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CF366 Guest Columns – NCAA Capsule Previews
• Women's Foil – Dayana Sarkisova (Northwestern '13) | • Women's Epee – Hannah Safford (Princeton '13)
• Women's Sabre – Caroline Vloka (Harvard '12) | • Men's Foil – TBA
• Men's Epee – Jonathan Yergler (Princeton '13) | • Men's Sabre – Aleks Ochocki (Penn State '12)
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Dayana Sarkisova (pictured) fenced to All-America honors during all four of her seasons at Northwestern, finishing in the top-10 of the NCAAs every year from 2010-13 – highlighted by a trip to the medal round in her freshman season. The first Northwestern foilist ever to earn first team All-America status (top-4 at the NCAAs), Dayana currently works at ESPN in Bristol, Conn., where she is an editor for ESPN Insider, with a focus on college basketball and professional hockey. She also serve as a social media producer for ESPN's College GameDay Live.
Note – additional basic bio. info. on all 24 entrants, provided by CF360, may be added to this page later in the week.
2014 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS – Women's Foil (capsule preview)
By Dayana Sarkisova (Northwestern ’13)
The NCAA championships, to put it lightly, are not for the weak of heart. In my 22 years, I have yet to encounter anything quite like them, and doubt I ever will again.
Two full days of non-stop competition, a culmination of a long regular season all thrown at you within a 48-hour whirlwind. Full of stress and incredible amounts of pressure, often times I’d simply close my eyes and wait for it all to end.
Notre Dame's Lee Kiefer (left)
– photo by Pete LaFleur (College Fencing 360); all rights reserved
Before I really begin to depress you all … did I mention it’s absolutely the most fun I’ve ever had in my life? That, too. If you are an athlete who loves performing under pressure, and thrives with the idea of an entire team – full of teammates, coaches, family and fans -- riding on your results, then the NCAA championships are what you’ve been waiting for all year.
From a mental standpoint, it’s a battle against your opponents, but more than anything it’s a battle against yourself. My father, who was subsequently my club coach, instilled a mantra for me that may sound pessimistic to readers but did the trick for me – “There’s no light at the end of the tunnel.”
My freshman year, I repeated the message to myself over and over again, grinding out 20 wins on my way to the Final Four (why don’t we call it this?), which is the medal round with 15-touch bouts at the end of the long two-day stretch. (editor’s note – the NCAA has trademarked Final Four, it can refer only to the basketball tournaments.) The only way to tackle 23 five-touch bouts spread over two days of competition is to put your head down and work, taking the bouts one at a time as they come.
The moment a fencer begins thinking about the end result is the exact moment the competition becomes far, far bigger than the athlete.
Columbia's Jackie Dubrovich (right) – photo by Pete LaFleur (College Fencing 360); all rights reserved
Only being one year removed from the competition, I can view the field both from a personal standpoint, and from a fan’s. Here are my predictions for the 2014 field, and my analysis for when all is said and done. Currently in the midst of an editing frenzy over at ESPN with March Madness content, please excuse my hybrid terminology:
Medal Round (semifinalists): Mona Shaito, Jackie Dubrovich, Lee Kiefer, Alanna Goldie (no particular order)
I believe the first three are a given, and there will be no surprises there. Lee will be the favorite to take it all home, but it will be interesting to see what Mona Shaito and Jackie Dubrovich can make happen. Jackie fights with a fire not many fencers possess, leaving it all on the strip, as we all witnessed in her impressive freshmen campaign (when she lost to Lee in the title bout). Last year’s NCAA semifinal between Mona and Lee should not be a reflection of what’s to come, as it was clear Mona had lost her way a bit in that medal-round bout. Regional results show that she better understands the strategy behind fencing Lee, making this a rematch I’d be interested to see as well.
Penn's Luona Wang (left) – photo by
Pete LaFleur (College Fencing 360);
all rights reserved
One of the only athletes I don’t have first-hand experience fencing from this field is Alanna Goldie. However, from what I can see, this girl is on a tear. When it comes to the NCAA Championship, I can personally attest to this: never underestimate a freshman fencer. If anything, I believe they’re the most dangerous of the pack (see: Alex Kiefer, Lee’s sister, a couple of years ago when she won the 2011 NCAA title). My best finish at NCAA’s – third place – was my freshman year, as well. It’s the bright-eyed phenomena; you’re so excited to be there for the first time that the magnitude of your surroundings doesn’t phase you, allowing you to fence with a clear mind and full confidence.
On the stand (top-8): Madison Zeiss (ND), Luona Wang (Penn), Clarisse Luminet (Penn State), Alex Kiefer (Harvard), in no particular order
Harvard's Alex Kiefer (right) – photo by Pete LaFleur (College Fencing 360);
all rights reserved
Sleeper pick: Jen Yamin (Northwestern)
Sure, there may be an ex-teammate bias here. But if anything, it’s only swaying me because I’ve seen what this girl can truly do when she’s in the zone. Jen can land the point from any angle, and brings an aggressive attitude that makes me pity any opponent. Being the lone NCAA tournament foil fencer for Northwestern is no easy feat – I can speak from personal experience – but the role also comes with a chip on your shoulder. If she’s on her A-game, look for the sophomore to destroy a lot of opponents’ plans for success.
There are certainly gaps in this field left behind by Olympians, graduates, red-shirts, and those simply left out by regional limitations. This sets up opportunities that I hope the athletes recognize, and are ready to go out there and seize. A talented pool will lead to an interesting competition, and I for one can’t wait to see what happens. Good luck to all of the athletes competing, and remember to have fun and cherish every moment!
– DS
Clarisse Luminet (left) – photo by Pete LaFleur (College Fencing 360); all rights reserved