Cornell University’s women’s fencing team is preparing to compete in the NCAA Northeast Regional Championship on Sunday at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The team will send 12 athletes who will compete across all three weapons: epee, foil, and sabre. The event serves as a qualifier for the NCAA Championships, which are scheduled for March 19-22 at Notre Dame.
The format of the regional competition includes pool play to determine seeding, followed by knockout rounds that will decide which fencers advance to nationals.
Among Cornell’s epee competitors, Nawal O’Neil stands out with a 14-2 dual meet record and an .875 winning percentage this season. Ketki Ketkar also contributed strongly with a 32-12 overall record (.727), including a notable performance in Ivy League matches with a 12-2 record (.857). Emersyn Runions (29-14, .674) and Katherine Alexandrov (24-13, .649) complete the epee lineup. Collectively, this group achieved a 157-72 record in dual meets.
In foil, Lana Lee led her teammates by achieving a 61-26 record (.701). Brianna Lee recorded a 45-28 mark (.616), while Mia Jo secured 43 wins during dual meets despite facing tough competition and finishing with a 43-33 record. The foil squad finished their dual season at 160-62 (.721).
For sabre, Mia Hsu had an undefeated run in dual meets with a 19-5 record and .792 winning percentage without participating in Ivy League matches. Reya Ghayalod led in total bouts at 32-13 (.711), while Erika Chin posted one of the most efficient records on the team at 22-9 (.710), including participation against top Ivy League opponents. The sabre group concluded their season with a collective record of 143-64 (.691).
The announcement of which fencers qualify for the NCAA Championships will be made on Tuesday, March 11. To secure their spots at nationals in South Bend, Indiana, fencers must finish among the top qualifiers in their respective weapon categories during Sunday’s regional event.
