Temple University Athletics
Five Owls Named USFCA All-America Honorees
4.30.20 | Women's Fencing
PHILADELPHIA -Â The United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) has announced the 2020 NCAA Fencing All-American teams and All-Region teams, which was released by the organization Wednesday. Five fencers earned All-American honors while nine earned All-Region honors.Â
"This has been an outstanding year for the fencing team and I'm very pleased to see our athletes being acknowledged for their hard work and outstanding performance at both the regional and national levels," head coach Dr. Nikki Franke said. "With the season ending so abruptly, it's nice to see them receive this recognition."
Each year the USFCA recognizes the outstanding work of the fencing student-athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements in the national championship, however, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the championships were canceled.
All-American honors were based on each fencer's overall body of work through the season competitions and NCAA Regionals.Â
Temple earned one first team All-American selection in freshman Margherita Calderaro (epee), and four second team All-American selections in Naomi Ross (epee), Malia Hee (sabre), Kerry Plunkett (sabre), and Aryana Abtin (foil). All five fencers were slated to compete at the NCAA Championships before its cancellaton.
Calderaro and Naomi Ross are the first epeeists to earn All-American nods since 2017, while Plunkett earned the honor for the second-straight year. The West Linn, Ore. native is the first saberist to earn back-to-back honors for the first time since Sakinah Shaahid grabbed three-straight from 2001-03.
In addition, the USFCA has decided to create new postseason recognition awards to honor fencing student-athletes for their performances at NCAA Regionals.Â
Two Owls were named first team All-Region honors, with Calderaro and Hee earning the nod. Naomi Ross, Abtin, and Plunkett earned second team honors, while Quinn Duwelius (epee), Marielle Luke (epee), Megan Ross (foil), and Zoe Turner (sabre) received Honorable Mention nods.
Of the nine Owls who earned All-Region honors, seven finished in the top 10 in their respective weapons at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional last month. Hee placed second in the team's only podium finish, while Calderaro narrowly missed a medal by placing fourth.
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"This has been an outstanding year for the fencing team and I'm very pleased to see our athletes being acknowledged for their hard work and outstanding performance at both the regional and national levels," head coach Dr. Nikki Franke said. "With the season ending so abruptly, it's nice to see them receive this recognition."
Each year the USFCA recognizes the outstanding work of the fencing student-athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements in the national championship, however, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the championships were canceled.
All-American honors were based on each fencer's overall body of work through the season competitions and NCAA Regionals.Â
Temple earned one first team All-American selection in freshman Margherita Calderaro (epee), and four second team All-American selections in Naomi Ross (epee), Malia Hee (sabre), Kerry Plunkett (sabre), and Aryana Abtin (foil). All five fencers were slated to compete at the NCAA Championships before its cancellaton.
Calderaro and Naomi Ross are the first epeeists to earn All-American nods since 2017, while Plunkett earned the honor for the second-straight year. The West Linn, Ore. native is the first saberist to earn back-to-back honors for the first time since Sakinah Shaahid grabbed three-straight from 2001-03.
In addition, the USFCA has decided to create new postseason recognition awards to honor fencing student-athletes for their performances at NCAA Regionals.Â
Two Owls were named first team All-Region honors, with Calderaro and Hee earning the nod. Naomi Ross, Abtin, and Plunkett earned second team honors, while Quinn Duwelius (epee), Marielle Luke (epee), Megan Ross (foil), and Zoe Turner (sabre) received Honorable Mention nods.
Of the nine Owls who earned All-Region honors, seven finished in the top 10 in their respective weapons at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regional last month. Hee placed second in the team's only podium finish, while Calderaro narrowly missed a medal by placing fourth.
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Players Mentioned
Foil
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Epee
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Epee
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Sabre
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Epee
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Sabre
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Foil
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Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
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