March 31, 2004
EVANSTON, Ill.--From coaching achievements to individual achievements, Northwestern's women's fencing team had a season full of success.
This year, the Wildcats helped earn head coach Laurie Schiller's 800th career win--which further distanced him as the all-time winningest coach at NU--and a USFCA National Coach of the Year award. But those accomplishments stem from the quality fencers he recruits and trains, such as three-time All-American Julia F?ldi (Budapest, Hungary/Szent Istavan Gimnazium).
"This is certainly one of the most successful seasons we have had," said Schiller. "I think a good program always is a team effort. Our staff and team had a great relationship, which helped us out."
F?ldi took eighth at the NCAA Championships to lead the Wildcats to a sixth-place finish in the women's division, the team's best showing since 2000.
Fellow foilist Jessica Florendo (Forest Hills, N.Y./The Dwight School) placed 13th and missed All-America honors (12th place or higher) by just five touches. In sabre, Lauren Van Gieson (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) was one win away from 12th place; instead, she ended up14th.
Van Gieson was followed by fellow sabreist Mai Vu (New York, N.Y./Bronx Science), who nabbed19th. Closing out competition for NU was Sharon Sullivan (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport), whose 21st-place standing unfortunately could not match her start to the season.
Back in October, Sullivan won the Remenyik Open, a good tournament for the 'Cats as three others finished in the top 10-F?ldi (second), Florendo (third) and Vu (second).
Two weeks later, the team stormed to a 6-1 finish at the Ohio State Duals, falling only to the Buckeyes. Sara Pecherek (Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South), making her collegiate dual-meet debut, notched a 10-3 record in epee, while Emily Pasternak (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) was undefeated in six bouts.
Shortly thereafter, at the Junior World Cup, Northwestern boasted two fencers that finished in the top 25. Vu had the best showing for NU, taking 19th out of 52 in the sabre competition. The other Wildcat in the top 25 was Sullivan, who placed 21st in the field of 62 epeeists.
Back at SPAC, where the team held its dual meets in 2003-04, the 'Cats beat four schools at the three-day NU Duals, routing Fairleigh Dickinson (21-6), North Carolina (21-6), Temple (20-7) and Lawrence (24-3).
The lone loss for Northwestern came against Notre Dame, which won 15-12. The NU foil squad was the only squad to win (5-4), due in large part to Florendo and F?ldi, both of whom upset then-two-time defending NCAA champion Alicja Kryczalo by scores of 5-2 and 5-3, respectively.
Four NU fencers earned bids on November 23 to the 2004 USFA Junior Olympic Championships after placing in the top three in their respective divisions at the Illinois Junior Olympics Qualifier in Patten Gymnasium. Pecherek had the best outing, winning the Under-20 Women's Epee division.
After an extended winter break, the Wildcats returned to action in back-to-back weekends at the USFA North America Cup, which was divided into a junior competition and a Division 1 (senior) competition. F?ldi was tops for all NU fencers, taking 12th in Division 1 foil, while Sullivan led in the junior epee by notching 14th.
Then came the milestone win for Schiller, as Northwestern won all eight of its matches at the Midwest Duals Jan. 24 in Evanston. Eleven NU fencers were undefeated that day as the fifth-ranked team improved to 18-2.
"It is very hard to put into words (winning No. 800)," Schiller said at the time. "I am really proud of creating the program we have. It is really the kids. I hope to be around long enough to reach 1,000."
A week later the 'Cats sought retribution at the Notre Duals, where they attempted to avenge their only two losses of the season. NU was close, falling to the top-ranked Irish but beating No. 2 Ohio State 17-10. Overall Northwestern went 8-1 at the two-day meet, marking the 11th time the team has reached the 20-win mark in the last 12 years.
The rest of February was business as usual. The Wildcats posted a 3-1 record at the Penn Duals and had several top-15 performances at the Junior Olympic Championships, including Sullivan's ninth-place finish.
In the following month, NU claimed third-place for the second-straight year at the Midwest Conference Championships. On the individual side, both F?ldi and Van Gieson earned bronze medals in their respective weapons. The team finished its dual season with a 29-4 record, making Schiller's record 815-388.
At the Midwest Regional Championships, held at SPAC, Florendo grabbed second place to lead all NU competitors. That, along with picking up another win against Kryczalo, deemed her the Hilton Garden Inn Athlete of the Week.
Even with all of this year's accomplishments, the women's fencing team will continue to work hard and try to improve on an already remarkable season.
"The team looks in great shape for next year," said Schiller. "I have every expectation that we can improve on an already outstanding season."