SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Notre Dame Fencing captured a second consecutive 2022 NCAA Fencing National Championship on their home strips on Sunday afternoon at the Joyce Center. With the win, the program has earned its 12th national title, surpassing football for more team championships than any other program on campus.
“It never gets old. Coming back from a year where a lot of schools did not get to participate we had a lot to prove. There was a lot of speculations, it was a challenge for us to come back and prove to everyone that we are one of the top programs in the country. We are capable to compete with anyone at anytime,” head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia said.
Notre Dame finished twenty one points ahead of second-place Harvard (168) and and twenty one points ahead of third-place Columbia (168).
With the win, Kvaratskhelia earns his fourth national title with Notre Dame, having previously led the Irish to the team crown in 2017, 2018, and 2021.
The Irish competed with the maximum allotted 12 fencers and brought home one individual national championship.
Sunday afternoon, in addition to the team championship being awarded, the men’s individual competition concluded.
Men’s Èpée
Hunter Candreva, in his first NCAA appearance, finished in seventh place earning second-team All-American honors. He won 12 bouts out of 19, out touching his opponent 78-64 (+14).
Stephen Ewart, national runner-up last year, won eight bouts. Ewart won five straight bouts to lead him to his eight wins.
Men’s Foil
Nick Itkin finished in sixth place with a total of 15 bouts won, earning second-team All-American honors. Itkin out touched his opponents 93 to 68 (+25). Itkin won six straight bouts during competition and then finished out nationals winning four straight.
Andrew Machovec, the national runner-up last year, finished in fifth place winning 16 bouts. Machovec went 12-1 through a portion of his bouts. He out touched his opponents 99 to 73 (+26). Machovec earned second-team All-American honors with his performance.
Men’s Sabre
Luke Linder, the defending national champion, finished in seventh place. Linder won 15 bouts out of 23. Linder had five straight wins during his second and third round combined. He then saw a later stretch of wins towards the end of the final round. Linder also collected second-team All-American honors during competition.
Jared Smith, the national runner-up last year, finished in sixth place. Smith also won 15 bouts out of 23. Smith saw the majority of his wins come in the later parts of the competition in the later rounds. With Smith’s performance he earned second-team All-American honors.
Friday afternoon, Kaylin Hsieh won the women’s épée crown, becoming the sixth female épéeist in program history to win a national championship in the weapon class. The victory earned her a first-team All-America honor from the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association. Amanda Pirkowski, who finished in eighth place, was awarded second-team All-America honors.
In women’s foil, Amita Berthier, who was the national runner-up, received first-team All-America honors, while Nicole Pustilnik, who finished her first NCAA Championship appearance in sixth place, claimed second-team honors.
Atara Greenbaum completed the women’s sabre competition as the national runner-up, earning first-team All-America honors. Kara Linder finished in fifth place of the weapon class to secure second-team honors.
– ND –