The Blue Devils, led by two-time NCAA champion Becca Ward, have sent three women and three men to compete for national titles of their own at this weekend’s NCAA championships.
After the first four rounds of the women’s competition, which took place Thursday at Ohio State’s French Field House, Duke sits in eleventh place as a team.
On Mar. 10, Ward won the Mid-Atlantic/South Regional saber championship for the fourth time in her four-year career. Today Ward will defend her national title as well, as she competes in the semifinal and final rounds.
Ward currently holds second place in the saber tournament, behind Penn State senior Monica Aksamit. Although Ward and Askamit have each tallied 12 victories, Askamit holds the advantage in indicators 40 to 38 heading into the second day.
Additionally, Duke sent two competitors in the women’s epée—freshman Sarah Collins and junior Emily D’Agostino—to the national championships for just the second time in program history. With six victories, Collins is tied for 15th place, and D’Agostino holds 19th place with four victories in her third consecutive postseason appearance.
The men’s competition begins Saturday in Columbus, with sophomore Dylan Nollner and senior Tristan Jones representing Duke in epée competition, while junior Anthony Lin will participate in the saber event.
Nollner and Jones will be fencing at the championships for the second time in their careers, and Lin will make his third consecutive appearance at the event.
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