Feb. 16, 2010
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Fighting Irish fencing program sent seven team members to the 2010 Junior Olympic Championships, which took place Feb. 12-15 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The Irish contingent was led by freshman Jason Choy (Basking Ridge, N.J.), who finished tied for third out of 157 junior men’s sabre entrants.
The Irish also sent a trio of freshmen to compete in the junior women’s sabre division, led by Lian Osier (Battle Ground, Wash.), who finished fifth. Osier was joined in the women’s junior sabre division by classmates Abigail Nichols (Concord, Mass.) and Kathryn Palazzoto (Nutley, N.J.). Nichols finished 11th in the field of 111 competitors, while Palazzoto finished 58th.
Notre Dame’s third top-10 finish at the event was turned in by sophomore Enzo Castellani (Keller, Texas), who overcame a field of 205 entrants to finish seventh in the junior men’s foil division.
The Irish also sent an epee competitor in both the men’s and women’s junior divisions. Freshman Jack Piasio (DuBois, Pa.) finished 94th of 208 entrants on the men’s side, while sophomore Stephanie Myers (El Paso, Texas) finished tied for 153 out of 172 junior women’s epee competitors.
The Junior Olympic Games served as the final domestic competitions of the current selection cycle for the junior and cadet World Fencing Championships and only qualified individuals were eligible to compete.
The Irish fencing teams will now look to follow up on their dominating 2010 regular season performances as they get set to play host to the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships on March 6 and 7 at the Joyce Center.
— ND —