Fencers Ready for Season, National Success

“Fencing is a blend of athleticism and strategy,” said Olympic silver medalist and fencing co-captain Emily Cross. “Intelligence and strength are of equal importance. It is the particular combination that everyone has which makes them a good fencer. You can make up for any weak area by being strong in another.”

“Fencing is a great combination of being physically demanding and mentally demanding—it’s often likened to physical chess,” Benji Ungar, co-captain for the men’s fencing team added.

This would make fencing seem like the ideal Harvard sport. Weakness in athleticism can be atoned for with a brilliant strategy, a sort of physical chess. But, out of the 41 Division I sports that Harvard offers, fencing seems to take a backseat. Yet, it is one of the best teamS on Harvard’s campus. The team is consistently a national contender.

“If you want to see a sport at the highest level, fencing is certainly one of those sports that can offer you a situation where you can really see something at the highest level,” head coach Peter Brand said.

On the women’s side, the silver medalist, two-time All-American, and 2005 national champion Cross returns to compete in the foil along with junior co-captain Arielle Pensler and junior Anna Podolsky. Fellow junior and 2007 All-American Misha Goldfeder will join the team in the spring when she returns from studying aboard.

Last year the epee was the Crimson’s weakest link, but this year the squad looks to be much improved with the help of freshman Noam Mills who took last year off to fence for Israel in the Olympics. She also won the Israel senior championship four times. She will be joined by senior two-time All-American Maria Larsson and freshman Sarah Rosenberg-Wohl.

The biggest question mark on the women’s side is the women’s sabre with two freshmEn, Caroline Vloka and Hayley Levitt, and a former epee fencer added to the mix in Yunsoo Kim.

This past year, the team placed sixth at nationals and is looking to improve upon that ranking this coming season.

“I think that the Harvard fencing team has a really great chance to be very successful, both in the Ivy League and in the NCAA” Ungar said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how far we can go.”

Ungar was the 2006 national champion in the men’s epee. He trained for the Olympic team last year, but placed third when only the top two men were granted spots on the team. He is joined by freshman James Hawrot and junior Karl Harmenberg.

Freshman Valentin Staller is expected flourish with the men’s sabre with lots of experience on both the international and national fencing circuits. Seniors Craig Gorin and Scott DiGiulio also have high expectations in the weapon.

High expectations abound for co-captain Kai Itameri-Kinter—who placed sixth at NCAAs in 2006 and 19th in last year’s competition—and junior Long Ouyang, who notched 23rd in the foil at NCAAs last year. The upperclassmen are joined by sophomores Hao Meng and Nick Culbertson.

Harvard has its first preseason tournament this weekend at the Garret Penn State Open where it will face numerous teams including Penn State, who is historically one of the toughest teams. But the Crimson remains optimistic.

“Playing at the Penn State Open really gives us an opportunity to see what the field looks like overall in the nation, because the best collegiate fencers are going to be there,” Brand said. “It’s a great opportunity to scout them and to see where our fencers measure up.”

Fencing is not only scored on a team level, but also individually, and so the Harvard team has several members who could feasibly win titles in the conference and on the national stage.

“I hope that this weekend will be a good, positive starting point for the season and that everyone will get a chance to use the competitive environment to see what they need to work on in the upcoming weeks,” Ungar said.

Within the Ivy conference, Columbia, the defending Ivy champion, provides the stoutest competition for the Crimson, but Penn and Princeton will also supply some tough competition for Harvard.

Depite the Crimson’s competitiveness at fencing, the outlook remains a bit of a mystery, and this weekend will provide the first glimpse into what looks to be a promising Crimson team.

“I am looking forward to have an exciting and successful year,” Ungar said. “I really believe that the team has a great chance to have a special year and I can’t wait to see what we can do.”