Category: Recaps

4.12.2025

William & Mary has successfully pulled off another win at the annual Virginia Cup! Earning 1st in Men’s & Women’s Epee, Men’s & Women’s Foil, and Men’s Saber (2nd only in Women’s Saber), W&M had a good showing of competition. The team had a great time hosting UVA, JMU, and UMW and fencing throughout the day!

Men’s Epee

Men’s Epee came to VA cup with a strong squad, the heavy favorites to win. Although two members of the A squad were missing due to injury and a devastating illness, Luke Miller ‘27, Lorenzo So ‘28, and Patrick Pane ‘27 won VA Cup handily, dominating Mary Washington and JMU to help the team to yet another win. Two other members of the squad, Foster Covington ‘27 and JT Matusiak ‘28, fenced for the UVA squad and took 3rd in the competition. The future of epee squad is in good hands with these underclassmen, and Men’s Epee expects more wins and more good times next year

Men’s Foil

Men’s foil enjoyed great success during the Virginia Cup. Dale DeVinney ‘27, Jeffrey Gu ‘25, and Kevin Sae-Tung ‘26 took on JMU in the final round of the cup. It was neck and neck until the final bouts, where William and Mary surged ahead to win 45-37. It was a fantastic send off for Jeffrey Gu, who led our squad to victory at SIFA and will be missed by his teammates who wish him all the best.

Women’s Foil

This year’s VA Cup was a huge success for our women’s foil program, with two squads competing and both placing in the top three. Squad A—Kate Ingle ’27, Brooke Drozdowski ’27, and Fiona Dampsy ’27—fenced with focus and consistency throughout the day, ultimately taking home first place after an undefeated run. Kate led with experience, while Brooke and Fiona made impressive competitive debuts, each delivering key victories under pressure.

Squad B—Ella Forlin ’27, Olivia Jordan ’28, and Haley Crispin ’28—also turned heads. In their first tournament together, they fenced well, pacing third and only narrowly missing a spot in the finals after a close match against JMU. Olivia and Ella, both fencing in their debut events, held their own with poise and promise, and Haley anchored the squad with confident, well-timed touches throughout the day.

Men’s Saber

This past weekend, the William & Mary Men’s Saber squad wrapped up their season in style, taking home gold at the Virginia Cup. Facing off against UVA, JMU, and UMW in a direct elimination team bracket of 45-touch relays, the Tribe’s A-squad—Connor “Lancelot” Cassidy ’25, Evan “Duke” Jackson ’25, and Ryan “Chronos” Rauscher ’27—fenced their way to the top. After a strong semifinal win over JMU, they secured the title with a 45–40 victory over UVA. Cassidy anchored the team with consistent control and clutch finishing, Jackson brought sharp tactical awareness and steady pressure, and Rauscher, the youngest of the three, impressed with his speed and confidence under fire.

The B-squad—Ryan Michael “Scorpion” Silk ’28, Hayden “Leif” Chon-Baker ’28, and Samuel “Geode” Heaney ’28—also made a strong showing, defeating UVA’s B-team in a solid performance that highlighted the talent of this year’s freshman class. Silk’s aggressive style and “smooth as milk” bladework kept opponents guessing, Chon-Baker fenced with relentless energy and reach, and Heaney showed composure and timing beyond his years. Overall, the event was not only a competitive success but a great way to end the season—bringing home medals, building experience, and enjoying time with fellow Virginia fencers.

Women’s Saber

Elizabeth Lawless ‘27, Abby Borgeson ‘28, Isabelle Neely ‘28, and Sophia Lee ‘27 all competed in the Virginia Cup year. Sophia joined the UVA team to make a full squad, creating a more relaxed environment for all fencers. Every single W&M Fencer scored touches on highly competitive opponents, making for an event full of smiles and laughs. UVA pulled off the victory 45-18, but W&M Women’s Saber got priceless experience and silver medals to wrap up a highly competitive season.

