July 15, 2004
Columbia seems to have secured a place at or near the top of the Ivy League and the NCAA with its latest recruiting class. Both the men's and women's teams added depth and talent to squads that were already highly successful.
Emily Jacobson (C-Atlanta, Ga.) comes to the Lions as one of the best in the world already. The Georgian sabre specialist will compete in the Olympics before she enters Columbia, joining her sister Sada as the top two sabre fencers for the U.S. in Athens. Jacobson is not the only elite fencer in class. Magda Losonczy (C-Bernardsville, N.J.) is the New Jersey state champion and ranked 15th nationally in Junior Women's Foil, while Morgan Midgley (C-Tinton Falls, N.J.) and Danielle Gordet (B-Wellesley, Mass.) are both ranked in the top 50 of their weapons.
For the men, their fourth straight Ivy League title and fifth-place finish at the NCAA's could be bested in 2004-2005 thanks, in part, to a very good recruiting class. Luther Clement (Prairie Village, Kansas) comes to Columbia ranked ninth in Juniors and 16th in Seniors for the sabre. Both Edward Beaulac (London, England) and Gershom Gannon-O'Gara are accomplished epeeists who should help solidify the squad. Ben Lombardo (Katonah, N.Y.), the 12th ranked Junior men's epee fencer, follows his father, '68C, to Columbia.
Laura Duane (Fr.-C, Millburn/Millburn, N.J./Foil)
Danielle Gordet (Fr.-B, Wellesley, Mass./Dana Hall School/Sabre)
Emily Jacobson (Fr.-C, Atlanta, Ga./Westminster Schools/Sabre)
Magda Losonczy (Fr.-C, Bernardsville, N.J./Bernards/Foil)
Mikah McCabe (Fr.-B, Mason, N.H./Souhegan/Foil)
Morgan Midgley (Fr.-C, Tinton Falls, N.J./Red Bank Catholic/Epee)
Chantal Sowemimo-Coker (Fr.-B, Dix Hills, N.Y./Commack/ Sabre)
Hannah Weinstein (Fr.-C, Short Hills, N.J./Millburn/Foil)
Jefferson Baum (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit/Sabre)
Edward Beaulac (London, England/American School/Epee)
Luther Clement (Prairie Village, Kansas/Shawnee Mission E./Sabre)
Alex Diacou (New York, N.Y./Bronx Science/Sabre)
Andrew Gallagher (Forest Hills, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy/Epee)
Gershom Gannon-O'Gara (Los Angeles, Calif./Culver City /Epee)
Ben Lombardo (Katonah, N.Y./John Jay/Foil)
Jonathan Wai (Bayside, N.Y./Stuyvesant/Foil)
