Captain's preseason interviews
HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College men's fencing team returns four of its five regional qualifiers from a team that placed fourth at the MACFA Championships a season ago. Looking to reach ever greater heights this winter, the Fords welcome five first-years into the program to bolster the team's depth in search of the program's first MACFA Championship since a run of three straight from 2010 to 2012.
Sabre has been the weapon squad runner-up during each of the past two seasons after a squad championship in 2017. Looking to lead the sabrists back to the top of the conference will be senior John Hare who was just one touch away from earning the "at-large" seat to the NCAA Championships following a 13th-place finish at regionals last fall. Hare is a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier entering his senior season.
Nicholas Conroy, last season's Rookie of the Year, also made an immediate impact on the sabre squad before eventually finishing 25th during his first regional championship. Junior Kagan Harris, who will be abroad during the fall semester, also returns to the sabre squad after picking up some crucial experience throughout his first two seasons as an always reliable option. Harris was fencing his best at the end of last year's campaign with key victories throughout the MACFA Championship season. First-year Neville Linden and Aaron Xu will add reinforcements to one of the Fords' strongest weapons in recent seasons.
Haverford's foil squad will be the most experience weapon on the team as senior Jack Leighninger has qualified to the regional championship during each of his first three seasons, including a career-best 23rd-place finish at the 2018 regional championship. Junior co-captain Alton Wiggers and classmate Carter Langen give the Fords a number of strong options in the foil lineup. Those two fencers filled the "B" and "C" slots behind Leighninger at the MACFA Championships last year, with Wiggers advancing to the direct elimination bouts of the conference championship. William Moore joins the Haverford foil squad this year to bolster a weapon squad which was already returning its top three from a season ago.
Senior co-captain Kadan Lottick leads the Fords' epeeists into the 2019-20 season. Ever since stepping on campus, Lottick has anchored the epee squad as a three-time regional qualifier. Lottick won back-to-back bronze medals during both of the last two MACFA Championships. Raynor Bond-Ashpole, who will be abroad during the fall semester, filled the "B" slot behind Lottck a year ago and really found his stride during the second half of the season. Sophomore Adrian Velonis was another epeeist who came on strong during the second half of last season and will counted on to deliver more key victories this winter. First-years Edward Shin and Jack Crump join that weapon looking to bolster Haverford's tradition of epee excellence.
Men's fencing opens the 2019-20 campaign at the Temple Open on Sunday, November 3. The Fords will host the Dan Arnstein '09 Invitational/MACFA "C" Round Robin on Saturday, November 16 in their only home duals other than the annual Alumni Bouts/Reception on Saturday, January 25. This winter will mark head coach Chris Spencer's 13th season leading the Fords. Already the winningest coach in program history for both genders, Spencer collected his 200th victory on the men's side during a 15 win campaign during the 2018-19 season.