NEW YORK – With the 2015-16 season quickly approaching, head coach Michael Aufrichtig has announced the captains of the defending NCAA Champion Columbia Fencing team. Taking over as leaders of the Lions this season will be seniors Jake Hoyle, Geoffrey Loss, Harry Bergman and Jackie Dubrovich and juniors Sara Taffel and Brittin Boenning.
“This year's captains have experienced the transformation of our program from good to great,” said Aufrichtig. “Now they will lead the way to defend our NCAA Championship title and No. 1 overall ranking.”
Returning as the defending NCAA Champion in men's epee following an impressive 19 wins in the two-day event, Hoyle steps up as the team captain in his senior year after posting up a 70-25 record last season to earn first team All-America honors.
A bronze medalist at the 2014 Junior World Championship, Loss heads into his senior season ranked No. 15 in the U.S. after an impressive junior campaign, taking 14th overall at the NCAA Championships in men's sabre after a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Northeast Regionals.
Named a second team All-American after taking fifth at the NCAA Championships in men's foil last year, Bergman returns for his senior season with the Lions looking to defend the team's national title.
On the women's side, Dubrovich will bring three years of varsity experience to the table after placing seventh at the NCAA Championships in women's foil last year to earn second team All-America honors with a 74-14 overall record throughout the year.
The Lions will also turn to the talent in Taffel who was crowned the 2015 Junior World Champion in women's foil and took fifth place at the NCAA Northeast Regional while posting up a 64-19 overall record as a junior.
Boenning will round out the team's six captains after a strong sophomore campaign that included a perfect 5-0 record at the Columbia Invitational and a 5-1 mark at the Historic Meet as well as an appearance at the NCAA Northeast Regionals in women's sabre in her first year with the Lions.
For all the latest information on the Columbia fencing team, be sure to follow the defending NCAA Champions on Twitter @ColumbiaFencing.
