HAVERFORD, Pa. – Haverford College's men's and women's fencing squads split up over the weekend to attend their respective conference championships with the men returning home wearing the league crown and the women narrowly missing out on a fourth-place finish by just four points.
The Fords men captured the Middle Atlantic Collegiate Fencing Association (MACFA) title Sunday in Williamsburg, Va., over the runner-ups from the Stevens Institute of Technology. The Haverford women finished fifth Saturday in the 83rd Annual National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association (NIWFA) Championship hosted by Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
Head coach Chris Spencer was named the MACFA coach of the year.
The epee squad helped lead the men to the MACFA title capturing gold in the weapon standings with an undefeated day. James Nieuwland was the top epeeist at the meet followed by teammates Andrew Bostick in the silver position and Remy Olson in in a tie for third. Daniel Drebing was also part of the winning epee squad.
Haverford's sabrists were second and its foilists were third in the final weapon squad rankings. Individually, Aaron Ruby was tied for third and Oliver Elbert was sixth in sabre while the foilists had no finalists.
Haverford's women were in a tight battle for third through fifth place at the NIWFA championship. Temple, with 134 points, captured the title, out distancing runner-up Johns Hopkins who finished with 123 points. The Fords, Stevens and University of Florida were left to battle for the next three spots.
Stevens came out at the front of the trio with 99 points followed by Florida (95) and Haverford (91). Smith College was further behind in sixth with just 73 points.
Haverford was led by Anjali Baliga's fifth-place finish in the individual epee standings, Shannon Horn's sixth-place in sabre and Katie Elbert's sixth in foil. All three earned second-team all-conference honors and are freshmen in their first year with the program.
In the weapon squad standings, Haverford foilists were third while the epee and sabre squads were both sixth.
Junior Catherine Divizio was named to the academic all-conference team.
The men's and women's fencers will compete Saturday at the NCAA regional championship hosted by Drew University in Madison, N.J.