Cauldron

Issue date: 8/28/07 Section: Sports & Clubs

Media Credit: Jorge Novo UST fencers pictured here during a practice, attended the United States Fencing Association nationals this summer.

The UST Fencing team ranked 35 out of 37 in the men's team foil competition at the annual United States Fencing Association summer nationals in Miami, Florida.

UST assistant coach Mike Leang ranked 67 out of 124 in division three men's foil. Non-UST team member Jacob Stern ranked 34 out of 142 in division two men's foil.

UST's fencing team is a member of the Gulf Coast Division of USFA. The fencers qualified for the national competition by ranking in the top 25 percent of competitors in an event.

The team is limited to three competitors and one auxiliary member. "It was not a choice of ability but rather of availability," Novo said. Senior business administration major Patrick Hildebrand and senior communication and psychology major Jesus Bautista competed in the tournament along with Leang and Stearn.

In order to qualify for national competition, the fencers must be male United States citizens with competitive experience.

Leang and Stearn fenced in a pool of seven competitors in individual foil. "They fenced each fencer in the pool and obtained an indicator which is compared to all the fencers at nationals," Novo said. Stearn's top ranking within his pool allowed him to skip a bout and proceed to the final match. "[Stearn's] duel was fierce and exciting, but at the end, Jacob was defeated," Novo said. "Mike Leang's duel was very similar, only to suffer a bitter defeat after a challenging bout."

Scott Brown coaches the UST fencing team. For the past six years, he has trained undergraduate students to compete at national events.

Novo said that the team will take a new direction this year. "Our goal for this year is, once again, to participate at Summer Nationals in San Jose, Calif. and continue to fence at the numerous tournaments held at the local and state level," he said.

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