HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's fencing team has seen numerous individuals step into the lineup early in their collegiate careers and find immediate success. The Fords will look to build on that positive experience during the 2019-20 campaign as Haverford returns four regional qualifiers this winter.
Haverford qualified all three of its epeeists to the 2019 NCAA Regional Championships and those returners are poised to reach greater heights on the strips this winter. Senior Katie Bradley has qualified to the regional championship during each of her first three seasons and has twice been named an EWFC All-Star.
Sophomores Sarah Blossom and Maia Carvalho provided an immediate boost to the Haverford epeeists last year with breakout campaigns. Blossom, the team's Rookie of the Year in 2018-29, led all Haverford fencers with a 24th-place finish at the regional championship, while Carvalho joined squadmate Bradley as an EWFC All-Star during her rookie campaign. Nevertheless, Haverford's epee can also showcase great depth as junior co-captain Claire Cai advanced to the direct elimination round of the EWFC Championships. First-year Yuqin Wu adds yet another option to a squad with plenty of returning experience already in the fold.
Sophomore Golda Glasser leads Haverford's foil squad as a returning regional qualifier in that weapon. Glasser also qualified to the direct elimination draw at the EWFC Championships last season. Entering her second season as team captain, senior Zuyi Wang hit the ground running during the spring semester last year after studying abroad in the fall. She won nine bouts at the EWFC Championships after fencing the "B" slot in the lineup. Junior Jia-Ming Tuan, who will return from her semester abroad in the spring, will bolster a foil squad where she fenced the "C" slot during. First-years Ceanne Lyon and Lillian Sweeney add to the depth of that squad looking to make an immediate impact.
Haverford's sabre squad was hit the hardest by graduation losses as both NIWFA Women of the Year Anna Neuheardt and regional qualifier Emily Brown wrapped up their stellar careers last winter. Looking to carry on their tradition will be a young squad comprised of three sophomores and two first-years. Macy Brooks, Sofia Nicolayevsky, and Maria Yea all got to experience postseason fencing last year at the EWFC Championships. They will be joined by first-years Caroline Donado and Megan Heflinger on the sabre strips this winter.
Women's fencing opens the 2019-20 campaign at the Temple Open on Saturday, November 2. The Fords will host the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational on Saturday, November 16 during their only home duals other than the annual Alumni Bouts/Reception on Saturday, January 25. This 2019-20 season will mark head coach Chris Spencer's 13th season leading the Fords. Already the winningest coach in program history for both genders, Spencer has led the women's team to the 2009 EWFC Championship and the NIWFA Division III Championships during the 2008 and 2014 seasons.