencing is a sport she spends between 10 and 11 months competing where speed is important.
"We do a lot of running and sprinting because sprinting is a short burst of energy," Milo said. "It's a lot of stop and go."
Besides succeeding in the athletic arena, Milo has done just as well in the classroom.
She has 3.5 GPA majoring in Sociology and Computer applications with a minor in Science Technology and Values.
Milo was on the Dean's List in the Fall and Spring Semester of 2002 and devotes her time helping children at the South Bend Center for the Homeless and St. Joseph Memorial Hospital.
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