On Road to NCAAs, Fencers Prepare for Homestand

While both the men’s and women’s Columbia fencing teams reign supreme as Ivy League champs, there are still further goals to be reached. With the Intercollegiate Fencing Association championships and NCAA tournaments around the corner, the Lions need to be as prepared as possible. Today the Light Blue will take on New York University, Sacred Heart, and Vassar. The Columbia men’s team stands at 7-3 (5-0 Ivy) and the women at 10-1 (6-0 Ivy).

NYU’s men’s team has had some recent success, sweeping Brandeis, Boston College, MIT, Air Force, and Haverford at its last tournament on Feb. 3. The team is also 10-7 overall. Its women’s team has not been quite as good, standing at 9-11, but it has still won four of its past five matches, including victories over Boston College, MIT, Air Force, Haverford, and Tufts.

Vassar’s men’s team has been impressive as well, sweeping the Feb. 9 Wellesley Challenge against Tufts, Dartmouth, the University of Massachusetts, Boston University, and New Hampshire, and stands at 16-6 overall. The Vassar women’s team (16-6 overall) also swept those five teams plus Wellesley at the tournament.

Considering that NYU and Vassar boast very talented and tenacious men’s and women’s teams, the Lions can’t expect to win without a strong showing. However, the Light Blue certainly has an array of talent to go to, as the team earned 16 All-Ivy representatives this year, with the men headed by the aptly named sophomore Jeff Spear (14-1, first team men’s sabre) and the women by senior Emily Jacobson (17-1, first team women’s sabre).

Other men’s first-team Ivy Columbians include senior Alex Diacou (13-2, sabre), junior Max Czapanskiy (13-2, epee), junior Lorenzo Casertano (11-4, epee), sophomore Kurt Getz (12-3, foil), and junior Sherif Farrag (10-5, foil). More women’s first team Ivy Light Blue selections are freshman Jackie Jacobson (14-4, sabre), freshman Martyna Urbanowicz (16-2, epee), freshman Nicole Ross (17-1, foil), and freshman Abby Caparros (14-4, foil).

The matches will begin at five this evening in Dodge Fitness Center.