2.22.25-2.23.25

Over thirty of our teammates competed in our annual Spring Open, Conomikes-Gutenberg Open! It was a great experience for all of our fencers, and some of our fencers competed in their first open.

Special congrats to: 

• Senior Mixed Foil
  • Jeffrey Gu: 2nd
• Div III Epee
  • Luke Miller: 5th
• Senior Mixed Epee
  • Eric Montesi: 2nd (Earning B25)
  • Alumni Armin Bagha: 5th
  • Lorenzo So: 7th (Renewing C25)
  • Nolan Coughlin: 8th (Renewing C25) 
• Div III Foil
  • Sam Ferguson: 8th (Renewing E25)
• Div III Sabre
  • Evan Jackson: 2nd (Renewing D25) 
  • Sam Heaney: 6th (Earning E25)

As the spring 2021 semester begins and more students begin to return to campus, the William & Mary fencing club is also returning to action! Practices started up this past weekend now that most juniors and sophomores have returned to campus, and both sessions of practice were well-attended. While there have been few changes to team protocol regarding social distancing and mask-wearing, team members are grateful to be able to practice at all and hopeful for the gradual return of tournaments and bouting.

The fencing team is still practicing every Friday (4 – 5:30pm) and Saturday (2 – 3:30pm) in the basement of Kaplan Arena. And just like last semester, practices are still 45 minutes long and consisting of only eight people at a time. The members of the team have had plenty of time to get used to this new format and are now taking advantage of the time to improve footwork, stamina, and control. The addition of new practice equipment that the team acquired last semester, like the targets, has also made practice easier and more enjoyable. As well as that, the club has also managed to attract new members since the fall who, despite the limitations placed on practices, are eager to learn more about the fencing and become part of the team.

Ultimately, it is a shame that this update could not be a longer one. Usually the spring would be full of tournaments and travel, and new and old members alike would practice every day to hone their fencing skills. While it is unfortunate that this semester be different, the fencing team is still doing its best to stay as active and close-knit as ever this semester. Small-group social events, bigs and littles, and Zoom calls between current fencers and alumni attempt to fill the gaps left by COVID-19. It is yet another strange semester coming off the heels of a very strange year, but we will do what we can to preserve William & Mary’s fencing community!

For more information on the William & Mary fencing team, email fencingwm@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook!

This has certainly been one of the most unusual semesters experienced by the William & Mary fencing team in many years. Normally, this post would be a recap of one of the many tournaments taking place in the fall. However, given that all tournaments are suspended until further notice, it will instead provide an update on how the team has been functioning amidst the pandemic. While this year’s schedule is obviously very different from those past, the William & Mary fencing team has continued to operate to the best of its abilities. The team has gained a number of new recruits with a wide range of experience, and practices are still happening this semester, albeit with new COVID-19 restrictions in place.

Practices are still held in Kaplan as usual, now taking place every Friday (from 4-5:30pm) and Saturday (2-3:30pm). As the fencing room can only support eight people social distancing at one time, they have been divided into 45-minute sessions in order to allow more members the opportunity to practice. This means that members must sign-up in advance every week, and there are only a limited amount of slots available. As well as that, masks must be worn the duration of practice, and the room must undergo frequent sanitation.

However, this has yet to deter the team, as new and old members alike continue to show up ready to learn at every practice. In line with new COVID-19 guidelines, bouts are no longer allowed, so practice has adjusted accordingly. The team now focuses more on conditioning and footwork, and getting in shape for the (hopefully) upcoming tournaments next semester. As well as that, the team’s recently-acquired targets have helped fencers with their bladework and point control. Remember, never sacrifice precision and accuracy for speed!

Though this semester was likely not what anyone had anticipated, the team has done its best to adjust, and the bonds between teammates and the dedication to the sport remain strong. Hopefully the fencing team will return strong next semester with regular practices and tournaments resumed; for now, please enjoy this unconventional recap during unprecedented times!

For more information about William & Mary fencing team and how we’re operating this semester, contact us at fencingwm@gmail.com or check us out on Facebook!