Ten fencers qualify for NCAA championships

The Penn State fencing team went to James Madison University last weekend with one goal in mind -- qualifying the maximum number of fencers for this week's NCAA championships.

Mission accomplished.

At the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Championships, 10 Nittany Lions fenced their way to the NCAAs and a shot to gain a fourth consecutive national championship for Penn State. NCAAs begin Thursday at Notre Dame and will run through Sunday. The Lions join the host Fighting Irish and St. John's as the only schools to qualify all 10 fencers.

Despite the fact the Lions have been victorious in their last three trips to NCAAs, the fencers may have to assume the underdog role heading into competition.

"We're not going in as favorites," women's team captain Claire Jackson said. "I don't know how everyone is going to deal with it. We're going in as underdogs, and maybe that gives us something else to go for."

After competing in the regional tournament, the fencers were at the mercy of an NCAA committee, whose job was to choose which fencers would be making the trip to South Bend. The fencers picked to represent Penn State came without much surprise.

Maybe the toughest decision for the committee was in men's foil, where junior David Lidow and sophomore Gang Lu were chosen over junior Donnie McGill. The Lions will be represented by a pair of freshmen, Aaron Stuewe and Michael Takagi, in men's sabre. Another freshman, Brendan Baby, will join veteran captain Tom Peng as the Lions' representatives in epee.

On the women's side, sophomore Carla Esteva, who won the Mid Atlantic/South Regional women's foil championship, and Jackson return to NCAA action for the second consecutive year in women's foil. Freshman Charlotte Walker, the regional champion in women's epee, and sophomore Ola Korfanty were selected to compete in epee for the Lions.

The Lions have the talent to compete not only for a team championship, but individual championships as well. But to win individual titles, the fencers know they must be persistent and maintain an industrious attitude.

"We have some great fencers," Jackson said. "But we have to work hard and fight for everything. We always have the chance (for an individual national championship), but it's not going to be a walk."

With teams like Notre Dame, St. John's and Stanford emerging as threats to the Lions' throne, the fencers know it may be hard work and perseverance that decide NCAA championship.