Fencing, it is not exactly what you think it is. Fencing today has three categories of weaponry: Foil, Épée, and Sabre. Each category has major differences. Two of the categories weapons weigh the same (Foil and Sabre) 500 grams. Épée is the only heavier weapon of the three categories which weighs 775 grams.
Fencing winning it’s twelfth National Championship on Sunday has now become the winningest sport on the University of Notre Dame Campus. The NCAA National Championship took place on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.
NCAA Fencing Championships
The NCAA Championships selection announcements happened on March 15, 2022. The field of selected participants is 144. The categories are Women’s Foil, Épée, and Sabre. On the men’s side of slate, Men’s Foil, Épée, and Sabre. Attached is the link for the NCAA announcement along with the participants. There number of schools represented at the NCAA National Championship is 27.
Women’s Fencing
Day 1 March 24
Women’s fencing commenced on Thursday March 24th. Three rounds of a round-robin format was used for Épée, Foil, and Sabre. Each round would set pairings for rounds four and five.
Épée Division
Pool 1 of Round 1 included two women from Notre Dame, Kaylin Hsieh and Amanada Pirkowski. Hsieh scored seven victories. Pirkowski notched five victories and two defeats. Round 2, Pool 1 saw Hsieh notch three victories and one defeat. Pirkowski notched split with two victories and two defeats. Round 3 Pool 3 saw Hsieh claim four victories, while Pirkowski notched two more victories and conceded two losses.
After Day 1 of round-robin fencing in the Épée division, Hsieh’s record was 14-1 and rCandrevaanked first. Pirkowski’s record was 9-6 and ranked sixth.
Foil Division
Pool 3 of Round 1 featured another two Notre Dame Fencers, Nicole Pustilink and Anita Berthier. Pustilink notched five victories and two defeats. Berthier also notched five victories and two defeats. Pool 1 Round 2 yielded success for both Pustilink and Berthier. Pustilink and Berthier both notch three victories and one loss in the round. Round three Pool 2, Pustilink notched two victories and two losses in the round. Pustilink finished day one with a record of 10-5 and ranked ninth. Berthier finished day one with a record of 11-4 and ranked fifth.
Sabre Division
Pool 2 of Round 1 featured another two Notre Dame Fencers, Atara Greenbaum and Kara Linder. Greenbaum in Pool 2 Round 1 notched six victories and one loss. Linder notched five victories and two losses. Pool 2 Round 2, Greenbaum was perfect as she notched four victories. Linder notched three victories and one defeat. Pool 3 Round 3, Greenbaum notched one victory and three defeats. Linder notched two victories and two defeats. After day one, Greenbaum finished with a 11-4 record and ranked fifth. Linder finished with a record of 10-5 and ranked sixth.
Overall Notre Dame ranked number one with 23 victories in Épée, 21 victories in Foil, and 21 victories in Sabre.
Day 2 March 25
Épée Division
Pool 2 of Round 4 Kaylin Hsieh and Amanda Pirkowski were on Strip 6. Hsieh scored three victories and one defeat. Pirkowski notched two victories and two defeats. Round 5, Pool 2 saw Hsieh notch four victories. Pirkowski notched a split with two victories and two defeats. Hsieh wrapped up round play with a record of 7-1. Pirkowski wrapped up pool play with a record of 4-4. As the Top 4 advance to the semifinals, Hsieh moves onto the final four and ranked number one.
Foil Division
Pool 3 of Round 4 Nicole Pustilink and Amita Berthier were on Strip 7. Pustilink notched four victories and Berthier also notched four victories. Pool 1 Round 5 yielded success for Pustilink with three victories and one defeat. Berthier notched two victories and two losses in the round. Pustilink finished day two record of 7-1. Berthier finished day two with a record of 6-2 and ranked third.
Sabre Division
Pool 1 of Round 4 Atara Greenbaum and Kara Linder were on Strip 2. Greenbaum in Pool 1 Round 4 notched three victories and one defeat. Linder notched three victories and one loss. Pool 1 Round 5, Greenbaum notched three victories and one defeat. Linder notched three victories and one defeat. After day two, Greenbaum finished with a 6-2 record, ranked 3 and moved onto the semifinals. Linder finished with a record of 6-2.
Semifinals
Épée Division
Kaylin Hsieh matched up against Laura Fekete and moved onto the National Championship with a score of 15-10.
National Championship
Kaylin Hsieh matched up against Harvard’s Emily Vermeule and won 15-10 to win her Inidvidual National Championship.
Foil Division
Amita Berthier ranked third took on Camilla Rivano ranked two. Berthier advanced to the National Championship with a score of 15-11.
National Championship
Amita Berthier matched up against Princeton’s Maia Weintraub. Berthier fell to Weintraub 9-15 to fall short of the individual National Championship.
Sabre Division
Atara Greenbaum ranked third took on Nora Burke ranked two. Greenbaum won 15-11 and advanced to the National Championship.
National Championship
Greenbaum took on Harvard’s Elizabeth Tartakovsky. Greenbaum fell to Tartakovsky 10-15 and short of the National Championship.
