Four members of the Cornell women’s fencing team have been chosen to compete in the 2026 National Collegiate Women’s Fencing Championships, according to a March 10 announcement from the NCAA Committee.
The selection includes senior Ketki Ketkar (épée), junior Isabela Carvalho (saber), junior Samantha Marsee (saber), and freshman Lana Lee (foil). These athletes will represent Cornell at the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, from March 19 to March 22. Cornell is one of 26 schools represented among the 144 competitors in this year’s field.
Ketkar leads the group after winning the Ivy League individual épée title earlier this season. This marks her third appearance at the NCAA championships; she previously earned a bronze medal in 2024 and finished sixth in 2025. At last weekend’s NCAA Northeast Regional at Vassar, Ketkar posted a 10-1 record in the round of 12 and secured a silver medal. She enters nationals with a season record of 51-16 and an .857 winning percentage in Ivy competition.
Carvalho and Marsee both received their second bids to nationals following All-Region honors at the Northeast Regional. Marsee took bronze with a 7-4 round-of-12 record and holds an overall record of 32-20, while Carvalho finished fourth at regionals and carries a season record of 42-22 (.656 winning percentage). Lee leads Cornell’s foil squad with a season record of 69-41.
The championship will use a round-robin format featuring five-touch bouts before advancing to semifinals for each weapon category. Team standings are determined by points accumulated during round-robin play. Live coverage of semifinal and final bouts begins at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN+, with highlights airing on ESPNU at 5 p.m. Eastern Time on April 1.
