Sports Spotlight: an introduction to fencing at CSU – The Cauldron
Fencing is a sport that has existed for centuries.
Cleveland State University’s (CSU) own fencing team has been around longer than the University itself. Emerging during the time of Fenn College in 1931, there has been a long journey from the early 1900s to the present day. This year, CSU fencing looks to make waves in a heated fencing conference.
What is fencing?
Fencing, when stripped down to its barest parts, is a combat sport in which one person duels with another to prove their superiority.
It is a sport with a simple objective; to score 15 points, or 5 points either before your opponent can, or before time expires. Points are scored by touching the target area of an opponent.
There are three different weapons which dictate strategy, rules and win conditions. They are called epee, foil and sabre. Epee is the heaviest weapon, where you can attack and hit any point on a fencer’s body using the tip of the sword. Foil is also a weapon where you attack with the tip of the sword, but you can only score on a hit to the chest or the back. Sabre is the only weapon of the three where you can make attacks with the whole blade, but hits are only counted from the waist up.
CSU’s fencing team members are gearing up for the academic year, during which they will host NCAA Midwest Regionals. Their competition is some of the stiffest in the collegiate fencing world, including universities like Ohio State and Notre Dame.
“This team can go as far as they want,” Head Coach Jennifer Oldham said about the competitive nature of the fencing world. “I want them to end the season hungry for more next season. It is a young team, and so they can only improve over time.”
Oldham herself is an experienced fencer with over twenty years of fencing skill. Despite fencing’s long-standing at Cleveland State, Oldham is only the second full-time coach in the fencing team’s 94-year history.
Who is Fencing?
The Vikings’ roster features a mix of both newcomers and experienced collegiate fencers.
Among the women, juniors like Rayllen Prafil Capaccio (Epee) from Argentina bring in an experienced international perspective, while sophomore fencers like Samantha Way (Sabre), Aubrey Testroet (Sabre), Evelyn Malvestuto (Foil) and Anna Quin (Foil) are expected to develop as key pieces within weapon squads. Freshman fencer Anna Klimenko (Epee) is an experienced epeeist who adds exciting potential to Cleveland State Fencing.
On the men’s side, Cleveland State returning senior and sabre competitor Conner Bailey and Junior Sabreist Simon Caisse will lead the experience, Foil fencers Sal Sorrentino and Matthew Seljan are both third-year collegiate fencers. Sophomores like Nolan Giovangoli, Jack Miller, Jaden Giliard and MJ Qashou round out the second year lineup.
Five freshmen additions to Cleveland State’s Men’s fencing team include Marcus Strugar, a redshirt freshman, who has attended college in previous years, but begins their first year fencing for CSU this year. The other four freshmen include Ben Palladino, Jamison Horne, Adrian Rakotozafy and Trent Chemezov.
Despite the competition that CSU fencing faces going into the year, the members remain committed to being their best.
“I have a lot of expectations, especially individually. I want to make it to the [National Collegiate Athletic Association] and get…straight As on my courses, as well as also mak[e]…sure I can be the best captain for my team.”
Captain of the women’s team Ray Prafil has been fencing for over 10 years, beginning at age 10 and continuing ever since. The exotic nature of the sport drew her in, but it was the memories and drive to push herself that became a part of who she is today.
Another member of the team, Student Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) Representative Nolan Giovagnoli also highlighted his connection to the sport.
“I told myself in high school that I would only go to a college that would let me fence,” he said.
Giovangoli found importance in the sport as an activity where he could focus and develop tangible skills.
“You can break down one moment into an entire season of training. It’s got the flash, it’s got the speed, and it’s fun. It just doesn’t have the light shown on it.”
Fencing is often seen as a test of finesse, but it also demands that a given fencer be capable of complex movement and great feats of athleticism.
“Overall, I think a lot of people look down on fencing,” added Way, an aspiring armorer with the team. “We do have to do a lot of conditioning. Everything is engaged.”
The Cleveland State Fencing team will host the conference in March, with its season anticipated to begin in the coming weeks.