Esteva successful in foiling initial challenges

The freshman year of college can be one of the hardest adjustment periods in people's lives.

If the person is an athlete, this time becomes even more difficult. If the year in question also happens to be the person's first year in a new country, it can be the most difficult.

This is Penn State fencer Carla Esteva's predicament this year. The Mexico City native left her family and friends and ventured to central Pennsylvania.

"I've always heard about Penn State," the 19-year-old freshman said. "My uncle went here, and I've always known it was a good school. I heard it was one of the best schools in fencing and in engineering. I was very excited to come here."

The Penn State fencing team was equally excited to have her. Esteva has been a member of the Mexican junior national team since 1993 and the senior national team since 1995. She began fencing when she was 11, when she tagged along with her older sister, Maggie. The elder Esteva quit fencing, but her understudy never stopped.

This year Esteva has earned a starting position on the foil team and currently has the best record -- 47-1 -- of all the Lady Lions. Esteva has beaten everyone she has faced in dual meets this year, with the exception of last year's NCAA runner-up Sara Walsh of Notre Dame. Esteva likely will face Walsh again at this year's NCAA tournament and get her shot at revenge and the national championship.

"Winning the NCAA individual will be very hard," Esteva said. "I obviously want that, and that is what I'm working for, but I also am working for the team title."

Esteva's success at the tournament will be essential if Penn State is to win its third straight national championship. She has been attempting to fill the void left by the graduation of four-time women's foil national champion Olga Kalinovskaya.

Although these are Sasquatch-sized shoes to fill, Esteva said she really doesn't feel much pressure because she knows Kalinovskaya is irreplaceable, and she really isn't trying to take her place. Besides, she already has established a place of her own.

"She's a very good fencer," foil teammate Claire Jackson said. "She works very hard and is a very positive person. She gets along with everyone."

Although Esteva lived in Pittsburgh for a few years when she was young, she said her English was at the elementary school level when she came to Penn State in August. She has made great strides since and now says the language barrier isn't much of a problem.

This language factor is one of the reasons Esteva's academic success is so impressive. While balancing practice, tournaments and classes, the engineering major made the dean's list last semester with a 3.7 grade point average.

"What especially makes me feel great is her academic record," Lion coach Emmanuil Kaidanov said. "She can do both athletics and academics."

Esteva said she misses her family and friends the most, but she also misses Mexican food. Taco Bell just doesn't cut it.

"It is so hard to find Mexican food," she said.

Esteva has not only been successful in the collegiate ranks, but she also has excelled at the North American Circuit events. She finished second last month at the NAC championships in Louisville, Ky., the highest place of any of the Nittany or Lady Lions.

Esteva also has been working to adjust to the American style of fencing. She has not had as much difficulty getting used to the college rules of five-touch bouts as some other foreign fencers. In international competition bouts go to 15 touches.

Esteva said her style of starting fast has helped her in the five-touch bouts. She has noticed other differences, though, between fencing here and in Mexico.

"The level is higher here," she said. "I have to work harder to be the best. In Mexico I go to the point where I met all my goals."

It is a sure bet Esteva will continue to work hard and meet her goals on this side of the Rio Grande as well.