Fencing Set For Saturday's NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

Saturday, March 10

Easton, Pa.

All Day

Temple University

NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

Photo by: Zamani Feelings

Fencing Set For Saturday's NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional

3.8.18 | Women's Fencing

PHILADELPHIA - With the goal of having as many student-athletes advance to the NCAA Championships as possible, the seventh-ranked Temple fencing team competes Saturday, March 10 in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional at Lafayette College.

The Owls have the maximum 12 fencers competing, but all 16 team members met the NCAA criteria and were eligible for the meet.

"We definitely have the potential to send a strong group to the NCAA Championships. We've had a good season and now it depends on what we do at the tournament," said Temple head coach Dr. Nikki Franke. "It's a very intense tournament but I think we're well-prepared, especially after our strong results over the last two weekends. We've had such a tough schedule all season and I feel it's paid off. We're really peaking at the right time and I feel very positive in terms of how we've prepared."

Representing the epee squad will be senior Safa Ibrahim, juniors Fiona Fong and Ally Micek, and sophomore Camille Simmons.

The foil squad will be represented by junior Auset Muhammad, sophomore Kennedy Lovelace and freshmen Megan Ross and Kari Weiner.

For the sabre squad, junior Blessing Olaode will compete along with sophomores Malia Hee and Kerry Plunkett and freshman Eva Hinds.

In 2017, Temple was represented at the NCAA Championships by Ibrahim and Plunkett. Ibrahim, who is making her fourth straight appearance in four years, placed ninth in epee a year ago to earn All-America Honorable Mention honors. Plunkett was the 19th-place finisher in sabre as a freshman.

The qualification for the NCAA Championship is based on a formula comprising a 60 percent weight on regional performance and 40 percent on regular-season meets. Regional champions for each weapon automatically advance, with remaining bids going to fencers based on performance and the region they compete in. The NCAA selections will be announced on March 13.

At the NCAA Championships, each weapon field will consist of the top 24 fencers from across the nation. For the regional meet, the 36 fencers in each weapon will compete until 12 remain, and those 12 will battle in a round robin final.

Of the 38 teams Temple faced in dual meets during the 2017-18 season, seven of them were ranked higher than the Owls in the national poll. With the strength of schedule factoring into the at-large bids, Temple's schedule will definitely work in its favor.

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