Feb. 24, 2002
Detroit, Mich. (2/21/02)-The Notre Dame men’s and women’s fencing teams both capped the 2002 regular season with 4-0 records Sunday at the Wayne State Duals, with several Irish fencers completing some of the most successful regular seasons in the program’s storied history.
The top-ranked Notre Dame men extended the program’s third-longest all-time unbeaten streak to 59 matches, after completing the 18th undefeated season (18-0) in the program’s history with wins over Michigan State (25-2), Detroit-Mercy (27-0), Lawrence (27-0), and Michigan (25-2).
The third-ranked Irish women scored victories over Michigan State (19-8), Detroit-Mercy (23-4), Lawrence (24-3), and Michigan (21-6), yielding a final regular-season record of 20-2.
Five Notre Dame fencers completed 2002 season winning percentages that rank among the top 10 in Notre Dame history (not including women’s sabre, which made its debut in 2000), with that elite group including three junior team captains – men’s epeeist Jan Viviani, men’s foilist Ozren Debic and women’s epeeist Anna Carnick – plus sophomore women’s epeeist Kerry Walton and freshman women’s foilist Alijca Kryczalo.
Notre Dame next focues on the postseason, which includes playing host to the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships on March 2-3 at the Joyce Center (with bouts set to begin at approximately 8:00 a.m.). The Irish then will head to the Midwest Regional Championship (March 9 at Case Western Reserve) – where they will look to qualify the maximum 12 fencers for the four-day NCAA Championship, to be held March 21-24 at Drew University in Madison, N.J.
The men’s epee squad posted a 32-4 record at Wayne State and finished 135-27 for the season (.833, best among the six Irish weapons). Senior two-time All-American Brian Casas won all seven of his bouts to finish his career 4th on the Notre Dame list for all-time men’s epee wins (156-55), which also ranks as the 9th-most career wins among all ND men’s weapons.
Viviani remains atop the Irish men’s epee career winning percentage list (118-14/.894), finishing his season at 42-3. The two-time All-American’s .933 season winning percentage ranks 3rd in Irish history (following his 5th-place finish last year) and is the highest by an ND men’s epeeist since Ted Fay’s 33-2/.943 mark in 1989 (Jan Tivenius went 45-3/.938 in ’83). Viviani also is 12th on the all-time career winning percentage list for all men’s weapons and 38th on the men’s victories list for all weapons (11th in epee wins).
The men’s foil squad went unbeaten (36-0) on Sunday to finish the season 127-35 (.784). Debic (12-0) remains 1st on the ND men’s foil career winning percentage list (126-7/.947, also 3rd among all ND men’s weapons), in addition to ranking 29th on the victories list for all men’s weapons. The two-time All-American posted the 6th-best season winning pct. in ND men’s foil history (30-2/.938) and now holds down three spots on that top 10 list (no previous Irish fencer is in the men’s foil season win pct. top-10 list more than twice, with Debic going 42-3 in 2000 and 42-2 in ’01).
Senior folist Steve Mautone finished his career with the Irish (12-0 day, 28-15 season, 137-59 career) in 20th place on the career wins list for all weapons (8th among foilists).
The men’s sabre team also managed an undefeated day (36-0) and finished 133-29 (.821) for the season. Fifth-year Andrzej Bednarski (6-0 day, 33-11 season, 152-31 career) moved into 5th place on the men’s sabre career wins list, with the three-time All-American also ranking 12th in career wins among all men’s weapons.
Senior sabre captain and All-American Andre Crompton (9-0 day, 42-5 season, 150-19/.888 career) finished 6th on the ND men’s sabre career wins list (13th among all weapons) and 8th on the career winning percentage list for Irish men’s sabres (15th for all weapons). Junior Matt Fabricant (7-0, 39-8, 102-17/.857) will head into his senior season ranked 26th on the ND list for overall winning pct. (all weapons) and 52nd in career wins.
The women’s epee squad (31-5) finished the season 157-41 (.793), with Carnick (4-1 day, 46-8/.852 season, 140-36/.795 career) moving into 5th place on the women’s epee career wins list, with the two-time All-American also ranking 4th in women’s epee career winning pct. while her 2002 season winning pct. (.852) ranks 7th all-time among ND women’s epeeist.
Notre Dame’s other junior two-time All-American, Meagan Call (5-1, 37-20, 130-43), moved into 6th place on the women’s epee career wins list while Walton (5-0) finished her impressive debut season with a 50-5 record (.909), good for 4th in the ND record book among season winning pct. for women’s epeeists.
The women’s foil squad (26-10) ended its strong 2002 season with a 149-49 (.753) record. Freshman Andrea Ament finished 5-0 on the day and 27-2 (.931) for the season while her classmate Kryczalo (3-0, 39-2/.951) completed the 7th-best season winning pct. in ND women’s foil history.
The women’s sabre squad (30-6) wrapped up the third season of that weapon’s competition at 137-61 (.692). Fifth-year student and team captain Carianne McCullough ended her regular-season career with an 8-0 day, improving to 42-9 (.823) for the season and 161-38 (.809) for her career (she ranks 21st on the ND list for career winning pct. among all women’s weapons). Sophomore Destanie Milo closed with four wins for a 45-8 season record (.849), boosting her two-year career mark to 86-20 (.811).