Season overview: Competing against a perennially challenging schedule that is laced with NCAA Division I opponents and just one senior on the squad, the Haverford College men's fencing team secured 17 victories during the 2015-16 season. The Fords started strong and carried that momentum throughout the season as they put three fencers in the finals during the Temple Open and just continued to build from that point.
Key victories over Lafayette and Florida at the Vassar Invitational set the stage for an unblemished record inside the Andy Kates Fencing Salle as the Fords went a perfect 6-0 on their home strips during the Dan Arnstein '09 and Haverford Holiday Invitational. Facing some of their toughest competition of the year at the Penn State Invitational and Sollee Invitational prepared the Fords nicely for the MACFA Meets during the month of February as Haverford placed fourth – a one spot jump from their finish a season ago. This included a third place finish from the traditionally strong Haverford epee.
Season Notes: In addition to the success the Fords experienced as a team, Haverford had many individuals break through with noteworthy performances throughout the year. Among them were a trio of fencers who claimed bronze medals in their respective weapons at the MACFA Championship. Eric Gardner and Jake Bassinder each finished with bronze medals during the epee bouts, while Gabriel Braun was a bronze medalist in the sabre competition. The Fords also qualified their full complement of epee fencers to the NCAA Regional for the third straight season. At the NCAA Regional, freshmen David Parker and Braun highlighted the team's efforts as the highest placing individuals on the team's sabre squad.
Honors/Awards
NCAA Regional Qualifiers
David Parker (18th, sabre)
Gabriel Braun (19th, sabre)
Ian Wheeler (27th, foil)
Eric Gardner (28th, epee)
Kailash Faris (34th, epee)
Jake Bassinder (35th, epee)
MACFA Medalists
Gabriel Braun (bronze, sabre)
Eric Gardner (bronze, epee)
Jake Bassinder (bronze, epee)
Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area
Jake Bassinder
Looking ahead: Haverford's one loss to graduation will be co-captain Kailash Faris; however, the Fords will return plenty of standouts from the team who emerged throughout the season. The epee squad will be headlined by Eric Gardner and Jake Bassinder. Gardner, a MACFA medalist in each of his first three seasons, will be primed for another postseason run after earning the "at-large" seat to the NCAA Championship during his sophomore season. Both he and Bassinder provide experience as they have been to the NCAA Regional Championship in each of their first three seasons. The Fords' top two placers from this year's regional championship, David Parker and Gabriel Braun, will return with a year experience under their belts. Ian Wheeler looks to lead a foil squad that returns each of its four individuals from this season.