Princeton University Athletics
Princeton Fencers Earn Six Bids to NCAA Championships
March 08, 2006 | General
March 8, 2006
PRINCETON, N.J. - Three apiece from the Princeton men's and women's fencing teams were selected Tuesday to participate in the NCAA Championships to be held Mar. 16-19 in Houston, Texas. The half-dozen Tigers include the three returning All-Americans, Erin McGarry, Jacqueline Leahy and Ben Solomon, plus two more first-time national participants in Douglas Hohensee and Tommi Hurme. Sara Jew-Lim, making her second NCAA Championships appearance, completes the Princeton contingent.
Twenty-four fencers in each of the three men's and women's disciplines were selected. All 24 will compete against each other in five-touch bouts, and the four top fencers after that competition will compete in a mini-bracket in 15-touch bouts for first through fourth places.
Solomon, a senior epee, made it four for four on earning NCAA Championship bids. He placed fifth as a freshman, 19th as a sophomore and eighth as a junior. Sophomore Hurme, the IFA gold medalist this season, joins Solomon in the weapon. At the NCAA Regionals last weekend at Duke, Solomon finished second and Hurme fourth. Hohensee, a sophomore foil, placed ninth at the regional meet.
Leahy, a senior foil, is also making her fourth NCAA Championships appearance and has improved her standing every time. She placed third as a freshman, fourth two years ago and third last year. She and McGarry, a junior epee, were both gold medalists in their weapons at last weekend's regional meet. McGarry finished fourth as a freshman and sixth last year. Jew-Lim, a junior foil, returns to the national meet after finishing 17th two years ago.