Temple Fencing Set to Defend NIWFA Championship Title This Weekend

MADISON, NJ – The No. 14 Temple fencing team is set to open postseason competition at the NIWFA Championships on Saturday, Feb. 28, with action beginning at 9:00 a.m. The event will be hosted by Drew University in Madison, N.J.

Temple enters the championship looking to defend its overall team title, a crown the Owls have claimed for 29 consecutive seasons. Individual champions will also be crowned in foil, epee, and sabre as Temple aims to add to its storied NIWFA history.

LAST TIME OUT

Temple capped its regular season last weekend at the Temple Invitational, posting several marquee wins over nationally ranked opponents. The Owls opened the day with a dominant 21-6 victory over Penn State, fueled by an 8-1 performance from the foil squad. Temple then carried that momentum into a 17-10 win over No. 13 St. John's before narrowly falling to No. 3 Princeton, 14-13. The Cherry & White responded in impressive fashion in the finale, earning a 16-11 triumph over No. 8 Penn.

INDIVIDUALLY AT TEMPLE INVITATIONAL

The foil squad led the way for the Cherry & White, with all five fencers finishing the day with winning records. Against Penn, Natalie Adams-Kim, Renee Oymann, and Jara Del Cura each went a perfect 3-0 to help secure the win over the eighth-ranked Quakers.

In epee, sophomore Victoria Doroshkevich opened strong with a 3-0 mark against Penn State and finished 4-5 on the day. Senior Anne-Mai Melles played a pivotal role in the win over St. John's with a 2-1 effort, while junior Lindsey Minor delivered a key 2-1 performance in crucial bouts versus Penn.

The sabre squad was equally impressive, led by freshman Keely Carter, who went undefeated against Penn State (3-0) and St. John's (2-0). Carter's 6-4 overall record earned her Fencer of the Meet honors. Senior Samantha Nathanson added a standout showing of her own, posting a 6-2 overall mark, including a perfect record against Princeton.

NIWFAs PAST

Temple's tradition of excellence was on full display at last year's NIWFA Championships. The sabre squad captured its sixth consecutive weapons championship, while the epee squad secured its sixth title in seven seasons. The foil squad earned a runner-up finish, narrowly missing its sixth straight squad crown.

Individually, now-sophomore Victoria Doroshkevich made an immediate impact in her first NIWFA appearance, earning a runner-up finish in epee. Current senior Natalie Adams-Kim added an eighth-place finish in foil to round out Temple's strong individual results.

UP NEXT

Following Saturday's NIWFA Championships, Temple will turn its attention to the NCAA Regionals, hosted by Temple University at Haverford College on March 7. The Owls will look to qualify the maximum of 12 fencers for Regionals, a critical step in the path toward the NCAA Championships.