Cornell women’s fencing began the 2026 NCAA Championships on March 19 with four athletes competing in all three weapons, finishing the opening day in ninth place in the team standings at Purcell Pavilion.
The event is significant as it brings together top collegiate fencers from across the country to compete for national titles. Cornell’s performance places them among the leading programs after three rounds of competition.
Senior Ketki Ketkar led Cornell’s efforts in epée, posting a 10-5 record and ranking seventh out of 24 competitors. In saber, junior Isabela Carvalho stands tenth with a 7-8 record, while fellow junior Samantha Marsee is nineteenth at 5-10. Freshman Lana Lee competed in foil and is currently eighteenth with a 5-10 mark.
Cornell has accumulated 27 points so far, with Columbia/Barnard leading the field at 67 points, followed by Notre Dame with 66 and Princeton with 50. The Big Red have a .450 winning percentage through the first day of competition.
The championships will continue Friday at Purcell Pavilion with two more rounds of pool play before top fencers advance to finals.
