Fencing: Eight advance to NCAA Championships

For the Tigers, sending eight fencers is an improvement from last year, when six fencers advanced.

Returning to the national championships for the second straight year are sophomore epeeist Graham Wicas and sophomore sabrist John Stogin, as well as senior epeeist and co-captain Jasjit Bhinder. With the experience these fencers gained in last year’s tournament and over the course of this season, they will look to improve upon their respective national results from 2008.

Last season, Wicas claimed the highest seed going into the medal rounds and came away with a bronze medal, the highest finish for a Tiger since 2006. Stogin finished 20th out of 24, and Bhinder finished 11th out of 24.

Five fresh faces accompany the three returning fencers. In women’s epee, freshman Susannah Scanlan punched her ticket to State College by earning second place at regionals. Freshmen foilists Lucile Jarry and Andrea Oliva finished in the fifth and sixth spots, respectively, to advance in women’s foil. In men’s epee, sophomore Mike Elfassy finished third and will look to have a strong showing in the national tournament. Rounding out those who advanced was freshman foilist Alexander Mills.

“I think this day was an overall success for our team. We came out and showed what we can do,” Mills said of Saturday’s results. “Many of my teammates qualified for NCAAs, which is an accomplishment in itself. I believe we can excel at the NCAA tournament two weeks from now.”

Mills was one of four Princeton fencers— the others were Wicas, Elfassy and Scanlan—to finish third or higher at regionals.

“For the men, Alex Mills and Graham Wicas should go far; They’re beasts. As for the women, Lucille Jarry and Andrea Oliva are very strong competitors, so they should do very well,” freshman foilist Gregory Kirschen said. “I think the fencers [who advanced] plan on continuing to practice and work out together, but [those of us who did not are] definitely going to take it easy. This was a long season.”

Kirschen was among the many Princeton fencers whose season ended at the regional tournament. Despite his disappointment at not being able to compete on the national level, Kirschen said he was hopeful about his teammates’ chances as well as his own chances for next year.

The eight Tigers likely to advance can look forward to two weeks of preparation for the tournament. For fencers like Wicas, who will be looking for gold this time, and Mills, who will be looking to turn some heads at the national level, these final weeks of training will help them get an edge in the upcoming competition.

“I felt pretty good at regionals, but I know I can be better. Hopefully, training over the next week will allow me to peak for the NCAA Championships,” Mills said. “I plan to do the same practice routine I always do. I’ll also listen to some hypnosis tapes so that I’ll be relaxed … I’m pumped for NCAAs, and I want to win every bout possible.”

In addition to the eight fencers likely to compete at nationals, junior sabrist Thomas Abend is a candidate for one of two at-large bids available across all four regional tournaments.

These at-large bids will be announced Tuesday through a system of statistical calculations based 40 percent on overall records and strength sof opposition and 60 percent on the fencer’s placement the at NCAA regionals.

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While the international season will continue for some of the fencers beyond the third weekend in March, the NCAA Championships mark the official end to Princeton’s season.

The Tigers certainly hope that they can replicate some of the successes they enjoyed from this season when they begin their 2009-10 schedule.