Leach died on Saturday (August 15) after an accident on a cross-country road trip.

Leach had recently returned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he led the women’s foil team for the fifth time in his career at the Games.

The US women’s foil team finished fourth at the Games after losing their bronze medal match.

The team included Lee Kiefer, who became the first US woman to claim gold in the individual Olympic foil event when she triumphed at Tokyo 2020.

Leach had previously led the women’s foil teams into the 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2016 Olympic Games.

"Leach is credited with building the U.S. women’s foil team’s success over nearly 30 years, including four medals at the Senior World Team Championships, including the squad’s first senior world title in 2018," USA Fencing said.

"He also coached more than a half dozen personal students to Olympic berths as well as foil fencers to senior, junior and cadet world titles."

Leach had served as a coach at the Fencers Club from 2001 to 2016.

He joined the Notre Dame University coaching team in 2016, with his five seasons as an assistant coach seeing students earn 12 individual medals at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships.

This included winning five of a possible 10 gold medals in individual foil events.

Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish fencing team also secured three NCAA titles, three Atlantic Coast Conference titles, and 20 All-Americans wins.

"I am devastated to learn of the tragic passing of my dear friend Buckie Leach, who was taken from us far too soon," said Gia Kvaratskhelia, Fighting Irish head coach.

"Buckie’s legacy at Notre Dame and within American fencing stretch far beyond the athletic accomplishments of the fencers and teams that he coached.

"Rather, his enduring memory will be of the incredible person that he was - his kindness, his passion, his sense of humour, and the genuine way he brightened the lives of everyone who was fortunate enough to know him."