Jan. 29, 2018

By Joanne Norell

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame fencing program has signed a quartet of talented prospects to National Letters of Intent, adding three female and one male fencer to the class of 2018.

Epeeist Miriam Grady, sabreuse Kara Linder and foilist Amita Berthier will join the Irish women’s squad, while foilist Andrew Machovec will become the newest scholarship fencer for the men. Grady, Linder and Machovec are all top-ranked American juniors, while Berthier is the first Singaporean fencer to win a junior World Cup title (this past December in Havana).

Machovec comes in as the No. 2-ranked junior men’s foilist in the country, behind only current Notre Dame freshman Nick Itkin. Grady is the No. 8 junior epeeist in the nation, while Linder rates as the No. 11 junior sabreuse.

More information on the 2018 signing class:

Miriam Grady | 5-6 | Broomfield, Colo. | Epee

• Will graduate from Peak to Peak Charter School in May 2018
• Member of the Northern Colorado Fencers club
• Currently the No. 8 ranked junior and No. 34 ranked senior in the country (as of Jan. 8, 2018)
• Third place Division 1 Women’s Epee 2016 July NAC
• Third place Junior Women’s Epee 2017 Junior Olympics
• Third place Cadet Women’s Epee 2016 November NAC
• Eleventh place Cadet Women’s Epee 2017 Bratislava Cadet Cup
• Fifth place Junior Women’s Epee 2018 January NAC
• Twelfth place Division 1 Women’s Epee 2017 January NAC
• Second place Junior Team Women’s Epee Burgos Junior World Cup
• 23rd place Junior Women’s Epee Burgos Junior World Cup
• Three-year National Honor Society member
• Regular Dean’s List honoree
• Daughter of Peter and Eveline Grady
• Has two younger brothers, Patrick and George
• Will enter the First Year of Studies program and intends to major in science pre-professional

Kara Linder | 5-11 | Chandler, Ariz. | Sabre

• Will graduate from Hamilton High School in May 2018
• Member of the Fencers Club of Arizona
• Currently the No. 11 ranked junior and No. 35 ranked senior in the country (as of Jan. 22, 2018)
• First World Cup win at 14 years old (Konin, Poland) Cadet division 2014
• First place 2014 North American Cup (under 14 division)
• Fifth place 2015 World Cup (Udine, Italy) junior division
• 10th place at 2015 Junior Pan American Championships
• First place 2015 World Cup (Konin, Poland) Cadet division
• First place 2015 World Cup (San Jose, Costa Rica)
• Third place 2015 World Cup (Sosnowiec, Poland)
• First place Division 1 Summer Nationals
• Eighth place 2016 Cadet World Championships (Bourges, France)
• Top 32 finish 2016 Junior World Championships (Bourges, France)
• First place 2016 Cadet Mixed Team World Championships (Bourges, France)
• Third place 2016 Junior Team World Championships (Bourges, France)
• First place 2016 Cadet Pan American Championships
• First place 2016 Cadet Mixed Team Pan-American Championships
• First place 2016 Junior Pan-American Championships
• First place 2016 Junior team Pan-American Championships
• Second place 2017 Junior Olympic Championships
• Second place 2016 World Cup (San Jose, Costa Rica)
• First place 2017 World Cup (Konin, Poland)
• Third place 2017 Junior Pan-American Championships
• Third place 2017 Cadet World Cup (Moedling, Austria)
• 2017 World Team member for Cadet, Junior, Cadet team, and Junior team
• Top 8 Finish 2017 Summer Nationals (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Top 8 Finish 2017 North American Cup (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
• National Honor Society member
• Vice President of Future Farmers of America chapter
• Daughter of Nina and Jason Linder
• Mother Nina was a swimmer at Evansville University
• Has a younger brother, Luke
• Will enter the First Year of Studies program and intends to major in biochemistry

Amita Berthier | 5-4 | Singapore | Foil

• Will graduate from the Singapore Sports School & Penn Foster High in spring of 2018
• Has fenced for Z Fencing Pte Ltd and Marx Fencing Academy
• Represented country at the cadet World Championship as a freshman, sophomore and junior, placing fifth as a sophomore and third as a junior
• Won bronze medal at the Asian Fencing Championship for cadet foil individual as a high school freshman
• Won gold medals for cadet and junior events at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship as a high school freshman
• Won gold medals at the Asian Fencing Cadet Championship for individual and team events as a high school sophomore
• Won gold at the Southeast Asian games as a junior
• Won medals at two Junior World Cups (silver in Guatemala and gold in Havana)
• Research member and volunteer for Red Arrow Consulting Pte Ltd.
• Assisted with the historical documentation of a conserved area in Singapore
• Undertook “Project Read” for kids from financially challenged backgrounds
• Assisted the Singapore Federation with the promotion of fencing for schools in Singapore
• Received the EAGLES award from the Singapore parliament for leadership, community service, character and achievements
• Received the Sports Girl of the Month and Sports Girl Award with distinction from the Singapore Ministry of Education
• Daughter of the late Eric and Uma Berthier
• Has an older brother, Ashok, and two older sisters, Aishwarya and Aarya
• Will enter the First Year of Studies program and intends to major in business

Andrew Machovec | 6-5 | East Rockaway, N.Y. | Foil

• Will graduate from East Rockaway High School in June 2018
• Member of the 5T Fencers Club
• Member of U.S. Men’s Foil National Team
• Finished the 2016-17 season ranked No. 1 in cadet men’s foil
• Current No. 2 in the nation in junior men’s foil and No. 14 in senior men’s foil (as of Jan. 22, 2018)
• Won three straight Cadet World Cups in 2016-17
• Four-year member of the National Honor Society and high honor roll honoree
• Named an AP Scholar with Honor as a high school junior
• Volunteered to supervise special needs students on their trip to Freeport Recreation Aquatic Center.
• Member of ERHS Senior Band, Jazz Band and Marching Band
• President of Musical, A/V effects, and Stage set; designed and built theatrical set, programmed theater lights for shows, and sound director. Received A/V technician and outstanding construction awards.
• Rock Rivalry Refreshment Stand and Sound Director; refreshment stand chairperson, building themed stand in inter-class competition. Operated sound in stage performance portion of competition.
• Represented school and placed second at the “Most Physically Educated Student” contest at Adelphi University
• Son of John and Lisa Machovec
• Has three brothers, John, Ryan and Matthew
• Will enter the First Year of Studies program and intends to major in biological sciences

–ND–

Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame men’s tennis and fencing programs, in addition to assisting with football communications and overseeing production of the football Gameday Magazine. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.