Photo by: Ivy League
Fencing Hosts Kolombatovich Historical Meet Wednesday
2/11/2025 12:41:00 PM | Fencing
The Lions will honor the senior class and wrap up the regular season at home
NEW YORK — Columbia fencing will host the sixth annual George Kolombatovich Historical Meet on Wednesday evening at the Dodge Fitness Center University Gymnasium "Blue Gym." The Lions will host NYU, Sacred Heart, and Vassar in a three-way meet beginning at 5 p.m.
Columbia will fence NYU at 5 p.m., take on Sacred Heart at 6:15 p.m., then matches up against Vassar at 7:30 p.m. Columbia's matchup against NYU is for the rivalry's annual trophies.
Meet spectators without a valid Columbia University ID or registered QR code will need to enter the Dodge Fitness Center through the Northwest Science Building at W. 120th St. & Broadway beginning at 4 p.m.
Once inside the building, spectators will walk across Levien Gym, through the Levien Lobby, and down the hallway to the Blue Gym. After the event, spectators should exit the Dodge Fitness Center either via the main entrance on the 4th Floor or back the way they came through Levien Gym and the Northwest Science Building.
Each year, team winners of the annual Columbia-NYU fencing matchup earn the right to two respective trophies: Irving Martin Preschel men's fencing trophy and the Katy Bilodeau '87CC women's trophy. The Preschel Trophy dates back to 1945-46 and is named in honor of Preschel, a former manager and member of the NYU fencing team who was killed in action at Heidelberg, Germany, on March 30, 1945. A Columbia superstar, Bilodeau was a four-time All-American, two-time NCAA foil champion (1985 and 1987), two-time Olympian (1988 and 1992), and was named the NCAA Athlete of the Decade for the 1980s. The Bilodeau Trophy was introduced in 1990-91, but the Columbia-NYU women's series began in 1982-83.
The meet will not only be Columbia's final scheduled competition before NCAA Regionals on March 9, but the program will also celebrate the senior fencers on the team.
Previously known as Columbia's Historical Meet, the event's name was changed to the George Kolombatovich Historical Meet beginning in the 2018-19 season to honor the former Columbia fencing coach after he passed in September 2018.
Kolombatovich served as Columbia's head fencing coach for 33 seasons, starting in 1979. His Columbia teams won five national championships (two combined and three men's titles), 17 Ivy League men's fencing titles and eight Ivy League women's fencing titles over 33 years.
The Lions return home after spending the weekend competing at the Ivy League Championships. The men's and women's teams finished in second place at the event. Columbia saw four fencers earn individual conference championships after Will Morrill (men's sabre)
For the latest on Columbia's fencing programs, follow @CULionsFencing on Twitter and Instagram and the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Columbia will fence NYU at 5 p.m., take on Sacred Heart at 6:15 p.m., then matches up against Vassar at 7:30 p.m. Columbia's matchup against NYU is for the rivalry's annual trophies.
Meet spectators without a valid Columbia University ID or registered QR code will need to enter the Dodge Fitness Center through the Northwest Science Building at W. 120th St. & Broadway beginning at 4 p.m.
Once inside the building, spectators will walk across Levien Gym, through the Levien Lobby, and down the hallway to the Blue Gym. After the event, spectators should exit the Dodge Fitness Center either via the main entrance on the 4th Floor or back the way they came through Levien Gym and the Northwest Science Building.
Each year, team winners of the annual Columbia-NYU fencing matchup earn the right to two respective trophies: Irving Martin Preschel men's fencing trophy and the Katy Bilodeau '87CC women's trophy. The Preschel Trophy dates back to 1945-46 and is named in honor of Preschel, a former manager and member of the NYU fencing team who was killed in action at Heidelberg, Germany, on March 30, 1945. A Columbia superstar, Bilodeau was a four-time All-American, two-time NCAA foil champion (1985 and 1987), two-time Olympian (1988 and 1992), and was named the NCAA Athlete of the Decade for the 1980s. The Bilodeau Trophy was introduced in 1990-91, but the Columbia-NYU women's series began in 1982-83.
The meet will not only be Columbia's final scheduled competition before NCAA Regionals on March 9, but the program will also celebrate the senior fencers on the team.
Previously known as Columbia's Historical Meet, the event's name was changed to the George Kolombatovich Historical Meet beginning in the 2018-19 season to honor the former Columbia fencing coach after he passed in September 2018.
Kolombatovich served as Columbia's head fencing coach for 33 seasons, starting in 1979. His Columbia teams won five national championships (two combined and three men's titles), 17 Ivy League men's fencing titles and eight Ivy League women's fencing titles over 33 years.
The Lions return home after spending the weekend competing at the Ivy League Championships. The men's and women's teams finished in second place at the event. Columbia saw four fencers earn individual conference championships after Will Morrill (men's sabre)
For the latest on Columbia's fencing programs, follow @CULionsFencing on Twitter and Instagram and the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
Players Mentioned
SABRE
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