UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Columbia fencing finished day one of the 2024 NCAA Championships in third place in the team standings after the men kicked off the competition on the campus of Penn State University. The Lions racked up 53 bout victories, first-place Notre Dame by eight heading into the conclusion of the men's event Friday.
The Lions and Fighting Irish are the only schools with the maximum of 12 competitors at the event.
Epee started things off in the early session with
Ethan Kushnerik, who was subbed in for an injured
Skyler Liverant on Wednesday, leading the way with a 9-6 record to sit in a tie for sixth place. Kushnerik is tied for the fourth most bout victories and only trails on the indicator as he battles for a spot in tomorrow's semifinals.
Justin Haddad is just two wins off the pace for advancing after going 7-8 on day one.
In foil,
Samarth Kumbla and
Marsel Nagimov each went 9-6. Kumbla sits slightly ahead of Nagimov in sixth due to a two-touch indicator difference. Both are two wins out of the pace of the top four.
Will Morrill led sabre with an 11-4 mark, matching three other competitors in a top-three spot, but his indicator puts him fifth in the competition.
Jackson McBride won 8-of-15 matchups and sits in 11th place.
The men's competition wraps up on Friday, March 21, with two more round-robin pools to determine the top four finishers in each discipline beginning at 9 a.m. The top four finishers in each weapon will fence in semifinal 15-touch bouts, with winners fencing to determine first and second places and non-advancing fencers being awarded a tie for third place. The semifinals begin at 1:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
For the latest on Columbia's fencing programs, follow @CULionsFencing on
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INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS THROUGH THREE ROUNDS
Men's Epee
T6.
Ethan Kushnerik
14.
Justin Haddad
Men's Foil
6.
Samarth Kumbla
7.
Marsel Nagimov
Men's Sabre
5.
Will Morrill
10.
Jackson McBride
