W. Fencing looks for NCAA glory

After a disappointing showing at last year's National Collegiate Fencing Championships, Penn sophomore foilist Lauren Staudinger and sophomore epeeist Kim Linton are a year older and wiser and ready to go for broke this time around. They, along with senior epeeist Kari Coley and sophomore sabre Christina Verigan, will represent the Quakers at the NCAA championships this weekend at the University of Wisconsin, Parkside. Coming off a strong winter season, which included a win over three-time Ivy League Champion Princeton, the Quakers are looking for a final bit of glory. And there's certainly no place like NCAAs to make that final statement, as the competition draws the country's top 25 fencers in each weapon. A fencers' standing at the tournament's end is based on her win-loss record in round robin competition over the two days of competition, with the exception of the top four fencers, who face off for the title. Penn fencing coach Dave Micahnik believes each of his fencers has the potential to do very well at NCAAs. "All could be in the upper half of the field," Micahnik said. "We're certainly not going to go in and lay down for anyone." Linton and Coley, who finished 18th and 12th in epee, respectively, in their last trips to NCAAs, have talked in practice about what they expect from the epee field. They agree that a tough pool of opponents awaits them, but that doesn't mean they discount their chances to come out on top. "Winning would be nice," Coley said. "Anything is possible, and that's what I strive for, but I won't be disappointed if I fence my best." Linton is especially eager to show what she's capable of after performing below her own expectations in last year's NCAAs. "Last year I was happy to be there... I wasn't mentally prepared to win, and I've been pissed about it ever since," Linton said. "This year I'm going in bitch-mode. I'm going for blood." After placing 22nd in foil at NCAAs last year, Staudinger shares this sentiment. "I wasn't happy with the result, and I said to myself that if I ever go again, I'm going to be prepared so I'm not disappointed," Staudinger said. "If I have a good mentality and really drive myself, I can beat the people I should beat and the ones who are close." Meanwhile, Verigan is just happy to be going to her first NCAA Championships. She only wishes that the other members of the sabre squad, who just finished an impressive winter campaign, could be there with her. "It's going to be rough without Abby [Lifter] and Mindy [Nguyen] there because we function so well as a squad," Verigan said. "It's my first time on my own." However, Verigan is confident that she will hold her own in a field of familiar opponents -- she has faced many of them previously this season -- if she can fence at the level at which she has fenced all season. The Quakers know the weekend will be strenuous, with "basically continuous fencing all day," according to Verigan. But they say that they are up for the challenge and ready to put the finishing touches on an already stellar season.

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