Season overview: The 2016-17 season was a year of growth for the Haverford College women's fencing team. After a decorated senior class laid a tradition of success last season, the next generation of Haverford fencers emerged and begin to make their own mark on the program throughout the year. The team finished with 14 bout victories, perhaps none more thrilling than when the Fords took down Ivy League foe Brown by a 14-13 score at the Sollee Invitational. Haverford also saw new leaders emerge as junior Alexandra Morrison and sophomore Anna Neuheardt established themselves as some of the top fencers in the EWFC and NIWFA.
Season Notes: Sophomore sabrist Anna Neuheardt earned second-team All-EWFC honors for the second time in as many seasons at Haverford. Co-captain Alexandra Morrison broke through with second-team honors in foil at the EWFC Championships for the first time in her career. Neuheardt also went on to repeat her second-team All-NIWFA honors. Co-captain Amira Abujbara, who represented Qatar during the season, was named to the NIWFA All-Academic Team. Morrison came up just one spot shy of NIWFA All-Star status with a seventh place finish. Haverford was represented across all three weapons at the NCAA regional championship. Foilist Morrison made her third appearance in as many seasons, while sophomore sabrists Anna Neuheardt and Emily Brown represented the Fords for the second time. Showing great progress throughout the season, Katie Bradley qualified to the regional championships in epee despite only picking up the sport for the first time during the fall semester at Haverford. Haverford also went 3-1 inside the Andy Kates Fencing Salle. That performance stretched the Fords' home winning streak to program-record 17 straight matches after it originated in November of 2012.
Honors/Awards
EWFC All-Stars
Alexandra Morrison (second team; foil), Anna Neuheardt (second team; sabre)
NIWFA All-Star
Anna Neuheardt (second team; sabre)
NIWFA All-Academic Team
Amira Abujbara
NCAA Regional Qualifiers
Anna Neuheardt (28th, sabre), Emily Brown (33rd, sabre), Alexandra Morrison (33rd, foil), Katie Bradley (36th, epee)
Ambler Scholar-Athlete
Amira Abujbara
Looking ahead: The Fords gained valuable experience throughout the year with many newcomers to the sport. With the leadership in the team that features all four of its regional qualifiers returning for at least one more season, Haverford will look to rise up the conference rankings in the coming years. However, the team will have to cope with the graduation losses of Amira Abujbara, Diana Schoder, and Sofia Tieze.