Drew’s men’s and women’s fencing teams qualified 13 fencers for the NCAA Fencing Regionals to be held at Drew on Saturday. Eight men and five women are scheduled to compete for spots at the NCAA National Fencing Championships at Ohio State.
The men’s team will send eight fencers, three each from epee and foil and a pair of sabre fencers. The eight qualifiers is up from last season’s six. Freshman Alexander Van Den Bergh leads the epeeists into the Regionals while Tim Howes will compete in the epee for the second straight season. Senior Ryan DiPeri returns to compete for the second straight year.
Three foilists qualified as well: Scott Brandsdorfer, Didrik Etholm and Joren Madsen. The three youngsters each won over 20 bouts this season with Etholm’s 22-9 record the best of the three. Junior Max Pike qualified for the Regionals again as the Rangers’ top saber fencer while Sulia Mason makes his Regionals debut.
On the women’s side Naomi Bocarsly reaches the Regionals for the third time in epee. Allison Walters joins her as an epee qualifier. Alicia Rapp has posted the most bout victories of any Drew fencer this season to earn qualification in saber. Emma Nostrand, a 2004 NCAA Championship qualifier, will look to fence her way back into the National Championships in women’s saber. Amy Lester will represent the Rangers in foil.
Regional qualifications is based upon a formula that assesses strength of schedule, wins and individual strength of wins.
NCAA Regional Qualifiers
Scott Brandsdorfer
Ryan DiPeri
Didrik Etholm
Tim Howes
Joren Madsen
Sulia Mason
Max Pike
Alexander Van den Bergh
Naomi Bocarsly
Amy Lester
Emma Nostrand
Alicia Rapp
Allison Walters