It was quite the successful weekend for Brandeis fencing as both the men and women placed second overall in their three weapon competitions. It was just enough for the Judges to claim the overall six-weapon title at the 2019 New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference championships.
The Judges got going with the team squad competitions, as the men won sabre behind great performances by Alexander Holtmann ’21, Charles Catino ’20 and Lucas Lin ’22. On the women’s side, the Judges were able to claim third place in both foil and sabre. The women’s foil squad included Renee Pite ’19, Hannah Mui ’20 and Wendy Mao ’21. Women’s sabre squad included Devon Brown ’21, Lupe Duran ’20 and Jada Harrison ’22.
On the individual side of competition, the Judges produced two champions and a couple second place finishers. Both victories came in sabre where an impressive performance by Holtmann ’21 won the men’s tournament while rookie standout Harrison ’22 took home the women’s. The runners-up were Chris Armstrong ’20 in the men’s epee, who was able to knock off the top seed from Sacred Heart, and men’s foilist Trevor Filseth ’20, who just fell short of the title by a single touch in the finals. Ian Quin ’20 also finished fifth in the men’s foil, while Lin ’22 was fifth in men’s sabre and Mui ’20 was fifth in women’s foil.
The Brandeis fencing team also took home two University Athletic Association athlete of the week honors, both on the men’s and women’s side. For the men it was Alexander Holtmann ’21 who won the individual men’s sabre crown at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference championships on March 2 as the eighth seed in the direct elimination tournament. The Brandeis men’s sabre squad won their weapon title by one point over MIT, and the Judges won the combined men’s and women’s six-weapon titles, edging Vassar, 104-103, for first place. For the women’s fencing team, it was Jada Harrison ’22 who has had an impressive rookie season. Harrison ’22 won the individual sabre crown for the Brandeis women, awarding her the top seed in the single-elimination bracket and edging her opponent by one point in the semifinals and two points in the finals. She helped the Judges to the overall six-weapon crown and the women’s sabre squad to third place.
The Judges are back in action next Sunday at the NCAA Regionals at Vassar College where they aim to continue their success.
