NEW HAVEN, Conn. - In unprecedented times, Yale University Athletics is rallying together as One Bulldog Nation. While the health and safety of everyone must be at the forefront of every decision, Yale Athletics celebrates the outstanding accomplishments that our winter postseason-qualifying teams and spring programs have made this season. Next up, men's and women's fencing.
It was a very successful season for the Yale fencing programs. The two teams combined for 36 wins and were both ranked in the national top-10 coaches' poll at times. Seven Bulldogs were set to represent Yale at the NCAA Fencing Championships in Detroit later this month, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 public health threat.
Joy Ma (epee),
Shirley Wang (epee),
Emme Zhou (foil) and
Sydney Hirch (sabre) from the women's program and
Safi Haider (epee),
Maxwell Yee (foil) and
Nicolas Del Vecchio (sabre) from the men's program were selected by the NCAA Fencing Committee to compete in Michigan.
All seven enjoyed very strong seasons. Ma, a sophomore, finished seventh at the Ivy League Championship in the epee and eighth at the NCAA Northeast Regionals. Wang, also a sophomore, was strong in the epee, finishing sixth at Ivy's and tied for eighth at the Regionals. She would have been making her second NCAA appearance after earning All-America recognition last year by finishing 11
th.
Zhou and Hirsch, both first years, were each medalists at the Regionals. Hirsch won the sabre title, while Zhou captured a silver medal in the foil. Both also were top-10 finishers at the Ivy's with Zhou placing ninth, and Hirsch tying for seventh. The two also each competed at the Junior Olympics with Zhou earning a bronze medal.
On the men's side, Haider, a sophomore, would have been making his second NCAA appearance. He finished 22
nd last year. This season, Haider won a silver medal at the Northeast Regionals. Yee, a first year, was Yale's top foilist over the course of the year. He tied for 11
th at the Ivy League Championship and also competed at the Junior Olympics in February. De Vecchio, a sophomore, was Yale's top finisher (8
th) in the sabre at the Northeast Regionals and also tied for 10
th at the Ivy League Championship.
With all of Yale's NCAA qualifiers either first years or sophomores, the future is very bright for the Bulldogs.
