Changes won't blow W. Fencing off course

the perennial power looks to adjust to new changes this season. With the departure of a strong graduating class, the loss of an All-American and the addition of many unproven faces, it seems that the Penn women's fencing team is off to an inauspicious beginning to their 1999-2000 season. But you won't hear that from coach Dave Micahnik. Micahnik, who is entering his 26th season at the helm of the Penn fencing program, will tell you that his team is once again faced with adversity and challenges that he hopes to overcome. "The women's team has never had a losing season under my tenure and every year it seems hard to keep that going," said Micahnik, who coaches both the Penn men's and women's teams. "But I think we can pull it off again this season." Nine of the last 15 years, Micahnik's women's teams have won the Ivy League title. Since 1977, the Penn women have finished with a top-five national ranking 14 times, including a national championship in 1986. Last year, the women fencers posted an 11-7 record and placed third in the IFA championships. But this is a new year and Micahnik will not rest on his laurels. "Tradition is established, tradition is wonderful, but it doesn't win this year's meets," he said. Many factors will make this season a difficult one for the Quakers. For starters, they will have to adjust to a change in format with the addition of the sabre, a new weapon, into NCAA competition. This means that three of the team's athletes will be forced to switch weapons. "I'd like to say the introduction of the sabre will be fabulous but I'm a little trepidacious," Micahnik said. "It will be hard to tell because we are starting people from scratch and the experience is not great." Among those switching weapons will be senior captain Heba Abdulla. As an epee, Abdulla posted a 23-20 mark last season but was willing to change weapons for the good of the team. "It's a big change and it's difficult," Abdulla said. "But the team needs it and if no one else was going to do it, I felt like I had to step up." Abdulla, who will be fencing with her third weapon at Penn, is hoping the change will work out. But, regardless of the outcome, Micahnik is very fond of the sacrifice that his captain has decided to make. "People who do things because the team needs it are my special people," he said. Also switching to sabre are sophomore Abby Lifter and freshman Christina Verigan. Lifter, who had an outstanding season as a foilist last season, posting an impressive 44-39 record, will be sorely missed at the foil spot. "Abby was really developing as a foil fencer," senior foilist Margo Katz said. "Hopefully she will be equally as good as a sabre." Verigan, one of the many newcomers, is also uncertain about what to expect. "I'm excited to be a starting a new weapon," she said. "But I have no idea what to expect from the sabre and from college fencing in general." To make things harder, Abdulla, Lifter and Verigan -- who are all new to their respective weapons -- will be fencing some women who have been fencing sabre throughout their careers. But only time will tell how much this new weapon will affect the team. While trepidation and inexperience prevail over the sabre squad, there is more stability within the other two weapons. The foil contains a mix of leadership and youth, led by seniors Katz -- who received All-Ivy honors and placed 16th at the NCAA championships a year ago -- and Amy Hozer. Combined with two highly touted newcomers, freshmen Stacey Wertlieb and Lauren Staudinger, the foil should be strong for Penn despite the loss of Lifter. Epee, on the other hand, which was originally thought to be a strong suit for the women, has been recently beset with some key losses. In addition to the loss of Abdulla to sabre, the team will also be without Kari Coley, a two-time honorable mention All-American who finished 12th at the 1999 NCAA Championships. Coley is taking a year off to study abroad. "We have other good epee fencers, but the loss of Coley really hurts," Micahnik said. "The loss of Kari is definitely going to effect the team," Katz added. "But if we all pull together, we should be all right." Without Abdulla and Coley, the team will rely on senior Sandra Yens, sophomore Mindy Nguyen and freshmen Kim Linton and Julia Blank to fence epee. Hurting the team, however, will be the loss of last year's seniors -- Meredith Galto, a captain and a second-team All-Ivy selection, and Agnieszka Gromulska -- to graduation. This, combined with the loss of Coley and the introduction of the sabre, could make this a difficult season for Penn. "There's no question that this year will be a season of development, change and challenge," Micahnik said. "But I believe we will be competitive in the league? not a favorite but dangerous nonetheless." For the Quakers to be dangerous in the league, however, they will probably need contributions from their large freshman class, which comprises nearly half the squad. "The freshmen have to understand that fencing on the collegiate level is different from high school," Micahnik said. "But our young fencers are very good and I expect an immediate contribution." Nevertheless, the Quakers have set their sights set high. "We're aiming for a winning season and hopefully an Ivy ring," Abdulla said. "But we have to take it one step at a time." That first step will be the Penn State Open, an exhibition match, this weekend. "Penn State should be a good indicator which will provide insight into out season," Katz said.