Head coach Dave Micahnik of the men's fencing team was fixing a sabre at practice this week.
As he used a wrench to curve the blade, he turned and said, "It gives balance."
Balance is just the word to describe this year's team. The Quakers have a mix of good young talent and with a host of experienced upperclassmen. And the team expects to be able to win immediately but also groom some of its promising freshmen for the coming years.
"I think the next few years should be good for the Penn fencing team," freshman sabrist Andrew Bielen said. "We've got a few good recruits this year coming in."
The Quakers will need to parlay that talent and experience into victories in order to fulfill their lofty expectations.
"The goal every year is to win the Ivy League championship," Micahnik said. "Harvard's been very strong, Columbia's very strong. It'll be uphill."
The team, coming off a 7-6 regular season record and a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament in Houston last year, might have the personnel to make a run at the Ivy League title along with the Lions and the Crimson.
"We have a couple of good, strong youngsters that are going to make a contribution quickly," Micahnik said of the young talent.
Not that the foil team needs the help. The Quakers return all three starters from last year's Eastern Foil championship team.
Included in the mix are two promising but inexperienced freshmen, Jason Joo and Mario Ponticello, who should push the starters.
"The chances are, foil's going to be our strongest weapon," Micahnik said.
The sabre team will feature a newcomer at the No. 1 slot, Bielen, who should single-handedly improve the squad.
Sophomore Matthew Kolasa, who is No. 2 on the depth chart, placed 17th at the NCAA Championships last year as a freshman. Meanwhile, classmate Hal Emmer retains his third spot from the previous season. Micahnik hopes that the two sophomores will use their experience to make strides in their performance this year.
"Sabre looks to be pretty strong next year; this year we'll be good," Micahnik said. "Good is good."
The epee team looks to be the weakest of the three weapons for the Quakers. Micahnik notes that the team will have two good sophomores, Ben Wieder and Samuel Monk, who will take up the top two slots.
Two first-years, Christian Pearson and Benjamin Scholom, will fight for the third starting spot on the team.
"The epee team is a little thinner for depth than it was" last year, Micahnik said.
Looking at the preseason standings on paper, Penn is ranked in the middle of the pack out of the six schools that participate in Ivy League men's fencing.
But just like a curved sabre ready to strike, this team will be both balanced and dangerous.
