emlawless – William & Mary Fencing Club

Men’s Epee

Men’s Epee, featuring Nolan Coughlin ‘25, Eric Montesi ‘26, and Lorenzo So ‘28 with Luke Miller ‘27 as alt, brought good vibes and good fencing to MACFA A vs C, going 2-2 on the day. Mepee defeated Rutgers and Cornell, the reigning USACFC champs. While the team struggled overall against a revamped Drew team and a strong Lafayette squad, each fencer took home several individual wins against NCAA and other highly rated opponents. With their next tournament in SIFA, men’s epee hopes to continue their championship streak before returning to the MACFA scene for B vs C and MACFA Champs.

Men’s Foil

Men’s foil, featuring captain Dale “Sandman” DeVinney, Fabian “Atlas” Shelton, and Conrad “Xeno” Burton, made a solid effort at MACFA A vs C. For Fabian, it was his first ever collegiate tournament, and he scored many decisive touches throughout the tournament. Conrad also showed incredible improvement, taking home a close bout against Rutgers. Dale had his best collegiate performance of his career, winning several bouts throughout the day and coming up positive against a dominant Drew foil squad. The team is looking sharp heading into MACFA Champs and BvC.

Men’s Saber

The W&M AvC men’s saber squad consisted of Evan “Duke” Jackson, Connor “Lancelot” Cassidy, James “Ajax” Gosnell, and Ryan Michael “Scorpion” Silk. Over the four series’ of the day, the team achieved several wins. Some highlights included their overall win against Drew University, and their nail biting 4-5 loss to Rutgers. Additionally, this tournament was the first collegiate tournament attended by Ajax and Ryan Michael “Scorpion” Silk, with both of them scoring exciting touches against varsity opponents. Overall, men’s saber is in a good position for the rest of MACFA season, especially as they move on to BvC, and the championship later this month.

11.17.2024

Men’s Foil

This competition’s Men’s Foil team was composed of Kevin Sae-Tung ‘26, Vinton Bruton ‘26, and Sam Ferguson ‘28. This would mark the first collegiate appearances of Kevin and Sam, while being Vinton’s first collegiate after returning from the JDP program in Scotland. Sam kept his opponents on their toes with his split-second parries and counterattacks, often leaving them confused as to how their attacks missed. Vinton showcased exceptional usage of his height and distance, hitting his opponents just out of their reach. Kevin used clean disengages and parries to effect. Despite not winning any matches, they managed to take bouts off of every school other than Hopkins, a good showing for a relatively new team.

Men’s Épée

Men’s Épée, featuring the dynamic trio of Nolan Coughlin ’25, Eric Montesi ’26, and Lorenzo So ‘28, delivered an unforgettable performance at Navy. Nolan stunned opponents with his lightning-fast foot touches and devastating in-fights, often striking before they could even react. Eric showcased perfect distance control and executed textbook fleches, slicing through defenses with precision. Lorenzo was a force to be reckoned with, unleashing blazing-fast attacks and delivering high-precision strikes to the hand, leaving adversaries in awe. The team secured impressive victories against the University of Maryland and the United States Naval Academy. In fiercely contested matches, they fell to Haverford with a close 4-5 score and finished 3-6 against Johns Hopkins at, netting a total of 7 wins against varsity programs. Men’s Épée ended the day 19-17, energized and eager to prove themselves as a competitive force in MACFA.

Men’s Sabre

Men’s saber delivered a strong performance at MACFA CRR held at the United States Naval Academy, demonstrating their developing skills and determination against some of the top schools in the division. At the helm was team captain Connor “Lancelot” Cassidy ‘25, followed by sophomores Ryan “Chronos” Rauscher ‘27 and Ni “Vulcan” Hao. Making his debut in the collegiate fencing scene was freshman Hayden “Leif” Chon-Baker ‘28 who showed great promise while supporting the squad as their alternate. Lancelot, with his expert lockouts and strategic prowess, shook the competition and warranted plenty of oohs and ahhs from the audience. Chronos impressed with his lightning-fast reflexes and flawless blade work, constantly outmaneuvering his opponents with the precision of a seasoned veteran. Ni Hao rocked the strip with his rapid-fire attacks and razor-sharp timing, leaving opponents scrambling to keep up. Meanwhile, Leif demonstrated impressive composure for a freshman, showing flashes of brilliance that will undoubtedly lead to further success. The squad fought hard throughout the day, through decisive victories and fiercely contested matchups the team proved that they are a formidable presence on the strip and in the Mid-Atlantic Region.