Temple University Athletics
Fencing Team Celebrates Success at Annual Year-End Banquet
5.7.19 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA - On Saturday, May 4, the nationally-ranked Temple fencing team celebrated another successful year at the Owls' annual year-end banquet held at Dave and Buster's.
Each year the program honors past classes at its banquet, and this year the invited alumnae were from the Classes of 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009.
The team honored four members for outstanding achievement this season, handing out MVP awards in each weapon as well as a Most Improved honor. The epee MVP was senior Ally Micek, the sabre MVP was senior Blessing Olaode and the foil MVP for a second year in a row was junior Kennedy Lovelace. Earning the team's Most Improved honor was sophomore Marielle Luke of the epee squad.
Temple welcomed its team parents, and each of the seniors spoke about their experience as Owls. Graduating seniors include Micek, Olaode, Fiona Fong and Jessica Rockford, while Quinn Duwelius will be back for another year.
Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke said the team was happy to be joined by Executive Senior Associate AD/SWA Mary McElroy (sport administrator) along with strength and conditioning coach Sam Whitney, academic advisors current and former, Kelsey Simpson and Da'Mon Merkerson, alum and assistant director of compliance Olivia Wynn, Franke's husband Norman (also the team's armorer), and Marc Wagner, who the team's training facility is named after. Â
2018-19 Temple Fencing Recap
Overall Team Record: 25-8
NIWFA Finish: 1st/13
NCAA All-America Honorable Mention
Blessing Olaode
Kerry Plunkett
NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Champion
Blessing Olaode - Sabre
All-NIWFA First Team
Kerry Plunkett
Marielle Luke
All-NIWFA Second Team
Aryana Abtin
Ally Micek
Temple Athletics Female Performer of the Year
Kerry Plunkett
> Temple finished 25-8 overall, the fourth-most wins for the program all-time.
> The sabre squad led the way for Temple with a record of 29-4.
> The Owls captured their 24th straight NIWFA Championship, also winning squad titles in foil and epee.
> Three Temple fencers represented the Owls at the NCAA Championships - senior Blessing Olaode and juniors Kennedy Lovelace and Kerry Plunkett.
> Plunkett and Olaode both earned All-America Honorable Mention recognition, finishing ninth and 12th in sabre, respectively, at the NCAA Championships.
> Olaode took home the sabre title at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, and was one of four Owls to make it to the finals (top 12) at the regional meet.
> Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke completed her 47th season with the program and has an overall record of 832-250-1. Franke was honored as Temple's honoree for National Girls & Women in Sports Day and presented with a plaque at the Owls' home meet on Feb. 24.
> Temple went 4-1 at its own Temple Invitational on Feb. 24, beating both #9 Penn and #10 Princeton and losing only to #4 Penn State.
> The Owls were a perfect 3-0 at the NJIT Invitational on Feb. 9.
> Over two days at the Northwestern Duals in early February, Temple went 9-2 overall with wins over #2 Northwestern, #5 Ohio State and #6 Princeton.
> Temple was ranked as high as seventh in the CollegeFencing360 Coaches Poll for much of the season, and was ranked 10th in the final poll of the year.
> Plunkett led the Owls in dual meets with a record of 53-14. Close behind her was junior and fellow sabre squad member Malia Hee with a record of 48-18.
> In epee, Micek led the Owls at 45-34 overall.
> Freshman Aryana Abtin had the best foil record for Temple at 46-26.Â
> The Owls beat their first Top 10 teams of the season at the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 20, beating both #5 Ohio State and #9 Penn.
> Hee won the sabre title at the Penn State Garret Open in early November.
> Olaode was named the UnderArmour OwlSports.com Athlete of the Week on March 12. Plunkett earned the honor on both Feb. 5 and Jan. 22, and Hee won the award on Nov. 5.
> Junior Quinn Duwelius was named the Student-Athlete of the Month (February) for the Resnick Academic Support Center.
Â
Each year the program honors past classes at its banquet, and this year the invited alumnae were from the Classes of 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009.The team honored four members for outstanding achievement this season, handing out MVP awards in each weapon as well as a Most Improved honor. The epee MVP was senior Ally Micek, the sabre MVP was senior Blessing Olaode and the foil MVP for a second year in a row was junior Kennedy Lovelace. Earning the team's Most Improved honor was sophomore Marielle Luke of the epee squad.
Temple welcomed its team parents, and each of the seniors spoke about their experience as Owls. Graduating seniors include Micek, Olaode, Fiona Fong and Jessica Rockford, while Quinn Duwelius will be back for another year.
Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke said the team was happy to be joined by Executive Senior Associate AD/SWA Mary McElroy (sport administrator) along with strength and conditioning coach Sam Whitney, academic advisors current and former, Kelsey Simpson and Da'Mon Merkerson, alum and assistant director of compliance Olivia Wynn, Franke's husband Norman (also the team's armorer), and Marc Wagner, who the team's training facility is named after. Â
2018-19 Temple Fencing Recap
Overall Team Record: 25-8
NIWFA Finish: 1st/13
NCAA All-America Honorable Mention
Blessing Olaode
Kerry Plunkett
NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional Champion
Blessing Olaode - Sabre
All-NIWFA First Team
Kerry Plunkett
Marielle Luke
All-NIWFA Second Team
Aryana Abtin
Ally Micek
Temple Athletics Female Performer of the Year
Kerry Plunkett
> Temple finished 25-8 overall, the fourth-most wins for the program all-time.
> The sabre squad led the way for Temple with a record of 29-4.
> The Owls captured their 24th straight NIWFA Championship, also winning squad titles in foil and epee.
> Three Temple fencers represented the Owls at the NCAA Championships - senior Blessing Olaode and juniors Kennedy Lovelace and Kerry Plunkett.
> Plunkett and Olaode both earned All-America Honorable Mention recognition, finishing ninth and 12th in sabre, respectively, at the NCAA Championships.
> Olaode took home the sabre title at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional, and was one of four Owls to make it to the finals (top 12) at the regional meet.
> Head coach Dr. Nikki Franke completed her 47th season with the program and has an overall record of 832-250-1. Franke was honored as Temple's honoree for National Girls & Women in Sports Day and presented with a plaque at the Owls' home meet on Feb. 24.
> Temple went 4-1 at its own Temple Invitational on Feb. 24, beating both #9 Penn and #10 Princeton and losing only to #4 Penn State.
> The Owls were a perfect 3-0 at the NJIT Invitational on Feb. 9.
> Over two days at the Northwestern Duals in early February, Temple went 9-2 overall with wins over #2 Northwestern, #5 Ohio State and #6 Princeton.
> Temple was ranked as high as seventh in the CollegeFencing360 Coaches Poll for much of the season, and was ranked 10th in the final poll of the year.
> Plunkett led the Owls in dual meets with a record of 53-14. Close behind her was junior and fellow sabre squad member Malia Hee with a record of 48-18.
> In epee, Micek led the Owls at 45-34 overall.
> Freshman Aryana Abtin had the best foil record for Temple at 46-26.Â
> The Owls beat their first Top 10 teams of the season at the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 20, beating both #5 Ohio State and #9 Penn.
> Hee won the sabre title at the Penn State Garret Open in early November.
> Olaode was named the UnderArmour OwlSports.com Athlete of the Week on March 12. Plunkett earned the honor on both Feb. 5 and Jan. 22, and Hee won the award on Nov. 5.
> Junior Quinn Duwelius was named the Student-Athlete of the Month (February) for the Resnick Academic Support Center.
Â
Players Mentioned
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
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