March 20, 1999

WALTHAM, Mass. — The Notre Dame fencing team is in second place after the third day of competition at the 1999 NCAA championships in Waltham, Mass., at Brandeis University. Penn State, the four-time defending NCAA champion, is first place with 139 points, the Irish trail the Nittany Lions by 21 points. St. John’s and Stanford are currently tied in third place with 110 points. On the third day of competition men’s epee concluded and women’s foil and epee commenced.

Brian Casas and James Gaither represented the Irish in men’s epee. Casas finished 14-9 and in eight place. His eighth place finish earns him All-American honors. Gaither finished in 14th place with 11 victories against 12 defeats. With a 20-3 record the 1999 NCAA men’s epee champion is Alex Roytblat of St. John’s.

The three-time All-American duo of Myriah Brown and Sara Walsh produced 21 points for the Irish. Brown finished her weapon’s first day of competition in eighth place with a record of 9-5. Walsh is currently in fifth place with a 12-2 record. Leading the women’s foil competition is Stanford’s Monique de Bruin. Monique is the sister of former Irish All-American fencer Claudette de Bruin.

The All-American tandem of Madga Krol and Nicole Mustilli combined for a 19-9 record on the first day of the women’s epee competition. Krol, the 1997 NCAA women’s epee champion, is in sixth place with a 9-5 record. Mustilli, who finished in fourth place at the 1998 NCAA championships, is in fifth place with a record of 10-4.

Sunday will be the final day of competition at the 1999 NCAA Fencing Championships. The 1999 champion will be decided with the completion of fencing in women’s foil and epee.