Temple Women's Fencing Captures 15th Consecutive NIWFA Championship

BALTIMORE, Md. - The NIWFA Championships is the oldest continuously-contested collegiate championships in any sport, having been conducted annually since 1929.  The Temple women's fencing team has easily been the most dominant team in that tournament in recent history, winning their 15th straight title in that tournament by edging hosts Johns Hopkins to lead a field of 18 teams on Saturday.

The Owls swept all three weapon squad titles, compiling a combined 134-7 record on the day.  Six fencers went undefeated during team play.  Sophomore Mikayla Varadi (Foil B strip) went 16-0.  Seniors Grace Wu (Epee B strip) and Alyssa Lombardi (Epee C strip) were each 15-0.  Epiphany Georges (Foil A strip) and Kamali Thompson and Audrey Barroso (splitting Sabre A strip) each went 8-0 in part-time action.  Alyssa Lomuscio (7-1 on Foil A strip), Danielle Jones (15-1 on Foil C strip), Andrea Haley (15-1 on Sabre C strip), Samantha Pascarelli (14-2 on Sabre B strip), and Chantal Montrose (13-2 on Epee A strip) were nearly as perfect.

Following the strong team performance, the maximum nine Temple fencers were selected to advance to the individual rounds.

In epee, Montrose led the way, advancing undefeated through the individual event to be named Champion.  Wu (12th) and Lombardi (15th) also qualified for the individuals.

Georges matched her classmate's performance with a gold medal in individual foil.  Along the way she eliminated teammates Jones (14th place) and eventual bronze medalist Varadi.

Sabre saw a repeat champion in Thompson, with Haley taking bronze.  They were joined in the individual event by Pascarelli (15th).

Lombardi, who sports a 3.75 gpa, was named to the NIWFA All-Academic team.

Overall Temple swept all seven titles (Overall Team, Epee Squad, Foil Squad, Sabre Squad, Epee Individual, Foil Individual, Sabre Individual), a feat that has only been accomplished twice before, both times by Temple (2008, 2009).

The Cherry & White looks to build on the momentum from today returning to competition at the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Tournament next Saturday, hosted by Drew University in Madison, NJ.