M. Fencing, Wright will be challenged

When Penn steps on the stripe against Columbia, Penn State and St. John's, freshman epee John Wright is expected to be a significant contributor. After a 9-4 performance at last weekend's tournament with Notre Dame, Harvard, MIT, Ohio State and Yeshiva, Wright has been a pleasant surprise, both to himself and Quakers coach Dave Micahnik. "I didn't know what to expect when he first came here," Micahnik said. "I didn't know if he would fit in immediately at the varsity level." "When I came to Penn, I wasn't sure I was still into fencing," said Wright, who has fenced for eight years. "But I'm having a great time now." This is the first time Wright has been able to compete on a team, and he says he enjoys it more because it is more intense. Micahnik noted that at 5-foot-9 "on a good day", Wright is untypical of many epee fighters, who usually are bigger and have longer arms. Wright says he compensates for his size and short arms by being faster and using better strategy. "I'm pretty fast, and I let the taller people reach for me," he said. "I tie up their blades and get them that way." Micahnik added that "John gets by more on smarts than anything else." Saturday at Temple, Wright and the other Quakers will take on their archrival Columbia, who has topped Penn eight consecutive times. "If we beat Columbia, we feel like we've had a winning season, no matter what else happens," Micahnik said. Micahnik estimates, though that the Nittany Lions and the Red Storm will provide a greater challenge than Columbia will. "If you include us, this weekend is sort of like the final four of fencing," Micahnik said. Micahnik believes that St. John's and Penn State are stronger than Notre Dame, who Penn edged out 14-13 in an upset last weekend. The Quakers will be led by Adam Brown, who is 20-2 so far this season and captain Nathan Anderson. "It doesn't mean we can't beat them, only that it will be extremely difficult," Micahnik said.