STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The two Brandeis University men's fencers who qualified for the NCAA National Collegiate championships at Penn State University earned 16 points between them in the first four rounds of competition as the Judges stood in a tie for 15th place with Brown University and the University of North Carolina after the completion of the men's portion of competition.
Senior Will Friedman (Newton, Mass./Newton North) posted 10 victories in his 22 foil bouts to finish in 14th place out of 24 fencers, two spots and two victories out of a second career All-America honor. Friedman, who finished in seventh place in 2008, improved three spots from his Day 1 placement. His wins on Day 1 came against opponents from No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 5 Columbia, No. 9 Stanford, plus UAA rival NYU and Cal.-San Diego. His foe from Columbia, Sherrif Farrag, was the Northeast regional champion. On Day 2, he defeated two foes from Yale, plus one each from No. 4 Ohio State and Brown. Friedman missed a chance at one additional win when a fencer from Duke withdrew after the first day of action because of an injury.
Sophomore Adam Austin (Dix Hills, N.Y./Commack) finished in 22nd place in the saber after winning six of his 23 bouts. On Day One, he posted saber victories in 14 bouts in his first taste of NCAA action to rank in 19th place. Austin recorded victories over opponents from top-ranked Notre Dame and No. 6 Princeton, plus Vassar and Wayne State. On the second day of action, he went 2-7, with his two wins coming against foes from No. 8 St. John's and No. 10 Duke.
Brandeis sophomore Anna Hanley (Arlington, Mass./Lexington Christian) will represent the Brandeis women in the saber competition on Days Three and Four of the NCAA Fencing championships. The Judges lead all Division III schools and trail Harvard (10th) and Yale (T11th) among New England schools through the men's competition.