INDIANAPOLIS – Notre Dame won the ninth national title in program history on Sunday as the 2017 NCAA Fencing Championships concluded at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.
The title is the first for the Irish since 2011, and the first for head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia.
Notre Dame, which clinched the title with a 5-1 win by Lee Kiefer in the fourth round, finished with 186 points, 25 points ahead of second place Ohio State. Duke placed ninth with 82 points, followed by No. 18 Boston College and No. 24 North Carolina.
Two Irish fencers – Kiefer and Francesca Russo – won individual national titles on Sunday. Kiefer won 20 of 23 bouts in foil pool play before defeating Ohio State’s Eleanor Harvey in the semifinals. The senior topped Buckeye Alanna Goldie, 15-9, in the title bout to become the third collegiate fencer in history to win four career national titles.
Russo won her second career saber title in dramatic fashion on Sunday. The junior won 20 bouts in pool play to qualify in the top spot before defeating St. John’s Mathilda Taharo in the semifinals. Against Penn State’s Teodora Kakhiani, the two battled back and forth with Russo winning the decisive final touch and win the bout, 15-14.
Eleven of the ACC’s 23 fencers in action at the NCAA Championship earned All-America honors. Four Notre Dame fencers – Kiefer, Russo, Amanda Sirico, and Ariel Simmons – garnered first team accolades from finishing in the top four places. Notre Dame’s Sabrina Massialas, Jonah Shainberg, Kristjan Archer, Jonathan Fitzgerald, and Axel Kiefer all earned second team honors, while Duke’s Bryn Hammarberg and Camille Esnault collected third team recognition.
Final Team Standings (Points, Indicator)
1. Notre Dame (186, 274)
9. Duke (82, -105)
18. Boston College (16, -40)
24. North Carolina (9, -19)
Final Individual Standings (Victories/Bouts, Indicator)
Women's Épée
3T. Amanda Sirico, Notre Dame (20/23, +42)
12. Camille Esnault, Duke (11/23, -11)
14. Madeline Antekeier, Notre Dame (10/23, -8)
16. Renee Bichette, Boston College (10/23, -12)
Women’s Foil
1. Lee Kiefer, Notre Dame (20/23, +70)
5. Sabrina Massialas, Notre Dame (19/23, +49)
15. Julia Lee, Duke (8/23, -18)
Women’s Saber
1. Francesca Russo, Notre Dame (20/23, +39)
15. Tara Hassett, Notre Dame (11/23, -4)
18. Meredith Bozentka, North Carolina (9/23, -19)
22. Lindsay Sapienza, Duke (7/23, -42)
Men’s Épée
3T. Ariel Simmons, Notre Dame (15/23, +6)
10. Bryn Hammarberg, Duke (13/23, -1)
13. Dylan French, Notre Dame (12/23, -1)
23. Ethan Grab, Boston College (6/23, -28)
Men’s Foil
6. Kristjan Archer, Notre Dame (15/23, +27)
8. Axel Kiefer, Notre Dame (15/23, +21)
13. Eoin Gronningsater, Duke (12/23, -3)
14. Jonathan Schwartzman, Duke (12/23, -7)
Men’s Saber
5. Jonah Shainberg, Notre Dame (15/23, +22)
8. Jonathan Fitzgerald, Notre Dame (14/23, +11)
13. Duncan DeCaire, Duke (13/23, -1)
21. Pascual Di Tella, Duke (6/23, -22)