Several Columbia fencers competed at the Dallas North American Cup this weekend. The competition acts as a qualifying tournament for the 2011 World Championships. Freshman Nzingha Prescod was the highest finisher amongst the Lions, finishing second in both senior and junior women’s foil.
Prescod maintains the top spot in the senior women’s foil rankings for the U.S., but narrowly lost out to No. 2 Lee Kiefer in both foil divisions. Sophomore co-captain D’Meca Homer placed 14th in the junior competition.
The current Columbia assistant coach, Daria Schneider, CC ’10, received the bronze medal in women’s sabre. Junior co-captain Sammy Roberts finished 15th in the same weapon, after facing Schneider in the round of 16. Sophomore twin sisters Loweye and Essane Diedro placed 23rd and 32nd, respectively, while their classmate Marie Rudnicki also finished among the top 128 in the weapon.
Sophomore epeeist Lydia Kopecky finished in the top 64, and freshmen Katya English and Camille Gallardo made it to the round of 128. Another freshman, Gaby Strass narrowly missed out on a top 128 finish.
For the men, freshman Alen Hadzic finished 36th in senior men’s epee, and another rookie, Magnus Ferguson, was in the top 128.
In the foil category, freshman Alex Pensler impressively finished 28th in the senior division and his classmate Bo Charles earned 21st place in the junior’s.
In junior men’s sabre, rookie Mel Rodriguez recorded yet another commendable performance as he placed 22nd.
Columbia officially begins competition as a team at the NYU Duals on Saturday, Jan. 22, before fencing at the St. John’s Super Cup the following day.
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