The Columbia Lions fencing team is the intercollegiate fencing team for Columbia University located in Manhattan, New York City. The team competes in the Ivy League within Division I of the NCAA. The university first fielded a team in 1898, under the leadership of coach James Murray. The team is currently coached by Michael Aufrichtig.
The Blue Gym (or University Gym) is home to the Columbia Lion fencing team, located within the Dodge Physical Fitness Center on campus.
History The team was founded in 1898, and won the Intercollegiate Fencing Association national championship six times, in 1898, 1913, 1914, 1918, 1919, and 1934.
It has captured the NCAA fencing championship 16 times, most recently in 2019. This is tied with the University of Notre Dame for the most NCAA fencing titles.
The team has also won 55 Ivy League Championships, last capturing both the Men's and Women's titles outright in the same year in 2019.
The team has produced a number of Olympians, including five in 2012.
Notable former fencers
Norman C. Armitage (born Norman Cohn; 1907-1972), 6-time Olympic fencer Robert Blum (born 1928), 2-time Olympic fencer Bob Cottingham (born 1966), Olympic fencer Jacqueline Dubrovich (born 1994), Olympic fencer Sherif Farrag (born 1987), Olympic fencer Joel Glucksman (born 1949), Olympic fencer Asher Grodman (born 1987), actor Alen Hadzic was named as an alternate to the 2021 Olympic team, but was suspended by the United States Center for SafeSport (SafeSport) due to findings of an investigation following allegations of rape and other sexual misconduct; an arbitrator later reduced his sanction, allowing him to go to Tokyo, though he did not fence. Hadzic had previously been suspended by Columbia University for a year for sexual misconduct, while he was a member of the Columbia team, as a result of the findings of a Title IX investigation. In June 2023, Hadzic was banned from fencing in the US for life by SafeSport, due to his sexual misconduct. Jacob Hoyle (born 1994), Olympic fencer Emily Jacobson (born 1985), Olympic fencer Dan Kellner (born 1976), Olympic fencer Stephen Kovacs (1972–2022), fencer and coach, charged with sexual assault, died in prison James Margolis (born 1936), Olympic fencer James Melcher (born 1939), Olympic fencer Nzingha Prescod (born 1992), Olympic fencer Nicole Ross (born 1989), Olympic fencer Hal Scardino (born 1984), American-British actor Daria Schneider (born 1987), saber team bronze medalist in World Fencing Championships (2011 and 2012) Erinn Smart (born 1980), Olympic fencer Jeff Spear (born 1988), Olympic fencer Cornel Wilde (born Kornél Weisz; 1912–1989), Hungarian-American actor James Leighman Williams (born 1985), Olympic fencer
Year-by-year results Men's fencing Year Wins Losses Pct. Ivy Tournament NCAA Tournament 2005–2006 12 5 .706 2nd 5th 2006–2007 11 2 .846 1st (Tie) 3rd 2007–2008 12 3 .800 1st 3rd 2008–2009 8 8 .500 2nd 4th 2009–2010 3 15 .167 6th 7th 2010–2011 2 13 .133 6th 7th 2011–2012 8 10 .444 3rd (Tie) 8th 2012–2013 16 8 .667 2nd (Tie) 7th 2013–2014 27 3 .900 1st (Tie) 7th 2014–2015 17 6 .739 1st (Tie) 1st 2015–2016 19 6 .684 1st (Tie) 1st 2016–2017 25 6 .760 1st (Tie) 3rd 2017–2018 20 7 .650 1st (Tie) 2nd 2018–2019 1st 1st
Women's fencing Year Wins Losses Pct. Ivy Tournament NCAA Tournament 2005–2006 17 3 .850 2nd 5th 2006–2007 14 0 1.000 1st 3rd 2007–2008 13 1 .929 1st 3rd 2008–2009 14 3 .824 2nd 4th 2009–2010 14 5 .737 2nd 7th 2010–2011 10 5 .667 2nd 7th 2011–2012 13 6 .684 2nd 8th 2012–2013 22 4 .846 2nd 7th 2013–2014 .846 3rd 7th 2014–2015 25 1 .961 1st 1st 2015–2016 25 2 .920 1st (Tie) 1st 2016–2017 31 2 .935 2nd 3rd 2017–2018 26 3 .885 1st 2nd 2018–2019 1st 1st
References
External links