NEW YORK — Columbia fencing has added nine newcomers to its squad for the 2023-24 season, head coach Michael Aufrichtig announced today. The Lions have brought on three women and six men, which features seven foilists, two sabrists and one epeeist. Columbia's Class of 2027 represents five different states and has two international student-athletes (Hong Kong and China/Canada).
 
Additionally, the Lions have a set of twins, Enoch and Ethan Xiao, from Alabama and three siblings of former Columbia fencers.
 
"I am excited to welcome this extremely passionate, talented group of first-years who will help our team maximize our potential this season," said head coach Michael Aufrichtig.
 
Details on the 2023 incoming class are listed below. The complete 2023-24 Columbia fencing roster can be found by clicking this link. 
 
Janet Chen
Epee | Barnard College
 
Chen is a Canadian U17 National Champion and finished second place at the Senior Canadian National Championships. She was a top-eight U17 Cadet at the North American Cup July Challenge in 2019. She earned a spot in the top 16 at the U17 Bratislava Cadet Circuit (January 2020. Chen, a graduate of the Mulgrave School in West Vancouver, has won multiple medals with the Canadian National Team in the U15, cadet and senior circuits.
 
Rachael Kim
Foil | Columbia College
 
Kim joins Columbia via nearby Paramus, New Jersey, where Lions' assistant Seoung Woo Lee has coached her since the age of seven. She was named an All-American from 2019-23. At the 2022 Junior World Championships, Kim earned a gold medal with Team USA in the team foil competition. She picked up two more gold medals with the U.S. Foil Team at the 2022 Junior World Cups in London and Bangkok. Individually, Kim picked up a silver medal at the 2023 Junior Olympics, finished first at the October 2021 North American Cups and second at the 2021 December NACs.
 
Chloe Szeto
Sabre | Columbia College
 
Szeto is the sister of former Lion Brian Szeto' 22CC, a four-year fencing squad member. She finished fifth at the 2021 December North American Cup and third at the 2022 Junior Olympics. Additionally, the native of Weston, Massachusetts, helped Team USA Sabre Squad place second at the 2023 Junior Olympics and registered various top 32 finishes at the Division I and Junior levels.
 
Jaden Callahan
Sabre | Columbia College
 
Callahan, a decorated All-American from San Diego, won silver at the 2023 April North American Cup with the U.S. Senior Sabre Team and is a 2023 Junior Olympic Champion. At the 2023 April North American Cup, he won a silver medal in the junior division. Callahan also was a member of the winning senior sabre squad at the 2022 July Challenge and picked up a silver medal at the 2019 Cadet World Cup. 
 
Ethan Leung
Foil | Columbia College
 
Leung was ranked as high as 12th in cadet and 20th in junior for Hong Kong in 2019. He moved to the United States in 2014. He attended high school at The Lawrenceville School in New Jersey, where he won an N.J. Prep School State Championship (NJISAA) three times, individually and in team competitions. His sister, Karina, graduated from Columbia in 2023 and was a fencing team member.
 
Sam Kumbla
Foil | Columbia College
 
Kumbla is the brother of Columbia's three-time All-American Sidarth Kumbla' 22CC. He helped the U.S. Fencing Foil Team win gold. He won an individual bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Plodiv, Bulgaria, in 2023. Kumbla, a native of San Jose, was also a member of the U.S. Foil Team that won Junior World Cups in 2022 and 2023 and a first-place finisher at the December 2023 North American Cup.
 
Marsel Nagimov
Foil | Columbia College
 
Naginov is the son of Russian fencing coach Vil Nagimov and attended Leigh High School in San Jose, California. He was a Russian Junior National Team member in 2022 and a two-time Russian Junior Nationals Champion. Naginov finished 18th at Junior Euros in 2022 and was a top eight Division I finisher twice.

Enoch Xiao
Foil | Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science
 
Xiao placed in the top eight at the Division I Summer Nationals in 2023 and Junior Olympics in 2022. While at the Indian Springs School in Alabama, he also ran cross country with his twin brother, Ethan.
 
Ethan Xiao
Foil | CC
Birmingham, Ala. | Indian Springs School
 
Xiao earned a gold medal at the 2023 Junior and Cadet Pan-American Championships and claimed bronze at Lima's 2022 Junior World Cup. 
 
For the latest on Columbia's fencing programs, follow @CULionsFencing on Twitter and Instagram and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.