July 10, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame fencing program announced today that in addition to Francesca Russo, Claudia Kulmacz, Jonah Shainberg, Amanda Sirico and Nicholas Hanahan, four more talented fencers will train under the tutelage of head coach Janusz Bednarski and his coaching staff.
Steffen Felt (Redmond, Wash.) and Spicer Emge (Los Angeles, Calif.) will be joining the men’s foil squad, while Marie Anne Roche (Paris, France) will join the women’s epee squad and Jonathon Fitzgerald (East Brunswick, N.J.) will add depth to the men’s sabre rotation.
Felt recently competed in the 2014 Junior Olympics and finished third, serving as captain of the Men’s Foil Junior Team. Other accomplishments include claiming third place at the 2013 Summer National Championships, following first place in 2012. He also received third in the 2012 Canada Cup and reigned as national champion of the Western Washington Division senior men’s foil Championship for four consecutive years.
Emge has served as captain of both the Los Angeles International Fencing Club’s Senior and Junior Teams. He was a member of the first place 2013 Junior Olympics Championship Foil Team and finished second in the Junior World Cup in Moedling, Austria in 2012.
Roche competed with the Levallois Sporting Club growing up, where she was a three-time Division 1 National Team Champion. She also finished first in the National Individual Competition in 2012. Other accomplishments include a third place finish in the 2012 National Junior Championships in France and a first place finish in the National Team Cadet Championships early in her career.
Fitzgerald was ranked No, 7 at the Cadet level during the 2012-2013 season. He recently finished third in the 2014 Junior Virginia Beach North American Cup and took 7th in the 2014 Portland Junior Olympics. He also clinched first place at the 2012 Division II St. Louis North American Cup.