2014 Fencing
Capsules from CF360:
See below for brief summary looks at the Columbia fencing teams, followed by a capsule overview of each squad (key returners, top fencers lost & top newcomers, etc.) … note that additional info., photos, etc. may be added to this page throughout the season (updates will be noted by re-links & re-tweets):
all content courtesy of CollegeFencing360.com (please link/credit accordingly)
• #1 COLUMBIA men – return 10 of 11 participants from the 2013 NCAA Northeast Regional and all five 2013 NCAA entrants, led by three All-Americans: junior sabre standout Will Spear (5th in ’12 & ’13 NCAAs), sophomore foilist Brian Ro (6th in ’13) and sabre junior Michael Josephs (11th in ’12, 10th in ’13) ... two years ago, as a freshman, Alex Hadzic reached the 2012 NCAA men’s epee final, but his sophomore season at Columbia took an unusual twist as he was black-carded at the 2013 Regional and thus could not qualify for the ’13 NCAAs (Hadzic is taking the year off from collegiate fencing but could return in 2014-15) ... in the past, Columbia’s first meets have come in late Jan. but the Lions already have competed in the fall semester plus earlier this month, winning all 13 of their dual meets (with the more noteworthy victories coming against Penn State, Princeton and Duke).
• #6 Columbia women – summary text to be added (capsule info. below, for Columbia men and women)
• Fencing Coaches Poll History (spreadsheets; 2001-14): MEN | WOMEN
PDF lists of top returners from 2013 fencing season (indicated by highlighting):
from NCAA Championships | from Northeast Regional
from Mid-Atlantic/South Regional | from Midwest Regional | from West Regional
CLICK HERE for quick rundown of 2013-14 results
COLUMBIA MEN Roster | Stats | Schedule & Results | Head Coach Michael Aufrichtig | History
team history: NCAA tournament & coaches poll (info. to be added)
FOIL
returning
• so. Adam Mathieu (9th at Regional ... NCAAs: 16th in 2013)
• so. Harrison Bergman (13th at 2013 Regional)
• sr. Alexander Pensler (20th at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 9th in 2011)
departed
none from 2013 Regional entrants
top newcomer
• fr. Drew Johnston (Whitehouse Station, NJ), listed 17th in USFA jr. m-foil rankings (1–22–14)
EPEE
returning
• so. Brian Ro (1st at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 6th in 2013)
• so. Justin Wan (2nd at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 22nd in 2013)
• so. Jake Hoyle (9th at 2013 Regional)
• so. Angad Singh (Alpharetta, GA)
• fr. Andrei Tapai (Brooklyn, NY)
departed
Alen Hadzic (2012 NCAA runner-up as freshman; black-carded at 2013 Regional; taking year off in 2013-14)
Jeff Spear (right)
photo by Pete LaFleur
(College Fencing 360);
all rights reserved
SABRE
returning
• jr. Will Spear (3rd at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 5th in 2012, 5th in '13)
• jr. Michael Josephs (5th at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 11th in 2012, 10th in '13)
• so. Geoffrey Loss (9th at 2013 Regional)
departed
none from 2013 Regional entrants
top newcomers
• fr. Chris Ahn (Houston, TX), listed 13th in USFA jr. m-sabre rankings (1–22–14)
• fr. Michael Costin (Culver City, CA), listed 19th in USFA jr. m-sabre rankings (1–22–14)
COLUMBIA WOMEN Roster | Stats | Schedule & Results | Coach Michael Aufrichtig | History
team history: NCAA tournament & coaches poll (info. to be added)
Jackie Dubrovich (right)
photo by Pete LaFleur
(College Fencing 360);
all rights reserved
FOIL
returning
• sr./jr. Nzingha Prescod (2011 Ivy League Rookie of Year, 2013 first team all-Ivy League) ** 2012 Olympian **
• so. Jackie Dubrovich (1st at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 2nd in 2013)
• so. Margaret Lu, listed 4th in USFA jr. w-foil rankings, w/ Dubrovich 2nd (1–22–14)
notes: Prescod & Lu did not fence in 2013 Regional due to World Cup conflict (Regional finish required for NCAA qualification); Prescod could fence some sabre bouts in 2014
departed
• D'Meca Homer (10th at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 20th in 2010, 19th in '11, 22nd in '12, 19th in '13)
top newcomers
• fr. Sara Taffel (New York, NY), listed 6th in USFA jr. w-foil rankings (1–22–14)
• fr. Jessie Laffey (Glen Ridge, NJ), listed 11th in USFA jr. w-foil rankings (1–22–14); also could fence some sabre bouts
EPEE
returning
• jr. Diane Tsinis (3rd at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 17th in 2012, 21st in '13)
• jr. Natalie Gegan (10th at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 20th in 2013), did not fence in 2013 fall (semester study in Peru)
departed
• Lydia Kopecky (22nd at 2013 Regional ... NCAAs: 18th in 2010, 7th in '11, 8th in '12)
• Emma Peterson (26th at 2013 Regional), sophomore in 2012-13 (taking a year off)
top newcomers
• fr. Mason Speta (Chicago, IL), currently 4th in USFA jr. w-epee rankings
• fr. Vivian Rand (La Jolla, CA)
SABRE
returning
• Sarah Yee (23rd at 2013 Regional)
departed
• Loweye Diedro (1st at 2013 Regional … NCAAs: 12th in '11, 9th in '13)
• Essane Diedro (8th at 3013 Regional … NCAAs: 14th in '12, 20th in '13)
• Sarah Gruman (21st at 2013 Regional) … transfer to Cornell
top newcomer
• fr. Brittin Boenning (Mountainside, NJ)
note: only three women's sabre fencers on current Columbia roster