The Penn State men's and women's fencing teams are just one competition away from the championship they've been waiting for since their painful second-place finish last season.
But before the fencers can battle for the No. 1 spot at the NCAA championships, they must qualify at the regional level.
Penn State will send the top three or four fencers from each weapon to regionals, which is set to begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J.
The top two fencers from each weapon at regionals will then be selected to participate in the NCAA championship.
This week, the team has focused its practices just on fencing bouts so it can better prepare for the competition.
Sophomore Anne Jackson said preparing for regionals requires that the fencers be in excellent shape so they can withstand the large number of bouts that take place over the course of a day.
The fencers have also practiced doing five-touch bouts, which they will fence at regionals.
Along with practices, the team has also been mentally preparing for the competition.
"We think on an individual basis," Jackson said. "People will think about the team score, the team results and also which individual strategies and tactics you'll use during bouts."
Last year, Penn State qualified more than 12 people from regionals to go to the NCAA championship, which is the best a team can do.
Penn State finished No. 2 with a solid performance by the women, but struggled on the men's side.
This year, both men's and women's teams have maintained solid performances at every competition and have been ranked No. 1 in a recent USFCA College Fencing Coaches Poll. The men have improved two spots from their previous third place ranking.
"Our team has a lot of talent and that's what makes the team so good as a whole," Jackson said.
Jackson said the fencers are looking to capitalize on the fact that they have so many talented people on the team by qualifying as many people as they can at regionals.
In about two weeks, Penn State will send the qualified fencers to the NCAA championship where they will try and reclaim the national title.
