Columbia Lions fencing

Fencing team for Columbia University

For information on all Columbia University sports, see Columbia Lions.

Columbia Lions fencing

First season| 1898; 127 years ago (1898)
Athletic director| M. Dianne Murphy
Head coach| Michael Aufrichtig
2nd season, 21–16 (.568)
Home stadium| Blue Gym
Location| Manhattan, NY
League| NCAA Division I
Conference| Ivy League
All-time record| 1068–503–9 (.679)
National Titles| 21 (End of season 2016)
Conference titles| 41[1]
Rivalries| Harvard Crimson fencing
All-Americans| 213[2]
Fight song| Roar, Lion, Roar
Mascot| Roar-ee the Lion
Website| GoColumbiaLions.com

The Columbia Lions fencing team is the intercollegiate fencing team for Columbia University located in Manhattan, New York City. The team competes in the Ivy League within Division I of the NCAA. The university first fielded a team in 1898, under the leadership of coach James Murray. The team is currently coached by Michael Aufrichtig.

The Blue Gym (or University Gym) is home to the Columbia Lion fencing team, located within the Dodge Physical Fitness Center on campus.

## History

[edit]

The team was founded in 1898, and has had some noteworthy successes. It has captured the NCAA national title 16 times,[citation needed] most recently in 2019. It also won Intercollegiate Fencing Association national championships in 1898, 1913, 1914, 1918, 1919, and 1934. The team has also won 52 Ivy League Championships, capturing both the Men's and Women's titles outright in 2019.

Fencing for the team, Norman C. Armitage won the Intercollegiate Fencing Association saber championship in 1928, Emily Jacobson won the NCAA women's saber championship in 2005, and Daria Schneider won the NCAA women's saber championship in 2007.[3]

The team has produced a number of Olympians, including five in 2012.[4] Columbia grad Alen Hadzic was named as an alternate to the 2021 Olympic team, but was suspended by the United States Center for SafeSport (SafeSport) due to findings of an investigation following allegations of rape and other sexual misconduct; an arbitrator later reduced his sanction, allowing him to go to Tokyo, though he did not fence.[5][6][7][8] Hadzic had previously been suspended by Columbia University for a year for sexual misconduct, while he was a member of the Columbia team, as a result of the findings of a Title IX investigation.[9][5] In June 2023, Hadzic was banned from fencing in the US for life by SafeSport, due to his sexual misconduct.[10][11]

## Notable former fencers

[edit]

Nicole Ross

* Norman C. Armitage (born Norman Cohn; 1907-1972), 6-time Olympic fencer
* Robert Blum (born 1928), 2-time Olympic fencer
* Bob Cottingham (born 1966), Olympic fencer
* Jacqueline Dubrovich (born 1994), Olympic fencer
* Sherif Farrag (born 1987), Olympic fencer
* Joel Glucksman (born 1949), Olympic fencer
* Asher Grodman (born 1987), actor
* Jacob Hoyle (born 1994), Olympic fencer
* Emily Jacobson (born 1985), Olympic fencer
* Dan Kellner (born 1976), Olympic fencer
* Stephen Kovacs (1972–2022), fencer and coach, charged with sexual assault, died in prison
* James Margolis (born 1936), Olympic fencer
* James Melcher (born 1939), Olympic fencer
* Nzingha Prescod (born 1992), Olympic fencer
* Nicole Ross (born 1989), Olympic fencer
* Hal Scardino (born 1984), American-British actor
* Daria Schneider (born 1987), saber team bronze medalist in World Fencing Championships (2011 and 2012)
* Erinn Smart (born 1980), Olympic fencer
* Jeff Spear (born 1988), Olympic fencer
* Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Weisz; 1912–1989), Hungarian-American actor
* James Leighman Williams (born 1985), Olympic fencer

## Year-by-year results

[edit]

### Men's fencing

[edit]

