Season overview: Fencing an annual schedule that is loaded with Division I opponents throughout the year, the Haverford College men's fencing team still recorded 23 team victories for its highest win total since the 2010-11 season when Haverford won its second of three straight MACFA Championships. The Fords finished fourth at the MACFA Championships this season.
Haverford took home the team title at the Drew Holiday Invitational and suffered just a single team setback during both the Vassar and Dan Arnstein '09 Invitationals during the fall semester. The sabre squad, which finished runner-up in its pursuit of a second straight MACFA squad championship, toppled Yale, MIT, and Brown early in the spring to show that it was one of the top squads throughout the entire region.
When the MACFA team competitions rolled around, the Fords were in peak condition and finished those bouts with an overall record of 11-2. That record included a perfect 4-0 showing during the final weekend of fencing at the "B" vs. "C" bouts. During the individual championships, the Fords had a medalist in each of the three weapons for the first time since the 2012 season. The Fords also sent nine qualifiers to what is widely considered the toughest regional in all of NCAA fencing, the Mid-Atlantic/South.
Season Notes: Haverford's 23-20 record marked the most wins for the team since the 2010-11 season … The Fords had one MACFA medalist in each of the three weapons for the first time since 2012 … Sabrist John Hare is now 2-for-2 in winning MACFA medals as the sophomore placed fifth this season … Kadan Lottick was a bronze medalist in epee for the Fords, earning his first MACFA recognition … Yan Yan Xie matched Lottick's bronze medal and was the first Ford foilist at the MACFA Championships since the 2015 season … Haverford's nine regional qualifiers mark the highest total for the team since the 2013-14 season … John Hare earned the Fords' highest individual placement in sabre since 2013 during the NCAA Regional as he placed 15th overall and just missed a spot in the regional finals … The sabrists qualified each of their three fencers to the NCAA Regional for the second straight season … Haverford's four qualifiers in foil was the team's highest total in over a decade … The Fords have qualified at least two epee fencers to regionals during each of the past five seasons.
Honors/Awards
- NCAA Regional Qualifiers: John Hare (t-15th; sabre), Yan Yan Xie (21st; foil), Jack Leighninger (23rd; foil), Alton Wiggers (t-28th; foil), Kadan Lottick (28th; epee), David Parker (30th; sabre), Gabriel Braun (t-31st; sabre), Ian Wheeler (31st; epee), Aldis Gamble (36th; foil)
- MACFA Placewinners: Kadan Lottick (third; epee), Yan Yan Xie (third; foil), John Hare (fifth; sabre)
- Temple Open Place winners: Yan Yan Xie (8th; foil)
- Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Team: Gabriel Braun
Looking ahead: The Fords seem to be well-equipped for another strong season in 2018-19. Haverford returns each of its three MACFA medalists to a team that consistently sees individual growth throughout the year. Those returners include every member of the sabre squad (John Hare, Gabriel Braun, David Parker, Kagan Harris) that was a part of its weapon championship in 2017. Foil is slated to return MACFA bronze medalist and 2017 regional finalist Yan Yan Xie, along with regional qualifiers Jack Leighninger and Alton Wiggers. MACFA bronze medalist Kadan Lottick will look to lead the epeeists by example as a two-time regional qualifier.