Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Release
PHILADELPHIA – Gabriel Braun has been voted to the 2017-18 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area at-large team. The all-area team is voted on by the sports information offices of the 29 area institutions from the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Braun earned this honor for the second straight season following another strong performance as a junior.
The at-large teams take into account those student-athletes from area schools whose sports do not have a dedicated Academic All-Area team. In order to be eligible for Academic All-Area honors, an athlete must be in at least his or her second year at the institution and hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better.
A junior co-captain for the Fords, Braun was a member of Haverford's sabre squad which entered the season as the defending MACFA squad champions. Braun was a regional qualifier for the third straight season as he placed 31st overall at the toughest regional in all of NCAA fencing after leading the sabrists to a runner-up finish at the MACFA Championships.
Braun had many memorable performances throughout the year and seemingly fenced his best when the competition was at its highest. Perhaps no bouts serve a better indicator of those performances than when Braun went a perfect 3-0 against Yale to help his fellow sabrists take down the Division I Bulldogs. He also secured nine victories at the Philadelphia Invitational and won eight more bouts at the Sollee Invitational. Other notable results from the year included a 16-5 record at the Vassar Invitational, an 8-4 mark at the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational, and a 7-2 record during the MACFA "A" vs. "C" bouts.
Men's fencing totaled 23 team victories during the 2017-18 season for its highest win total since the 2010-11 season. The Fords placed fourth at the MACFA Championship. Haverford qualified nine fencers to the NCAA Regional on the men's side and appears poised for continued success with its highest seven placers from the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Championships returning next season.