Year | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Ivy Tournament | NCAA Tournament

|
|
|
|
|

2005–2006 | 12 | 5 | .706 | 2nd | 5th
2006–2007 | 11 | 2 | .846 | 1st (Tie) | 3rd
2007–2008 | 12 | 3 | .800 | 1st | 3rd
2008–2009 | 8 | 8 | .500 | 2nd | 4th
2009–2010 | 3 | 15 | .167 | 6th | 7th
2010–2011 | 2 | 13 | .133 | 6th | 7th
2011–2012 | 8 | 10 | .444 | 3rd (Tie) | 8th
2012–2013 | 16 | 8 | .667 | 2nd (Tie) | 7th[12]
2013–2014 | 27 | 3 | .900 | 1st (Tie) | 7th
2014–2015 | 17 | 6 | .739 | 1st (Tie) | 1st
2015–2016 | 19 | 6 | .684 | 1st (Tie) | 1st
2016–2017 | 25 | 6 | .760 | 1st (Tie) | 3rd
2017–2018 | 20 | 7 | .650 | 1st (Tie) | 2nd
2018–2019 |  |  |  | 1st | 1st

### Women's fencing

[edit]

Year | Wins | Losses | Pct. | Ivy Tournament | NCAA Tournament

|
|
|
|
|

2005–2006 | 17 | 3 | .850 | 2nd | 5th
2006–2007 | 14 | 0 | 1.000 | 1st | 3rd
2007–2008 | 13 | 1 | .929 | 1st | 3rd
2008–2009 | 14 | 3 | .824 | 2nd | 4th
2009–2010 | 14 | 5 | .737 | 2nd | 7th
2010–2011 | 10 | 5 | .667 | 2nd | 7th
2011–2012 | 13 | 6 | .684 | 2nd | 8th
2012–2013 | 22 | 4 | .846 | 2nd | 7th[13]
2013–2014 |  |  | .846 | 3rd | 7th
2014–2015 | 25 | 1 | .961 | 1st | 1st
2015–2016 | 25 | 2 | .920 | 1st (Tie) | 1st
2016–2017 | 31 | 2 | .935 | 2nd | 3rd
2017–2018 | 26 | 3 | .885 | 1st | 2nd
2018–2019 |  |  |  | 1st | 1st

## References

[edit]

1. ^ All-Time Coaches, archived from the original on December 21, 2012, retrieved October 27, 2012
2. ^ All-Time All-Americans, archived from the original on December 21, 2012, retrieved October 27, 2012
3. ^ Ralph Hickok (April 1, 2010). "NCAA Fencing Champions". HickokSports.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2002. Retrieved April 14, 2010.
4. ^ Sherif Farrag '09 to Join Columbia Fencing Contingent in London, June 26, 2012, retrieved October 27, 2012
5. ^ a b Brianna Sacks and Melissa Segura (July 23, 2021). "A Fencer Made It To The Olympics In Spite Of Multiple Accusations Of Sexual Assault. His Teammates Say The System Is Broken". BuzzFeed News.
6. ^ Wiener, Talia (June 9, 2021). "MHS grad on Olympic fencing team suspended for alleged misconduct". Montclair Local News.
7. ^ Longman, Jeré (July 22, 2021). "U.S. Olympic Fencer, Accused of Sexual Misconduct, Kept Apart From Team; Alen Hadzic of New Jersey is an alternate on the U.S. fencing team but has not been allowed to stay in the Olympic Village". The New York Times.
8. ^ Josh Peter and Christine Brennan (July 22, 2021). "US fencer accused of sexual misconduct unhappy with treatment at Tokyo Olympics". USA Today.
9. ^ Dan Murphy (October 31, 2020). "Law gives Congress more oversight of USOPC". ESPN.
10. ^ Nancy Armour (June 20, 2023). "Fencer Alen Hadzic, who went to Olympics despite sexual misconduct claims, has been banned". USA TODAY.
11. ^ "Alen Hadzic; Centralized Disciplinary Database". U.S. Center for SafeSport. June 20, 2023.
12. ^ 2012-13 Men's Fencing Standings, archived from the original on September 7, 2015, retrieved July 19, 2013
13. ^ 2012-13 Women's Fencing Standings, archived from the original on September 8, 2015, retrieved July 19, 2013

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[edit]

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