Fencing Teams Prep For Tourney

For any collegiate team, no matter its division or conference, the conclusion of the regular season does not usually mark the end of competition.

Instead, looming on the horizon, are postseason tournaments, which provide the final opportunity to reach one’s potential, to show one’s skill, and to claim a title for personal, team, and school glory.

The Harvard fencing team is no exception to this sentiment.

For the talented, young squad, the Ivy tournament last weekend did not mark the close of its season, but rather the start of even more intense and demanding competition in the coming weeks.

First, the Crimson will travel to Providence, R.I., for the NCAA Regionals on March 14 to determine which individuals will qualify for the prestigious NCAA Championship that will take place on Harvard’s campus on March 24 and 25.

Hosting the tournament affords the Crimson a special chance to truly demonstrate its strength and the growing popularity of fencing.

“The nice thing about this is, of course, it gives us the opportunity to showcase the sport right here at Harvard,” coach Peter Brand said. “We’ll have the chance to bring in a lot of spectators and show fencing to the larger community.”

This is the first time the Crimson will host the NCAA tournament for fencing, which has been held annually since 1990, despite the fact that Harvard boasts a national championship from 2006 and a number of individual champions before and since that time.

Although not always dominant in their Ivy bouts, the Crimson teams hold strong records this year both collaboratively and personally, and are in a viable position to do well in tournament competition.

The men posted a 14-7 record overall and a 3-2 conference record, finishing second as a team in the Ancient Eight conference.

Leading the squad are sophomore Valentin Staller and freshman Ben White, both of whom were named to the All-Ivy League first team, and captain Karl Harmenberg, who was named to the second team.

“Our men’s team has gotten stronger over the year,” Brand said. “Certainly, we’ve shown our strength, coming in second this season after finishing last the previous year.”

On the women’s end, Harvard finished the regular season with a 15-8 overall and 3-3 Ivy record, surrendering two conference losses in the tournament last Sunday.

Sophomore co-captains Noam Mills and Carolina Vloka, and sophomore Shelby MacLeod head the women’s effort, also garnering first team All-Ivy honors in the epee, sabre, and foil, respectively.

“[The women’s team] is not as strong or deep as it was maybe a year or two ago,” Brand added about his women’s squad, “but they’re peaking now and are reaching their potential.”

Brand, who has coached the Crimson since the 1999-2000 season, has seen teams that have had perfect 11-0 records, Ivy and National titles, and individuals that have gone on to bout for their countries in the Olympics.

As his team fights for national recognition, Brand sees the promise of its future, as well as the strength of its individuals, many of whom have a chance to vie for a top spot in the NCAA Championships.

“We’re not deep enough to win a national title, but certainly on the individual side we have top notch athletes who are contenders,” Brand said with confidence. “Valentin, James [Hawrot], Karl for the men, Noam, who won the silver last year, and Caroline each have a shot for a medal.”

The first challenge will be qualifying as many of the individuals as possible in Providence to make good on the opportunity to showcase on home turf.

For Brand, post-season tournaments do not mark the end of a year, but rather the beginning of a new cycle of recruiting, training, and competition. What Harvard is currently lacking is a strong third fencer in each weapon, an absence that is holding the Crimson back from title contention, and one that the coaching staff is hoping to fill. With a young team of mostly freshman and sophomores, accompanied by a powerful recruiting class, the possibilities will soon be endless on the Ivy and National level.

But for now, it’s all about the elusive postseason, the time when winners are made and dreams are broken. The future of fencing is around the corner, but for now, it must wait until after the NCAA Championships.

—Staff writer B. Marjorie Gullick can be reached at gullick@college.harvard.edu.