Temple University Athletics
Three Fencers to Represent Temple at 2019 NCAA Championships
3.12.19 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA - For a second year in a row, three fencers from the seventh-ranked Temple fencing team will represent the Owls at the NCAA Championships. Junior Kerry Plunkett (sabre) will make her third straight appearance, junior Kennedy Lovelace (foil) will make her second, and senior Blessing Olaode earned her first-ever spot after winning the sabre title at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional.
The selections were announced by the NCAA Men's and Women's Fencing Committee on Tuesday. The overall field has 144 competitors (72 men and 72 women) who will participate in the championships from March 21-24 at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The men's competition will take place March 21-22 with the women to follow on March 23-24.
Fencers will compete in a round-robin format of five-touch bouts. After the round-robin, the top-four finishers in each weapon will fence in semifinal 15-touch bouts, with the winners fencing to determine first and second places, and the non-advancing fencers being awarded a tie for third place.
Olaode is the overall team captain in 2018-19 and the sabre squad leader for a second year in a row. She finished her dual meet career at Temple with an impressive record of 147-93. Last year, Olaode placed fifth at the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional and was an institutional alternate for the NCAA Championships. Earlier this season she turned in a 32nd-place performance at the January NAC, her best ever, while also helping lead sabre to a second-place team finish.
Lovelace is a 2018 NCAA Second Team All-American after placing seventh in foil a year ago. She earned her berth by virtue of finishing third at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional and having a season dual meet record of 43-27. Lovelace serves as the foil squad leader on this year's team.
For a third year in a row, Plunkett will represent the sabre squad at the NCAA Championships. Her 53-14 season record, combined with her fourth-place finish at the regional meet, earned her a spot. Plunkett went 9-1 at the Owls' own Temple Invitational to close out the dual meet season and was an outstanding 20-2 at the Northwestern Duals including a perfect 12-0 mark on the first day. Her top finish at NCAAs so far was a 19th-place finish in her freshman year.
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. Each weapon's field is made up of just 24 total competitors.
More information about Temple's participants and when they will compete will be available closer to the championships. For more information, log on to NCAA.com. A live feed of the semifinal and final bouts will be available on ESPN3 or the WatchESPN App.
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The selections were announced by the NCAA Men's and Women's Fencing Committee on Tuesday. The overall field has 144 competitors (72 men and 72 women) who will participate in the championships from March 21-24 at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The men's competition will take place March 21-22 with the women to follow on March 23-24.
Fencers will compete in a round-robin format of five-touch bouts. After the round-robin, the top-four finishers in each weapon will fence in semifinal 15-touch bouts, with the winners fencing to determine first and second places, and the non-advancing fencers being awarded a tie for third place.
Olaode is the overall team captain in 2018-19 and the sabre squad leader for a second year in a row. She finished her dual meet career at Temple with an impressive record of 147-93. Last year, Olaode placed fifth at the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional and was an institutional alternate for the NCAA Championships. Earlier this season she turned in a 32nd-place performance at the January NAC, her best ever, while also helping lead sabre to a second-place team finish.
Lovelace is a 2018 NCAA Second Team All-American after placing seventh in foil a year ago. She earned her berth by virtue of finishing third at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional and having a season dual meet record of 43-27. Lovelace serves as the foil squad leader on this year's team.
For a third year in a row, Plunkett will represent the sabre squad at the NCAA Championships. Her 53-14 season record, combined with her fourth-place finish at the regional meet, earned her a spot. Plunkett went 9-1 at the Owls' own Temple Invitational to close out the dual meet season and was an outstanding 20-2 at the Northwestern Duals including a perfect 12-0 mark on the first day. Her top finish at NCAAs so far was a 19th-place finish in her freshman year.
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. Each weapon's field is made up of just 24 total competitors.
More information about Temple's participants and when they will compete will be available closer to the championships. For more information, log on to NCAA.com. A live feed of the semifinal and final bouts will be available on ESPN3 or the WatchESPN App.
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Players Mentioned
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
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