DURHAM, N.C. — Senior Nora Burke capped a brilliant career and weekend by winning an individual national championship in sabre to put a cap on Columbia fencing's weekend at the NCAA Championships Sunday. The Lions placed third in the combined team competition with 156 wins between the men's and women's programs. Notre Dame won the National Championship with 188 victories, followed by Princeton in second at 175.
 
Columbia posted four All-Americans on the day after top-eight finishes from Zander Rhodes and Delphine DeVore in foil and Tierna Oxenreider in epee. In total, the Lions saw eight of their 12 competitors gain All-America status.
 
"I'm so proud of this team," said head coach Michael Aufrichtig. "We preach fighting to the end of every bout and that's what we did today. I couldn't be more thrilled that Nora's final college match was to win an NCAA Championship. To see our program at the top again shows the strength of the hearts of our fencers."
 
"I'm also really happy for the whole squad," Aufrichtig continued. "To have four more All-Americans and to see everyone finish strong today was amazing to see. To our seniors, I am confident their experience on the Columbia fencing team will help guide them to be champions in life."
 
Burke is the 40^th NCAA Individual Champion in program history, and the first in women's sabre since Daria Schneider '10CC in 2007. Coincidentally, the New York City native topped a fencer from Harvard in the final, Elizabeth Tartakovsky, where Schneider serves as head coach. Columbia has had a national champion for the fourth consecutive season they have competed at the NCAA Championships.
   
"Last year, I had a tough loss in the semifinals and was able to take some lessons from that, applied it this year and I think it helped me today," Burke said after the title match. "My plan was to apply pressure, and in the second part of the bout, I think I got a little more creative and (it paid off). This is going to be my last fencing tournament ever, so to end it on this note is everything I could possibly ask for."
 
Burke came roaring out of the gates, posting a 6-1 mark to finish with 18 victories and secure a berth in the semifinals for the second consecutive year.

In the round of four, the senior took on Chloe Fox-Gitomer from Princeton in a 15-touch bout. Burke raced out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, earning a 15-7 win to push her into the championship bout. There, she met Tartakovsky, who was the No. 1 seed.
   
The bout was evenly matched early, but with the score tied 4-4, Tartakovsky started to gain some separation with three unanswered scores. Burke closed the gap to one and eventually tied things up at 11-11 before taking two-of-the next three touches to take the lead for good. Leading 14-13, Burke attacked out of the restart and got the final point of the tournament as her Columbia teammates went wild in the stands of Cameron Indoor Stadium.
 
With the win, Burke became a three-time All-American and earned a spot on the first team in consecutive seasons after placing third in 2022.
 
Rhodes claimed fifth overall, matching her NCAA finish from a year ago. The sophomore was one victory shy of reaching the top-four after going 4-4 in the morning, and 15-8 overall with a +37 indicator. DeVore took eighth place with five wins on the day, and 13 in total, to cap a successful first NCAA Championship appearance for the junior.
 
Oxenreider closed the tournament 4-0 in her final grouping to climb up to seventh place. The first-year combined to win 14 bouts in her NCAA Championship debut. Fellow Lion epeeist, Ariana Mangano improved her 2022 NCAA finish by six spots after placing 17^th with eight wins for the event.
 
In sabre, Vera Kong wrapped up her weekend with a 3-1 mark in the final stage to finish 17^th after posting nine victories.
 
A replay of the semifinals and finals, along with other championships highlights, will air on ESPNU on Thursday, April 6 at 2 p.m.
 
For the latest on Columbia's fencing programs, follow @CULionsFencing on Twitter and Instagram and the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
 
INDIVIDUAL FINAL RESULTS
Women's Epee
7. Tierna Oxenreider – Second Team All-America
17. Ariana Mangano
 
Women's Foil
5. Zander Rhodes – Second Team All-America
8. Delphine DeVore – Second Team All-America
 
Women's Sabre
1. Nora Burke – First Team All-America
17. Vera Kong