UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Haverford College's Eric Chen has been named the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2025 NCAA National Collegiate Fencing Championship in State College, Pennsylvania. Chen is the first-ever Haverford student-athlete to earn this prestigious honor.
The Elite 90 award recognizes student-athletes who have excelled both academically and athletically. This distinction is awarded to the competitor with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships, highlighting a commitment to excellence in both the classroom and competition.
To be eligible, student-athletes must be sophomores or above and have competed in their sport for at least two years at their institution. In the event of a tie, the award is given to the student-athlete who has completed the most academic credits. For more information on the Elite 90 award winners, visit www.ncaa.org/elite90.
Unlike most NCAA sports, the NCAA Fencing Championships are not divided by division or gender. As a result, Chen earned this award from a competitive field of more than 144 collegiate fencers across both men's and women's squads from all three NCAA divisions.
Competing in men's epee in the championships at Penn State, Chen placed 22nd overall, securing six bout victories in round-robin competition over the two-day event. Earlier this week, he was also named a first-team USFCA All-Mid-Atlantic/South Region and Division III All-Region selection.
A native of Ellicott City, Maryland, Chen was the only Division III fencer to qualify for the national championships in men's epee—a significant milestone for both himself and the Haverford fencing program.
His achievement follows in the footsteps of past Haverford standouts, including Ben Van Son '13, who finished 21st nationally in foil during the 2009-10 season, and Rémy Olson '11, the last Haverford men's epeeist to qualify for nationals in 2007-08.
Chen's fourth-place finish at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional on March 8 set a new program benchmark, marking the highest regional finish for a Haverford fencer in any weapon and the program's first regional final appearance since 2017.
A USFCA Division III All-America honorable mention selection last season, Chen entered the first round of regionals as the 17th seed, winning four bouts in his opening pool before adding two more in the second round.
Advancing as the 18th and final seed, he placed 11th in the third round, becoming one of just 12 fencers to reach the regional final. In the final stage, he rebounded from four early losses to secure seven victories, edging North Carolina's Brayden Gyure on indicators for a fourth-place finish.