For Peter and David Cox, arriving at Penn State just extended their family.

As sabre fencers for the Lions, the brothers became part of a close-knit fencing team that has done everything together from practices and traveling to cleaning Beaver Stadium to raise funds.

"I think that Penn State has 54 fraternities," David, 20, said. "The (fencing team) is the 55th."

David, a first-year All-American, and Peter, a three-time winner, rank second and third in all-time winning percentage among Lion sabre fencers. With well over a hundred medals and awards between them, the brothers don't have much room to store them.

"We keep talking about getting our parents a trophy case for their next anniversary," Peter said. "Until we do, we'll just have to keep rackin' up the awards."

Peter and David's parents and their 15-year-old brother, Mark, reside in Concord, Mass. The historical North Bridge, Paul Revere town retains its past as a laid-back suburb of Boston. Concord doesn't even have fast food restaurants or movie theaters.

"It's your typical white-church, hill cemetery, New England town," Peter, 22, said.

Mr. Cox got his sons started in sports (but not fencing), and Mrs. Cox still travels to all of her sons big meets.

"It's kind of nice having her there," Peter said. "It's nice to have your parents wanting you do well. You hear about some people's parents who aren't as enthusiastic about what they are doing. I can't imagine that."

Peter's fencing affair began in a sixth grade activity period. Fencing strictly for fun, his competitive interest heightened as an eighth grader, when the varsity coach encouraged him to fence sabre for the high school team.

At Concord-Carlisle High School, Peter sharpened his skills and finished his senior year as the No. 1 high school fencer in the country.

David followed suit, fencing for the same powerhouse prep school that went undefeated for 20 straight seasons. A lack of local high school fencing programs allowed Concord-Carlisle to compete with collegiate teams such as Harvard, MIT and Brown -- and win.

Although the opportunity to attend other schools on a full scholarship was available, Peter chose a minimally funded "ride" to Penn State.

"With the quality of the coaching and the team, the scholarship doesn't really matter. The team's worth it."

Two years later, David didn't have a chance.

"I was all over him. He was coming here," Peter recalled.

"Peter was my major recruiter at Penn State," David said, "but the deciding factors were the coaches, the atmosphere and the school itself."

Since the duo started fencing sabre, a slashing, faster-moving weapon first decided on by their high school coach (the mentally superior weapon, Peter jokes), the sport has opened the door to opportunities outside Penn State. Tournaments and competitions have provided extensive travel from coast to coast across the Americas and even to Europe, where fencing is the No. 2 sport.

The tandem admits that after fencing in front of large crowds abroad, it is disappointing to be a leader in a sport with such a low American profile.

"It's tough when you're going up against the 'Larry Birds' of fencing, and you look in the stands and see 10 people watching," David explained. "In Europe everything centers around it, but here it's low-key. It's gradually building though, and that's good."

The brothers have helped to put the Lions in position to challenge for the national championship this year. But that means dethroning the "Larry Birds" of Columbia University.

"Columbia's the one nobody's touched, and we'd like to threaten them a little bit," Peter said. "We have the fencers and the potential, it's just a matter of everyone having their best day."

Peter's teammates recognized his dedication and contributions to the team and named him captain for 1989, his final season.

"I'm very proud," he said. "I guess you could call me captain, but I'm just a person who can talk to Coach a little easier, who's not afraid to take charge, and who will make a decision that's in the best interest of everybody."

The brothers find balancing strict academics easier with the demands of a major sport.

Peter, a senior speech communications major, plans to move into a sales position with a small company after spring graduation. He wants to establish a managerial position in five years. David, a student in the school of business, studies the finance, insurance and real estate fields.

"Fencing's been easy and hard," David said. "There are times when things click and you're successful, and other days you don't understand where you're going. Why am I fencing every day? Why shouldn't I just go concentrate on school and be that 'A' student everybody wants me to be? When it comes down to it, fencing is a part of my life that keeps me organized and I love it."

"Fencing is a great way to blow off tension," Peter agreed. "To work out three or four hours a day and see results is enjoyable."

Off the fencing strip, both are skiing enthusiasts and enjoy a range of sports including soccer, tennis and squash. David has a primary interest in music and plays the piano, saxophone and guitar.

"There's a lot you can do (at school)," Peter said, "but spending time with the team, doing stuff with the people I care about, is probably the biggest activity."

And with all of its other benefits, fencing has strengthened the relationship of the two brothers.

"Being away from home really changed me," Peter said. "Through high school we were pretty separate, but just being with David all the time now has made me feel closer to him."

David agrees.

"If I had gone to a different university, I know we wouldn't be as close as we are now. You're close with other guys on the team, but Peter knows me the best out of all of them."