HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's fencing team enters the 2017-18 season looking to continue the improvement the Fords showed last year. Having finished third at the MACFA Championships, and only five bouts away from gold last season, the Fords are seeking their first team Championship since 2012.

The sabre squad, having won the MACFA Squad Championship last year, returns its three starters and will lead by example for the rest of the team. Sophomore John Hare looks to improve on his individual silver medal, with his strongest rivals for that championship being his teammates Gabriel Braun and David Parker. The epee squad shows strength with newly-annoited "A" fencer Kadan Lottick, and co-captain Ian Wheeler. Depth on that squad will come with three incoming first year fencers. The deepest squad is the foil, with sophomore Yan Yan Xie, medalist at last year's Temple Open and NCAA Regional Finalist, at the top of the pile. He is supported by returning senior Aldis Gamble, along with a host of four first years who are all looking to prove themselves.

With numerous potential finalists at the Temple Open, the team looks to start strong out of the gate. Following that meet will be the Vassar Invitational and Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational before the first semester wraps up with a new addition to the schedule at Drew in December. Tradition continues with the always-challenging Penn State Invitational kicking off Winter Training Camp. Strong tournaments at the University of Pennsylvania and Brandeis lead into the MACFA meets and championships. With potential MACFA medalists and Regional finalists in all three weapons, the Fords appeared poised to have one of their strongest seasons in recent years.