SOUTH BEND -- Notre Dame student Mariel Zagunis captured the gold medal in women's saber fencing Saturday. Two other Americans took the silver and bronze. Zagunis is no stranger to the medals podium. Four years ago she won the gold in Athens.

WSBT spoke with Notre Dame Fencing Head Coach Emeritus Michael DeCicco. He coached at Notre Dame for 41 years. And he's followed Mariel very closely since she came to Notre Dame in 2004.

DeCicco is certainly glad he picked up the phone Saturday morning. His former student called to deliver some exciting news.

"'The U.S. team finished one, two, and three.' I said, 'Well then where did Mariel finish?' 'She won the gold medal!' When she did that my emotions, I went berserk," said DeCicco.

Zagunis won the first U.S. gold medal of the Beijing Olympics in saber fencing, but heading into the games she was ranked fifth.

DeCicco says knowing Mariel, she went into the competition ready to prove everyone wrong.

"I wouldn't give anybody, the other five, even a ghost of a chance because that girl is a street fighter," said DeCicco.

Mariel started her career at Notre Dame in 2004. And right from the start she showed just how talented she is.

"The first year she is here and she fences in the NCAA in 2005, we win the national title," said DeCicco.

Mariel also captured the top prize in the 2004 games in Athens, making her the first American in a century to win a gold medal in fencing. DeCicco credits not only her skill, but her coaching.

"Ed Korfanty is that kind of a coach. He just knows exactly the strengths and the weaknesses of his fencers," said DeCicco.

DeCicco says there's no doubt Mariel's skill and leadership in fencing will take her far in life. But he says getting an education will too.

"I think that's something that her children and grandchildren would be proud to know. That she finished something she started. She certainly did it with fencing," he said.

Mariel took a leave of absence from Notre Dame in 2006 to begin training with the U.S. Olympic team.

Mariel's current coach, Ed Korfanty, also has a connection to Notre Dame. He was the assistant fencing coach at Notre Dame for three years.

Then he moved to Oregon to coach a club team and that's where he met Mariel.