Temple University Athletics
Sunday, January 14
State College, Pa.
All Day
Temple University
vs
Penn State, Columbia, Yale, UNC, Haverford
Photo by: Nguyen Ho
Fencing Faces a Tough Lineup at Penn State Invitational on Sunday
1.12.18 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA - Over the next five weeks, nationally ranked Temple fencing will compete in dual matches against a total of 28 schools. The dual meet season begins in earnest this weekend, as the Owls (4-1) head to the Penn State Invitational on Sunday, Jan. 14.
Meet Information
> Temple will fence five opponents at Penn State, including the host Nittany Lions along with Columbia, Yale, UNC and Haverford.
> The Owls begin the day against Columbia at 9:45 a.m., and will fence Haverford at 11 a.m. After lunch, Temple takes on UNC at 1 p.m., Yale at 2:30 p.m. and host Penn State ate 3:45 p.m.
Scouting Temple
> Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke, now in her 46th season, has an overall career record of 785-231-1. Franke needs just 15 wins to reach 800, a feat which will almost certainly occur in the next month.
> Temple was tied for eighth in the final College Fencing 360 Coaches Poll of 2016-17. The first poll for the current season has not yet been released.
> The Owls went 4-1 in their first dual meets of 2017-18 at Vassar's Traditional Meet on Dec. 3. They started the day with a 16-11 loss to powerhouse Penn, but then beat Sacred Heart 20-7, Harvard 14-13, NYU 20-7 and Vassar 26-1.
> Most recently, the Owls competed as individuals at the January North American Cup (NAC) in Virginia Beach, Va. Temple had two semifinalists in a strong four days of competition - Malia Hee who tied for 11th in Div. I Women's Sabre, and Safa Ibrahim who placed 14th in Div. I Women's Epee.
> Junior Auset Muhammad had a strong day for the foil squad at the Owls' first dual meet in December, going 10-2 overall. Freshman Eva Hinds and sophomore Hee finished 10-1 and 9-2, respectively, for the sabre squad. Leading the epee squad was junior Ally Micek with a record of 7-3 overall.
> Ibrahim is the overall team captain for Temple as well as the epee squad leader. Her fellow squad leaders are Muhammad (foil) and junior Blessing Olaode (sabre).
Scouting the Opponents
> All five teams Temple will face on Sunday have at least one dual meet under their belt. Penn State is 3-3 so far while Columbia is 3-0, UNC is 11-2, Yale is 5-0 and Haverford is 7-3.
> Columbia, third overall at last year's NCAA Championships and second among women's teams, was ranked in a tie for first in the final College Fencing 360 Coaches Poll of 2017.
> Penn State placed seventh overall but third among women's teams at the NCAA Championships last March, and was ranked fourth in the final national poll.
> Yale was the 10th-ranked team in last year's final poll while UNC was also receiving votes.
Meet Information
> Temple will fence five opponents at Penn State, including the host Nittany Lions along with Columbia, Yale, UNC and Haverford.
> The Owls begin the day against Columbia at 9:45 a.m., and will fence Haverford at 11 a.m. After lunch, Temple takes on UNC at 1 p.m., Yale at 2:30 p.m. and host Penn State ate 3:45 p.m.
Scouting Temple
> Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke, now in her 46th season, has an overall career record of 785-231-1. Franke needs just 15 wins to reach 800, a feat which will almost certainly occur in the next month.
> Temple was tied for eighth in the final College Fencing 360 Coaches Poll of 2016-17. The first poll for the current season has not yet been released.
> The Owls went 4-1 in their first dual meets of 2017-18 at Vassar's Traditional Meet on Dec. 3. They started the day with a 16-11 loss to powerhouse Penn, but then beat Sacred Heart 20-7, Harvard 14-13, NYU 20-7 and Vassar 26-1.
> Most recently, the Owls competed as individuals at the January North American Cup (NAC) in Virginia Beach, Va. Temple had two semifinalists in a strong four days of competition - Malia Hee who tied for 11th in Div. I Women's Sabre, and Safa Ibrahim who placed 14th in Div. I Women's Epee.
> Junior Auset Muhammad had a strong day for the foil squad at the Owls' first dual meet in December, going 10-2 overall. Freshman Eva Hinds and sophomore Hee finished 10-1 and 9-2, respectively, for the sabre squad. Leading the epee squad was junior Ally Micek with a record of 7-3 overall.
> Ibrahim is the overall team captain for Temple as well as the epee squad leader. Her fellow squad leaders are Muhammad (foil) and junior Blessing Olaode (sabre).
Scouting the Opponents
> All five teams Temple will face on Sunday have at least one dual meet under their belt. Penn State is 3-3 so far while Columbia is 3-0, UNC is 11-2, Yale is 5-0 and Haverford is 7-3.
> Columbia, third overall at last year's NCAA Championships and second among women's teams, was ranked in a tie for first in the final College Fencing 360 Coaches Poll of 2017.
> Penn State placed seventh overall but third among women's teams at the NCAA Championships last March, and was ranked fourth in the final national poll.
> Yale was the 10th-ranked team in last year's final poll while UNC was also receiving votes.
Players Mentioned
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
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