Temple University Athletics
Fencing Alumna Margherita Calderaro Named NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 Honoree
10.23.24 | Women's Fencing
INDIANAPOLIS — On Wednesday, Temple fencing alumna Margherita Calderaro was announced as a Top 30 honoree for the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year award by the selection committee, the first-ever distinction for Temple University Athletics.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their college careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
"It's such an honor to be nominated from Temple, let alone reach the top 30! I'm just as surprised as I am ecstatic," expressed Calderaro. "I am eternally thankful for my professors, teammates, coaches, and people of the Temple community who have supported me through my journey and have allowed me to flourish."
Temple leaders - including Vice President/Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz '65 Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson and Temple fencing head coach Jennie Salmon remarked on the tremendous achievement.
"We are extremely proud of Margherita and congratulate her on this fantastic honor," Johnson said. "Margherita epitomizes what is means to be a student-athlete and made the most of her academic and athletic opportunities at Temple. This recognition confirms what I have known since shortly after arriving at Temple - our student-athletes are special and the support they receive from the faculty, Resnick staff, and coaches, allows them to achieve at the highest levels."
Salmon expressed the same sentiments.
"Marghe is the perfect choice to represent the overall excellence that this award represents. She distinguished herself as an athlete, a scholar, a teammate and a leader throughout her time as a Temple Owl Fencer," explained Salmon. "Her unwavering determination to push herself and those around her have left a legacy that will inspire our program for a very long time. It was such a pleasure and an honor to coach her and to work alongside her."
Calderaro was one of 600 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 164 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees represent 15 sports, including two student-athletes representing NCAA Emerging Sports for Women. They have a variety of majors, including national security and intelligence, neuroscience, economics, civil engineering, education, nursing, computer science and business management.
Scholastically, Calderaro held a 4.0 cumulative grade point average while completing a neuroscience graduate degree. Calderaro earned USFCA Scholar of Distinction honors on three occasions, 2023 College Sports Communicators All-District, the 2023 1A FAR Academic Excellence Award, and the 2023 American Athletic Conference Sport Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Since graduation, the Rome, Italy native had been applying to PhD programs, fencing, and traveling around the world. In January, she will begin a PhD program at the University of Montreal where she will study the aging effects on multiple sclerosis.
On the strip, Calderaro is one of the most decorated Temple fencers in school history. In 2024, she earned 51 wins, adding her name to the all-time record book with 203 for her career, putting her third in program history. In all, Calderaro is a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier, an NCAA Championship qualifier, a three-time USFCA All-Region, a USFCA All-American, and a NCAA All-American.
Next, the selection committee will choose three honorees from each NCAA division, for a total of nine finalists. From those finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year. The NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced on January 15 at the NCAA Convention in Nashville.
The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors senior student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their college careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership.
"It's such an honor to be nominated from Temple, let alone reach the top 30! I'm just as surprised as I am ecstatic," expressed Calderaro. "I am eternally thankful for my professors, teammates, coaches, and people of the Temple community who have supported me through my journey and have allowed me to flourish."
Temple leaders - including Vice President/Debbie and Stanley Lefkowitz '65 Director of Athletics Arthur Johnson and Temple fencing head coach Jennie Salmon remarked on the tremendous achievement.
"We are extremely proud of Margherita and congratulate her on this fantastic honor," Johnson said. "Margherita epitomizes what is means to be a student-athlete and made the most of her academic and athletic opportunities at Temple. This recognition confirms what I have known since shortly after arriving at Temple - our student-athletes are special and the support they receive from the faculty, Resnick staff, and coaches, allows them to achieve at the highest levels."
Salmon expressed the same sentiments.
"Marghe is the perfect choice to represent the overall excellence that this award represents. She distinguished herself as an athlete, a scholar, a teammate and a leader throughout her time as a Temple Owl Fencer," explained Salmon. "Her unwavering determination to push herself and those around her have left a legacy that will inspire our program for a very long time. It was such a pleasure and an honor to coach her and to work alongside her."
Calderaro was one of 600 nominees submitted by member schools — a group that was then narrowed to 164 nominees at the conference level — the Top 30 honorees include 10 from each of the three NCAA divisions. Each honoree has demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership. The honorees represent 15 sports, including two student-athletes representing NCAA Emerging Sports for Women. They have a variety of majors, including national security and intelligence, neuroscience, economics, civil engineering, education, nursing, computer science and business management.
Scholastically, Calderaro held a 4.0 cumulative grade point average while completing a neuroscience graduate degree. Calderaro earned USFCA Scholar of Distinction honors on three occasions, 2023 College Sports Communicators All-District, the 2023 1A FAR Academic Excellence Award, and the 2023 American Athletic Conference Sport Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Since graduation, the Rome, Italy native had been applying to PhD programs, fencing, and traveling around the world. In January, she will begin a PhD program at the University of Montreal where she will study the aging effects on multiple sclerosis.
On the strip, Calderaro is one of the most decorated Temple fencers in school history. In 2024, she earned 51 wins, adding her name to the all-time record book with 203 for her career, putting her third in program history. In all, Calderaro is a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier, an NCAA Championship qualifier, a three-time USFCA All-Region, a USFCA All-American, and a NCAA All-American.
Next, the selection committee will choose three honorees from each NCAA division, for a total of nine finalists. From those finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics will choose the 2024 NCAA Woman of the Year. The NCAA Woman of the Year will be announced on January 15 at the NCAA Convention in Nashville.
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