Temple University Athletics
Photo by: Joseph V. Labolito/Temple University
Three Talented Recruits to Join Temple Fencing in 2018-19
7.24.18 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA - Coming off another impressive season, Hall of Fame head coach Dr. Nikki Franke has announced that Temple fencing will add three talented recruits to the squad in 2018-19. Aryana Abtin (Hillsboro, Ore./Northwest Fencing Center), Zahrah Dinkins (Chicago, Ill./Windy City Fencing Club) and Cassie Navalta (Medfield, Mass./Marx Fencing Academy) are set to join the Owls in the fall.
"We are very excited to have these three talented young ladies join our program," said Franke. "They will definitely add depth to our team and make us even more competitive. They all are very skilled, enthusiastic and bring a strong work ethic to North Broad Street. We are looking forward to working with them and seeing them grow and improve over the next four years. They have great team spirit and will fit in very well with our returners."Â
Abtin, a foilist out of the Northwest Fencing Center, boasts a pair of first-place finishes already this year. She took first in junior women's foil at the 2018 RJCC in Portland, and was also first in the March 2018 Division I ROC. She had another strong recent finish at the 2018 Summer Nationals, taking 15th of 226 fencers in junior women's foil. Internationally, Abtin placed 46th out of 181 competitors in the Cadet European Circuit in Budapest, Hungary in 2015. Abtin, who plans on a pre-med track at Temple, was named to both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 USA Fencing All-Academic First Team.
Dinkins, an epeeist from the Windy City Fencing Club, is the cousin of recent Temple graduate and standout fencer Safa Ibrahim. From 2013-16, Dinkins was the top-ranked female epeeist in the Great Lakes Midwest HS Division. She placed third in junior women's epee at the 2016 Illinois Remenyik Open, and 14th in Division II women's epee at the 2016 October NAC. In Division I at the same meet, Dinkins finished 51st. Like Abtin, Dinkins plans to be a pre-med major at Temple.
Navalta is a foilist out of the Marx Fencing Academy, and recently placed first in the Pomme de Terre Senior Women's Team event. She took second in Division II women's foil at the 2016 Milwaukee NAC, and was a Division III regional points winner for cadet women's foil in 2015. Navalta, who plans to major in environmental science at Temple, was named to both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 USA Fencing All-Academic First Team.
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"We are very excited to have these three talented young ladies join our program," said Franke. "They will definitely add depth to our team and make us even more competitive. They all are very skilled, enthusiastic and bring a strong work ethic to North Broad Street. We are looking forward to working with them and seeing them grow and improve over the next four years. They have great team spirit and will fit in very well with our returners."Â
Abtin, a foilist out of the Northwest Fencing Center, boasts a pair of first-place finishes already this year. She took first in junior women's foil at the 2018 RJCC in Portland, and was also first in the March 2018 Division I ROC. She had another strong recent finish at the 2018 Summer Nationals, taking 15th of 226 fencers in junior women's foil. Internationally, Abtin placed 46th out of 181 competitors in the Cadet European Circuit in Budapest, Hungary in 2015. Abtin, who plans on a pre-med track at Temple, was named to both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 USA Fencing All-Academic First Team.
Dinkins, an epeeist from the Windy City Fencing Club, is the cousin of recent Temple graduate and standout fencer Safa Ibrahim. From 2013-16, Dinkins was the top-ranked female epeeist in the Great Lakes Midwest HS Division. She placed third in junior women's epee at the 2016 Illinois Remenyik Open, and 14th in Division II women's epee at the 2016 October NAC. In Division I at the same meet, Dinkins finished 51st. Like Abtin, Dinkins plans to be a pre-med major at Temple.
Navalta is a foilist out of the Marx Fencing Academy, and recently placed first in the Pomme de Terre Senior Women's Team event. She took second in Division II women's foil at the 2016 Milwaukee NAC, and was a Division III regional points winner for cadet women's foil in 2015. Navalta, who plans to major in environmental science at Temple, was named to both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 USA Fencing All-Academic First Team.
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Players Mentioned
Epee
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