PRINCETON, N.J. — Columbia’s fencing team celebrated a thrilling day at the Ivy League Round Robin Championships, taking home two trophies. The women secured a perfect 6-0 record, while the men finished 4-1, tying with Harvard for first place.
This victory marks an impressive milestone for Columbia, being the sixth time since 2015 that both the men’s and women’s teams have won at the same event. The women celebrated their 15th Ivy League title, and the men captured their 43rd, both the highest in the league’s history.
Head coach Michael Aufrichtig said, “Every match came down to who wanted it more. This summer, we committed to teamwork. Everyone mattered, and that’s exactly what showed this weekend.” His words capture the essence of their success.
The women kicked things off with a close match against Harvard. Facing a 12-10 deficit, they rallied to tie 13-13. In a nail-biting finish, Carolina Stutchbury clinched the win in women’s foil. Columbia soon shared the title when Harvard triumphed over Princeton, securing Columbia’s first outright Ivy League championship since 2020.
Stutchbury also excelled individually, finishing 14-1 on the day. Other standout players like Zander Rhodes, Tamar Gordon, Tierna Oxenreider, and Nicole Xuan received second-team All-Ivy League honors.
On the men’s side, Columbia started strong, defeating Penn 19-8. They then capitalized on a strong match against Harvard, winning 17-10. This victory secured their share of the championship.
Individually, Julien Lim, Marsel Nagimov, Zeyad Nofal, and Will Morrill earned first-team All-Ivy League honors, showcasing their talent across the board. Columbia also had key contributions from Skyler Liverant and Samarth Kumbla, who made the second team.
Looking ahead, Columbia will compete on February 25 at the George Kolombatovich Historical Meet, facing teams like Sacred Heart and Vassar. The momentum from this weekend is sure to boost their confidence.
For those interested, follow Columbia’s fencing programs on social media at @CULionsFencing for updates and insights into future matches.
