Senior Bryce Louie graduates after four years with Penn fencing.
Credit: Courtesy of Penn AthleticsEn-garde! Prêt? Allez!
Penn men’s and women’s fencing got off to a hot start this weekend at the Temple Open. Both teams had representatives across all three types of competition: foil, épée, and sabre. A few Quakers had standout performances at the Philadelphia-based event.
Senior Bryce Louie beat out 99 other fencers in the men’s foil competition to earn a first-place victory. In the same event, sophomore Nicholas Wu trailed closely behind Louie, capturing bronze. Sophomore Joseph Wu won a bronze in an épée event that saw a total of 105 fencers compete. In sabre, the Quakers managed to break into the top 10 thanks to a ninth-place finish from freshman Ben Kogan.
Louie has kept up his form since winning the 2023-24 NCAA Foil National Championship. After finishing 10-1 at the Elite Invitational, 15-3 at the Philadelphia Invitational, and 8-4 at the Ivy League Championships, Louie had high expectations to live up to entering this season. The senior will look to improve upon last season’s standout performances and continue leading the Red and Blue.
Freshman Polina Kharchyna set the tempo on the women’s side, capturing silver in the épée event. Kharchyna got the best of 87 other competitors in the first competitive outing of her Penn career. Senior Katina Proestakis Ortiz would also take home a top-three finish. Proestakis Ortiz finished third in a pool of 80 fencers in foil.
Kharchyna was not the only freshman making inroads. Four other freshmen debuted at the meet: Amanda Li, Malak Hamza, Alexandra Wong, and Sophie Neuman. Li led the Red and Blue in the sabre, finishing sixth out of 77 total competitors.
The season has only just begun, and the Penn Elite Invite is the next opportunity for the Quakers to showcase their skills. The event will take place the weekend of Nov. 16 at the Tse Center.
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