Princeton University Athletics
Kim, Burrell Win NCAA Regional Title
August 18, 1999 | Women's Fencing
HACKENSACK, N.J. - Yesterday at Fairleigh Dickenson University's Rothman Center, Terry Kim (So., Wyckoff, N.J.) was fencing with a level of energy and intensity that was inspiring to his teammates. Tied with two other fencers at the end of the finals, Kim won both bouts and captured his first NCAA regional sabre title. He earned the right to compete in the NCAA Championships two weeks from now at Brandeis in Boston.
Max Pekarev (Sr., Fair Lawn, N.J.), NCAA sabre champion three years ago, finished fifth and co-captain Marc Otten (Sr., Scarsdale, N.Y.) captured twelfth place. Pekarev will join Kim at the NCAA's.
Jason Burrell (Jr., Bethesda, Md.), who captured the silver medal at the IFA's, won the gold medal in men's ?p?e. Co-captain Marco Acerra (Sr., Cailfon, N.J.) finished fifth and Steve Wang (Jr., Morris Plains, N.J.) ended up in seventh place.
Women's ?p?e proved to be the orange and black bloodbath that was expected. All four Princeton fencers made the final 12 and took turns beating each other. Maya Lawrence (Fr., Teaneck, N.J.), the 1999 IFA ?p?e champion and 1999 under-20 U.S. Junior Olympic ?p?e champion, lost two bouts in the finals, one of which was to captain Caitlan Rich (Sr., Wyckoff, N.J.). Lawrence then fenced off with Penn State's Stephanie Eim (Germany) and Penn's Kari Coley who finished second in the IFA's. Eim won the fence-off followed by Coley and then Lawrence in third place. Freshman Lindsay Campbell (Shaker Heights, Ohio) finished in fourth place and Rich was in sixth. Kristini Hurme (So., San Antonio, Texas) also made the final twelve. The NCAA will announce on Monday whether Campbell or Rich will accompany Lawrence to Boston.
In men's foil, Dustin Reagan (So., Oklahoma City, Okla.) finished fourth and Alex Nivelle (Fr., Rye, N.Y.), the IFA silver medalist, ended up in fifth place. The fencers will await the NCAA decision as to which of the fencers will represent Princeton at the NCAA's.
Women's foil was the only weak spot for Princeton with only one fencer, Lisa Leslie (So., Morristwon, N.J.), making the finals. Leslie finished in seventh place. Because she finished behind four Penn State fencers and only two can qualify, Leslie is assured a spot on Princeton's NCAA team.
Princeton qualified 11 fencers for the NCAA championships, one short of the maximum, making it unlikely that Princeton will challenge for the championship. However, this year's NCAA team is the strongest fielded by Princeton in years with every fencer capable of All-America performances and national championships.
Participants in the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional NCAA fencing competition included Duke, Farleigh Dickinson, James Madison University, Johns Hopkins, Haverford, UNC--Chapel Hill, Penn, Penn State, Rutgers, Stevens Institute, Temple, and Princeton.