DURHAM, N.C. – Kadan Lottick led six qualifiers from the Haverford College men's fencing team at the 2020 NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Championships with a career-best 21st place finish in epee over the weekend. Hosted by Duke this year, the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional is widely considered the most grueling across the entire NCAA.
Making his fourth appearance at the regional championships, Lottick began his day with a 4-1 record in his opening pool to easily earn advancement into the top 24. Fencing against four other Division I entrants in the second pool, Lottick defeated North Carolina's Cam Santos but missed the cut into the top 18 by just a single victory. Lottick caps his standout career as a three-time MACFA medalist in addition to his highest regional finish this past weekend. That 21st place finish was the best for a Fords' epeeist since Eric Gardner '16 advanced to the regional finals in 2015. Edward Shin also represented the epee squad at regionals during his rookie campaign, placing 36th overall.
Haverford sent three foilists to the regional for third time in four seasons. Carter Langen highlighted that group as he tied for 22nd overall in his first-ever regional appearance. Langen posted a 3-1 mark against his opening pool to make the cut into the top 24. Fencing solely Division I competition during the second round, Langen narrowly dropped a 5-4 bout against Penn State's Shane Iverson before being credited with the 22nd position.
Jack Leighninger was also making his fourth appearance at the regional championships where he placed 25th overall. Leighninger posted a 3-2 record in his opening pool, falling only to Division I fencers from North Carolina and Penn State while defeating foes from Penn, Drew, and Johns Hopkins. Despite that strong showing, Leighninger missed the highly competitive top 24 by just four touches to finish 25th. That result comes just one week after Leighninger earned his first MACFA medal to cap his strong career. Alton Wiggers scored five touches in his second appearance at the regional championship, placing 35th overall.
Nicholas Conroy was Haverford's lone sabre representative and finished in the 32nd position. Making his second regional appearance in as many seasons, Conroy defeated Dylan Woodward of Stevens but was eliminated when the field was trimmed to 24.
With the conclusion of the Haverford College men's fencing season, the Fords will certainly miss their three-member senior class (Kadan Lottick, Jack Leighninger, and John Hare) as each graduate with multiple regional appearances to go along with their MACFA medals. Nevertheless, four of Haverford's six regional qualifiers will return to the strips next season looking to making even more noise against some of the toughest competition in the NCAA.