No. 5 Fencing Earns 25th Straight NIWFA Title, Sweeps Weapon and Individual Titles

Saturday, February 29

Madison, N.J.

ALL DAY

Temple University

NIWFA Championships at Drew

Photo by: Malia Hee

No. 5 Fencing Earns 25th Straight NIWFA Title, Sweeps Weapon and Individual Titles

2.29.20 | Women's Fencing

MADISON, N.J. - The No. 5 Temple fencing team earned its 25th consecutive NIWFA Championship Saturday afternoon, sweeping the individual and weapon titles. The Owls are no strangers to taking squad and individual titles, earning at least two every season, but the team swept the weapon titles for the first time since 2015 and the individual titles for the first time since 2014.

Meet Highlights
> Temple won the Olympians Trophy to take the team title and beat out 11 teams for the championship, with NYU taking second and Johns Hopkins taking third.
> The team swept the weapons awards for the first time since 2015, taking the foil and epee titles for the second year in a row.
> Freshmen Margherita Calderaro took gold in epee while Zoe Turner won the sabre title. Senior Kennedy Lovelace earned her second career foil title to complete the individual title sweep.
> Turner defeated senior Malia Hee in the sabre championship match, with Emma Pincus tying for third.
> Cassie Navalta tied for third in foil individuals and Megan Ross finished in sixth.
> Calderaro, Turner, Lovelace, Hee, Pincus, and Navalta earned NIWFA First Team honors while Megan Ross earned NIWFA Second Team honors. Hee was also named to the 2020 NIWFA All-Academic Team.

Quotable
> "It was an outstanding day, and a strong showing by the team. It's been several years since we won the team and weapons titles, so it was exciting to see the girls pull it off. Two freshmen won individual titles with Kennedy earning a come from behind victory. Now it's time for us to take a breather and reset for regionals next weekend." – head coach Dr. Nikki Franke

Up Next
> The Owls will continue post-season play, heading to Duke for NCAA Regionals on March 7.