Temple University Athletics
Saturday, February 28
Easton, Pa.
All Day
Temple University
vs
NIWFA Championships
Fencing Wins 19th Straight NIWFA Championship
2.28.15 | Women's Fencing
Photo Gallery
EASTON, Pa. - For the 19th year in a row, Temple fencing, led by legendary head coach Nikki Franke, captured the team title at the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association (NIWFA) Championships on Feb. 28. In addition to the team title, the Owls captured all three squad titles and two of three individual titles. This championship was the 87th annual, and it is oldest continuously-contested collegiate championship, in any sport, having begun in 1929.Â
Senior and team captain Lauren Rangel-Friedman won the sabre title, coming back to win in the gold medal bout by a score of 15-14, while freshman Safa Ibrahim took first in epee. Junior Jessica Hall took third in epee, while sophomore Rachael Clark was seventh. Junior Olivia Wynn placed eighth in sabre, while sophomore Victoria Suber finished 15th. Freshman Mariah Slagle had her strongest meet of the season and was runner-up in foil, while junior Fatima Largaespada placed eighth in foil and sophomore Kristen Kemnitzer finished 10th.
The Owls came out on top in a field of 15 teams to win the Olympians Trophy (pictured above), with Stevens Tech coming in second and FDU taking third. In the individual bouts which take place after the team competition, the top eight in each weapon are considered finalists.
"The girls were very focused," said Franke. "They all had things to work on this past week and they did a good job. We had two individual champions, and for Lauren this was a great finish to her four years at this tournament. It was nice for Safa to win as a freshman, and for Olivia to be a finalist in her first year fencing sabre was great."Â
Franke said it is always a team goal to have every fencer qualify for the NCAA Regional, and all 15 of her fencers did so this season. Only 12 are allowed to compete, and those 12 will head to Duke University for the regional meet next weekend.
"Today's meet was good preparation for NCAA Regionals," said Franke, "and now we'll shift our focus to that."
EASTON, Pa. - For the 19th year in a row, Temple fencing, led by legendary head coach Nikki Franke, captured the team title at the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association (NIWFA) Championships on Feb. 28. In addition to the team title, the Owls captured all three squad titles and two of three individual titles. This championship was the 87th annual, and it is oldest continuously-contested collegiate championship, in any sport, having begun in 1929.Â
Senior and team captain Lauren Rangel-Friedman won the sabre title, coming back to win in the gold medal bout by a score of 15-14, while freshman Safa Ibrahim took first in epee. Junior Jessica Hall took third in epee, while sophomore Rachael Clark was seventh. Junior Olivia Wynn placed eighth in sabre, while sophomore Victoria Suber finished 15th. Freshman Mariah Slagle had her strongest meet of the season and was runner-up in foil, while junior Fatima Largaespada placed eighth in foil and sophomore Kristen Kemnitzer finished 10th.
The Owls came out on top in a field of 15 teams to win the Olympians Trophy (pictured above), with Stevens Tech coming in second and FDU taking third. In the individual bouts which take place after the team competition, the top eight in each weapon are considered finalists.
"The girls were very focused," said Franke. "They all had things to work on this past week and they did a good job. We had two individual champions, and for Lauren this was a great finish to her four years at this tournament. It was nice for Safa to win as a freshman, and for Olivia to be a finalist in her first year fencing sabre was great."Â
Franke said it is always a team goal to have every fencer qualify for the NCAA Regional, and all 15 of her fencers did so this season. Only 12 are allowed to compete, and those 12 will head to Duke University for the regional meet next weekend.
"Today's meet was good preparation for NCAA Regionals," said Franke, "and now we'll shift our focus to that."
Players Mentioned
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil/Sabre
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