Spring Break
FENCING: Three earn bids to go to Nationals
by Andrew Ng
Staff writer
Sports | 3/10/09
Posted online at 2:41 AM EST on 3/10/09
As a borderline qualifier for the upcoming NCAA National Collegiate Fencing Championships, saber Adam Austin '11 needed to finish in at least sixth place at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships last Sunday to secure his first career bid to the NCAA Championships. After losing his first two bouts in the final round of pool play, Austin faced the reining NCAA champion, Columbia University junior Jeff Spear, and won 5-4, sparking his run to finish in fifth place on the day and eventually qualify for the NCAA Championships.
"In past meets, I felt like I could beat [Spear] every time," Austin said. "It seemed like I was screwing up more than he was beating me, so I walked in and said that I was finally going to do it. I got a first good touch, and it gave me the confidence to compete through the final round."
Captain and foil Will Friedman '09 and saber Anna Hanley '11 will join Austin at the NCAA Championships starting March 19 at Penn State University after Friedman finished in eighth place while Hanley finished 13th.
The NCAA holds four regional tournaments throughout the country. Qualification for the NCAA National Championships is based on regular-season success, strength of schedule and regional tournament finish. The regional consists of two pool rounds and a final 12-person, round-robin tournament.
Austin started the day ranked 13th of 27 fencers, but finished 3-3 in the first round to advance to the semifinals, where he would finish 2-2 to qualify for the 12th and final spot in the final round.
"I felt like I scraped through by the skin of my teeth until the end, when I went into an autopilot mode and fenced really well," Austin said.
"Austin fenced the best he had ever fenced in his life. He parried a lot, which is a key to him fencing at a high level," coach Bill Shipman said. "Throughout the day, he was able to control his emotions, which he had trouble with last year. He got it all together at the right time and got into NCAA Nationals."
"In past meets, I felt like I could beat [Spear] every time," Austin said. "It seemed like I was screwing up more than he was beating me, so I walked in and said that I was finally going to do it. I got a first good touch, and it gave me the confidence to compete through the final round."
Captain and foil Will Friedman '09 and saber Anna Hanley '11 will join Austin at the NCAA Championships starting March 19 at Penn State University after Friedman finished in eighth place while Hanley finished 13th.
The NCAA holds four regional tournaments throughout the country. Qualification for the NCAA National Championships is based on regular-season success, strength of schedule and regional tournament finish. The regional consists of two pool rounds and a final 12-person, round-robin tournament.
Austin started the day ranked 13th of 27 fencers, but finished 3-3 in the first round to advance to the semifinals, where he would finish 2-2 to qualify for the 12th and final spot in the final round.
"I felt like I scraped through by the skin of my teeth until the end, when I went into an autopilot mode and fenced really well," Austin said.
"Austin fenced the best he had ever fenced in his life. He parried a lot, which is a key to him fencing at a high level," coach Bill Shipman said. "Throughout the day, he was able to control his emotions, which he had trouble with last year. He got it all together at the right time and got into NCAA Nationals."
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