NOTRE DAME, Ind. — Almost 11 full months since the last competition, the University of Notre Dame fencing team will make its long awaited return to the strip this weekend to open the 2021 season. The Irish are off to Columbus for the two-day Ohio State Invitational to kick off competition this season and they look to keep the momentum going that they had before the 2020 season was shut down.
WHAT: Ohio State Invitational
WHEN: Saturday, February 6th – Sunday, February 7th
WHERE: French Field House | Columbus, Ohio
LINKS: @NDFencing
Last Time Out
The last time the Irish were out on the strip at a competition was in March of 2020 at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship. The Irish finished the competition with four regional championships and ended up qualifying the max of 12 athletes for the NCAA Championships that was eventually canceled due to COVID-19.
Of the 12 NCAA qualifiers from last season, eight of them return for the Irish along with three midwest regional champions and four of the six ACC individual champions. That nucleus will lead the Irish in the shortened 2021 season that awaits. Following the Ohio State Duals, Notre Dame is scheduled to compete in two other duals meets along with the ACC Championships prior to the NCAA Championship in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Ohio State Invitational
Notre Dame is one of 10 teams that will be traveling to Columbus this weekend for the dual meet. The Irish are set to have three matches each day (the men will just have two on Sunday) and will face five teams over the course of the weekend.
The Irish will open the weekend with Penn State on Saturday and will finish the dual meet with another match against the Nittany Lions on Sunday. In between, Notre Dame will also go up against host Ohio State, NJIT, Air Force and Temple (women). The Irish fenced all five opponents this weekend at some point during the 2020 season.
Match Schedule
Saturday
8 a.m. – Penn State
9:30 a.m. – Ohio State
11 a.m. – NJIT
Sunday
8 a.m. – Temple (Women)
9:30 a.m. – Air Force
11 a.m. – Penn State
—ND—