NEW YORK – Columbia fencing head coach Michael Aufrichtig has officially announced the 12-member incoming class of 2023. The defending National Champions have added seven men and five women, hailing from five different states and four countries outside of the United States.
 
"We are extremely thrilled to welcome our incoming class of champions," said the Lions' head coach. "I am confident they will bring whatever it takes to continue our tradition of excellence."
 
MEN
 
Ashton Daniel
Foil
Cupertino, Calif. | Saint Francis High School
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California … Ranked No. 15 in the U20 World rankings and No. 3 in National rankings in 2019 … Second place in U17 Men's Foil at Nationals … Placed third in Junior Men's Foil at Nationals … Earned top-10 individual finishes at Junior World Cup in London and Sabadell (Spain) … Graduated Magna Cum Laude.
 
PERSONAL: Born September 1, 2001 … Son of Miriam and Arul Daniel ... Has one sibling, Andrea … Enrolled at Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
 
Peter Ko
Epee
Seoul, Korea | Chinese International School
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of the Chinese International School in Hong Kong … Earned International School Sports Federation Team Championships … Placed third in Cadet Men's Epee and fifth in Junior Men's Epee at 2017 Hong Kong Junior Fencing Championships … Hong Kong Secondary Schools Federation (HKSSF) Division A Individual Runner-up in 2018 and Champion in 2017.
 
PERSONAL: Born July 30, 2001 …  Son of Mi Yeon Yoon and Dae Jun Ko … Has one sister, Jenny, who fences at Penn … Co-founded CREATE, a community service program where student-volunteers visit a local secondary school to teach beneficiaries the basics of computer science …  Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Joon Paik
Foil
Norwood, N.J. | Northern Valley Regional
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Northern Valley Regional High School …  Placed third Juniors at January 2018 North American Cup …  2017 Junior Olympic gold medalist … Took third in Junior Named team captain of Empire United in June 2017 … National Honor Society member.
 
PERSONAL: Born December 7, 2000 … Daughter of Mary and Koo Paik … Has one sibling, Hyun Konner … Attended same high school as New Jersey Senator Cory Booker … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Noé Schouker
Epee
Tannay, Switzerland | Institut Florimont
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Institut Florimont in Switzerland … COmpted with Swiss Cadet National Team from 2017-18 … Was ranked as high as No. 13 in Swiss U17 National Rankings … Placed third at Sion National Competition in 2018 … Won gold at 2017 Saint Légier Competition.
 
PERSONAL: Born September 12, 2001 in London … Son of Cynthia Anderson and Ivan Schouker … Brother, Sacha '20CC, is also on fencing team … Father, Ivan, is a 1987 graduate of the Columbia Business School … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Alan Temiryaev
Epee
Woodmere, N.Y. | George W. Hewlett
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of George W. Hewlett High School … Cadet World Team 2016 … Cadet and Junior World Team 2017 … Gold Junior Olympics 2017 … Top-16 Juniors World Championship 2017.
 
PERSONAL: Born January 12, 2001 … Enrolled at Columbia College.

Christopher Walker
Sabre
Atlanta, Ga. | Rivers Academy
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Rivers Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia … Comes into collegiate career ranked No. 3 in U.S. and 10 in the world … Won bronze medal at 2019 Junior World Team Championships … Two-time silver medalist at Cadet World Team Championships (2017-18).
 
PERSONAL: Born January 26, 2001 … Son of Crystal Williams and Leonard Walker … Brother Alex Walker '19CC was a three-year member of the Columbia fencing team … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Andrew Zheng
Foil
Jericho, N.Y.  | Jericho
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Jericho High School … Placed third in 2017 and 2018 at the European Cadet Circuit … Ranked in the top-three in Cadets and top-eight in Juniors in 2018 …. 2019 AP National Scholar … 2018 National Merit Scholarship Commended.
 
PERSONAL: Born February 20, 2001 … Son of Yang Jiao and Michael Zheng … Has one brother, David … Father, Michael, earned PhD at Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences … Attended same high school as singer Madison Beer … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
WOMEN
 
Yana Botvinnik
Epee
Modi'in, Dam Ha-Maccabim, Israel | Ironi Alef
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Ironi Alef, a school of Arts and Sciences … Led Israeli National Team to fourth place in Junior World Cup 2017 and second in Junior Maalot World Cup 2016 … Served as Olympic Senior National Reserve (2019) … Comes into collegiate career ranked No. 72 in the world … Took 10^th place at 2019 Senior European Fencing Championship … Rose to as high as No. 11 in junior world rankings (2016-17).
 
PERSONAL: Born June 24, 1998 in Russia … Daughter of Anna and Boris Botvinnik …  Has two siblings, Lev and Alexandra … Moved to Israel from Moscow in 2010 … Enrolled at Barnard College.
 
Karina Leung
Epee
Hong Kong, China | The Lawrenceville School (N.J.)
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey … Picked up 2017-2018 & 2018-2019 Prep States Championships … Ranked consistently in top-four for Hong Kong Junior and Cadet rankings … Hong Kong Cadet and Junior Team member for three years (2015-2019) … Represented Hong Kong in the World and Asian Cadet and Junior championships in 2016, 2017, 2019 … Team took first place at 2018 Asian Junior Championships.
 
PERSONAL: Born July 29, 2001 … Daughter of Amendy and Kevin Leung … Has one brother, Ethan … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Ariana Joy Mangano
Epee
Colts Neck, N.J. | Ranney School
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of the Ranney School … Earned team gold medal at Bratislava Junior World Cup and placed seventh at Junior World Championships in team epee in 2018 … Competed at Junior World Championships in 2017 and 2018 … Picked up bronze medal at 2017 and was seventh in 2018 at Junior World Team Championships … Inducted into National and Spanish Honor Scoiety … Four-time High Honor Roll Student
 
PERSONAL: Born June 18, 2001 … Daughter of Joy and Kenneth Mangano … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Lake Sheffield
Epee
Brooklyn, N.Y. | The Chapin School
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of The Chapin School … No. 11 ranked Junior … Earned silver medal at 2019 Summer Nationals … Placed 11^th at 2019 Junior Olympics … Took 11^th at 2019 Division I National Championships.
 
PERSONAL: Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
Rachel Zhang
Foil
Winchester, Mass. | Winchester
 
HIGH SCHOOL: A 2019 graduate of Winchester High School … Placed 12th at 2019 Division I Championships in Salt Lake City … Competed at 2019 Senior Grand Prix in Anaheim … Claimed fifth at 2018 Junior World Cup in Bulgaria ... Took seventh at 2018 at National American Cup in Virginia Beach … National Honors Society and National French Honors Society student.
 
PERSONAL: Born March 3, 2001 … Daughter of Ying and Yi Zhang … Has one sibling, Roland … Enrolled at Columbia College.
 
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