Defending NCAA National Champion Fencing Team Adds 10 Newcomers For 2015-16 Season
8/20/2015 1:38:00 PM | Fencing
Defending NCAA National Champion Fencing Team Adds 10 Newcomers For 2015-16 Season
NEW YORK – After leading the Lions to the program's 14th NCAA National Championship title last season, Columbia fencing head coach Michael Aufrichtig has announced the addition of 10 incoming student-athletes that will help the Lions on their journey to back-to-back national titles.
“Winning the NCAA Championship last season was a lot of fun,” said Aufrichtig. “The journey to defending the title this year will be even more fun and this incoming class will be an important piece for this season and for the future of our program.”
Elise Gout – W. Epee – CC – Encinitas, Calif. – San Dieguito Academy
Member of the Encinitas Fencing Academy … ranked as high as 18th in Cadet women's epee national standings (2014) … fenced internationally in Klagenfurt, Austria, and Gothenburg, Sweden … ranked as high as seventh in Y14 women's epee national standings (2012) … four-time USA Fencing All-Academic First Team recipient.
Jarett Poliner – M. Epee – SEAS – Westport, Conn. – Hopkins School
Four-year varsity fencer at Hopkins School, serving as captain as a junior and senior … led his team to back-to-back Connecticut State High School Fencing Championship titles as a junior and senior while finishing in the top five as an individual in his sophomore (fifth), junior (third) and senior (fifth) years … member of the Fencing Academy of Westchester (A15) … also was a four-year varsity member of both the cross country team and track & field teams in high school.
Iman Blow – W. Foil – CC – Brooklyn, N.Y. – Riverdale Country School
Gold medalist at the 2015 Pan American Junior Championships and 2015 Zagreb Junior World Cup … member of the 2015 Junior World Championship team and 2014 Cadet World Championship team … ranked No. 4 in the world junior rankings, No. 2 in U.S. junior rankings and No. 8 in U.S. senior rankings ... nationally ranked No. 2 in the USA Fencing Rolling Point Standings for Junior Women's Foil.
Quinn Crum – W. Foil – CC – Providence, R.I. – Lincoln School
Gold medalist at the 2013 Junior Olympics … earned first international medal with a bronze at the 2013 Cabries Cadet European Cup … named a first alternate for the 2013 Team USA Cadet World Championships in Porec, Croatia … finished seventh at the 2015 Division I Nationals … member of the Rhode Island Fencing Academy & Club.
Ash Kung – W. Foil – CC – Hong Kong – Hong Kong International School
Finished first at the 2010 Hong Kong Inter-School Fencing Competition Girls C Grade … placed second at the 2013 BYJOSS Team Competition … served as team captain for three years at the Hong Kong International School.
Ryan Lee – M. Foil – CC – Seoul, Korea – Charles Wright Academy
Four-year member of the Lourus Fencing Club … earned a first-place finish in the 2010 Seoul Mayor's Cup … took first in the 2014 SK Amateur League … served as an intern for the Korea-USA Elite Fencing Invitational (KUEFI) from 2012-15.
Nolen Scruggs – M. Foil – CC – Ozone Park, N.Y. – Packer Collegiate Institute
Named the 2014 U-17 National Champion in men's foil … earned back-to-back medals at the Summer Challenge U19 (2014, 2015) … received the bronze medal at the 2013 Budapest Cadet World Cup … bronze medalist at the January North American Cup in junior men's foil … currently ranked sixth on the USA Fencing Junior Men's Foil points list.
Albert Zhang – M. Foil – CC – Annandale, N.J. – North Hunterdon
Earned bronze at the NJSIAA Individual State Championships as a sophomore and a junior … named Third Team All-State as a sophomore and Second Team All-State as a junior and a senior … competed with Empire United Fencing and the U.S. Fencing Association … competed at the Pisa Foil Cadet European Cup.
Calvin Liang – M. Saber – CC – Chandler, Ariz. – Brophy College Preparatory
Earned silver medal at the 2015 Pan-American Junior Championships … ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in junior men's saber rolling point standings and fifth in senior men's saber rolling point standings … member of the 2015 Junior World Championship bronze medal team and the 2015 Pan-American Junior Championship Saber team.
Ilana Solomon – W. Saber – CC – East Setauket, N.Y. – Ward Melville
Led Ward Melville High School to three-consecutive Long Island Fencing Championship titles (2013, 2014, 2015) … served as team captain as a senior where she went 36-2 in dual meets … named First Team All-County and First Team All-Long Island as both a junior and senior ... crowned individual county champion in women's saber as a senior.
Players Mentioned