Wrap Up
After two days of competition, the Fightin’ Irish lead all participants with 102 Wins. Épée, Foil and Sabre all have 34 victories a piece. The next closest school is Princeton with 90 wins.
Men’s Fencing
Men’s fencing commenced on Saturday March 26th. Three rounds of a round-robin format was used for Épée, Foil, and Sabre. Each round would set pairings for rounds four and five.
Day 3 March 26
Épée Division
Pool 1 of Round 1 included two men from Notre Dame, Stephen Ewart and Hunter Candreva. Ewart scored two victories and five defeats. Candreva notched one victory and six defeats. Round 2, Pool 3 saw Ewart notch two victories and two defeats. Candreva notched three victories and one defeat. Round 3 Pool 2 saw Ewart claim three victories and one defeat, while Candreva notched four more victories.
After Day 1 of round-robin fencing in the Épée division, Ewart’s record was 7-8. Candreva record was 8-7.
Foil Division
Pool 1 of Round 1, included two men from Notre Dame, Nick Itkin and Andrew Machovec. Itkin scored three victories and four defeats. Machovec notched two victories and five defeats. Round 2 Pool 1, saw Itkin notch four victories. Machovec notched three victories and one defeat. Round 3 Pool 3, saw Itkin again claim four victories, while Machovec notched three more victories and one defeat.
After Day 1 of round-robin fencing in the Foil division, Itkin’s record was 11-4. Machovec’s record was 8-7.
Sabre Division
Pool 1 of Round 1, included two men from Notre Dame, Luke Linder and Jared Smith. Linder scored four victories and three defeats. Smith notched three victories and four defeats. Round 2, Pool 1 saw Linder notch four victories. Smith notched three victories and one defeat. Round 3 Pool 3 saw Linder claim two victories and two losses, while Smith notched three more victories and one defeat.
After Day 1 of round-robin fencing in the Sabre division, Linder’s record was 10-5. Machovec’s record was 9-6.
After three days of competition, the Fightin’ Irish lead all participants with 155 Wins. Women’s Épée, Foil and Sabre all have 34 victories a piece. Men’s Épée (15), Foil (19), and Sabre (19). The next closest school is Columbia/Barnard with 138 wins.
Day 4 March 27
Épée Division
Pool 1 of Round 4, Stephen Ewart and Hunter Candreva were on Strip 3. Ewart scored one victory and three defeats. Candreva notched four victories. Round 5, Pool 3 saw Ewart notch four victories. Candreva notched a split with two victories and two defeats. Ewart wrapped up round play with a record of 5-3. Candreva wrapped up pool play with a record of 6-2. As the Top 4 advance to the semifinals, Ewart and Candreva did not advance to the final four.
Foil Division
Pool 2 of Round 4, Stephen Ewart and Hunter Candreva were on Strip 4. Itkin scored three victories and one defeat. Machovec notched four victories. Round 5 Pool 3, saw Itkin notch one victory and three defeats. Machovec notched four victories. Itkin wrapped up round play with a record of 4-4. Machovec wrapped up pool play with a record of 8-0. As the Top 4 advance to the semifinals, Itkin and Machovec did not advance to the final four.
Sabre Division
Pool 2 of Round 4, Luke Linder and Jared Smith were on Strip 5. Linder scored three victories and one defeat. Smith notched three victories and one defeat. Round 5 Pool 2 saw Linder notch three victories. Smith notched three victories and one defeat. Linder wrapped up pool play with a 5-3 record. Smith finished pool play with 6-2 record. Linder and Smith did not advance to the final four.
NCAA National Champions
A back-to-back National Championship has come home to Notre Dame. The National Championship comes after the loss of former Assistant Coach Buckie Leach passed in August. The team could be seen pointing up after they received their National Championship trophy. The team combined between the three women’s teams and men’s teams 189 wins. The next closest team was Harvard University and Columbia/Barnard University with 168 wins. With the 12 National Championships, Notre Dame Fencing has the most National Championships won. Four of them (2017-2018, 2021-2022) have been under Head Coach Guiorgie “Gia” Kvaratskhelia.
Women’s Épée, Foil, and Sabre Results
Épée
Kaylin Heish National Champion scoring 21/23 wins
Amanda Pirkowski Sixth Place scoring 13/23 wins
Foil
Amita Berthier Second Place scoring 17/23 wins
Nicole Pustilnik Sixth Place scoring 17/23 wins
Sabre
Atara Greenbaum Second Place scoring 18/23 wins
Kara Linder Fifth Flace scoring 16/23 wins
Men’s Épée, Foil, and Sabre Results
Épée
Hunter Candreva Eighth Place scoring 14/23 wins
Stephen Ewart Eleventh Place scoring 12/23 wins
Foil
Andrew Machovec Fifth Place scoring 16/23 wins
Nick Itkin Sixth Place scoring 15/23 wins
Sabre
Jared Smith Sixth Place scoring 15/23 wins
Luke Linder Seventh Place scoring 15/23 wins
Final Results are posted here