The NCAA fencing championships are contested at an annual competition organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to determine the team and individual champions of co-educational collegiate fencing among its member programs in the United States. It has been held every year since 1941, except during World War II and in 2020.
Individual men's and women's championships are awarded in three events (foil, épée, and sabre) with an aggregate team championship awarded based on these individual performances.
Unlike most NCAA sports, the fencing championship is a National Collegiate (NC) championship rather than being split into divisions; as such, teams from Division I, Division II, and Division III all compete together.
History Prior to 1990, separate men's and women's championships were held, but from 1990 to 2025, fencing was a coed sport with teams having men's and women's squads, although some schools field only a women's team. Fencing is a single-division sport with schools from all three NCAA divisions competing against each other.
Fencing was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same twelve (and other) sports; however, after a year of dual women's championships, the NCAA conquered the AIAW and usurped its authority and membership.
NCAA fencing follows the rules of the U.S. Fencing Association with several modifications.
Criticism of coed model After publicity regarding the differences in facilities provided to participants in the 2021 Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, the NCAA commissioned the law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink (now known as Hecker Fink) to conduct a broad-based review of gender equity issues surrounding all of its championship events. The first phase dealt exclusively with Division I basketball; the second phase investigated all other NCAA championships, including fencing. In the second phase, both fencing stakeholders and NCAA staff identified a major gender inequity issue stemming from the NCAA's 1990 decision to combine the men's and women's team championships. As of the date of the report (the 2021–22 school year), no NCAA fencing programs fielded only a men's team, but several fielded only women's teams. Because the team champion was then determined by combining each school's men's and women's points earned, and entry rules limit the number of participants of each sex per school and region, women-only teams could not win the team championship. Some stakeholders suggested that men's and women's team championships be reintroduced, either as substitutes for or supplements to the current coed championship.
Separate men's and women's team championships were reinstated, effective with the 2026 Championships.
Results Separate team championships (2026–present) YearVenueTeamTeam ChampionsIndividual ChampionsTeam ChampionScoreTeam Runner-UpFoilÉpéeSabre2028College Township, PAMen Women 2027Durham, NCMen Women 2026Notre Dame, INMen Notre Dame 91-81 Columbia Sam Kumbla, Columbia Youssef Shamel, North Carolina Ahmed Hesham, Notre DameWomen Notre Dame 102–99 Columbia-Barnard Jessica Guo, Harvard Eszter Muhari, Notre Dame Natalia Botello, Ohio State
Co-ed team championships (1990–2025) YearVenueTeam ChampionsIndividual ChampionsTeam ChampionScoreTeam Runner-UpFoilÉpéeSabre2025 College Township, PA Notre Dame 183–172 Columbia-Barnard Men: Chase Emmer, Notre Dame Women: Arianna Cao, Stanford Men: Mohamed Elsayed Saleh, Long Island University Women: Eszter Muhari, Notre Dame Men: Darii Lukashenko, St. John's Women: Magda Skarbonkiewicz, Notre Dame2024 Columbus, OH Harvard 169–161 Notre Dame Men: Bryce Louie, Penn Women: Jessica Guo, Harvard Men: Tristan Szapary, Princeton Women: Emily Vermeule, Harvard Men: Luke Linder, Notre Dame Women: Maggie Shealy, Brandeis2023 Durham, NC Notre Dame 188–175 Princeton Men: Jan Jurkiewicz, St. John's Women: Lauren Scruggs, Harvard Men: Jonas Hansen, Harvard Women: Eszter Muhari, Notre Dame Men: Luke Linder, Notre Dame Women: Nora Burke, Columbia-Barnard2022 Notre Dame, IN Notre Dame 189–168 Harvard Men: Ashton Daniel, Columbia-Barnard Women: Maia Weintraub, Princeton Men: Gabriel Feinberg, Ohio State Women: Kaylin Hsieh, Notre Dame Men: Filip Dolegiewicz, Harvard Women: Elizabeth Tartakovsky, Harvard2021 College Township, PA Notre Dame 201–182 Penn State Men: Marcello Olivares, Notre Dame Women: Stefani Deschner, Notre Dame Men: Ryan Griffiths, Penn State Women: Laura Fekete, Long Island University Men: Luke Linder, Notre Dame Women: Kara Linder, Notre Dame2020Canceled due to COVID-19 2019 Cleveland, OH Columbia-Barnard 178–166 Penn State Men: Nick Itkin, Notre Dame Women: Sylvie Binder, Columbia-Barnard Men: Oliver Shindler, Ohio State Women: Anne Cebula, Columbia-Barnard Men: Karol Metryka, Penn State Women: Karolina Cieślar, St. John's2018 College Township, PA Notre Dame 185–170 Columbia-Barnard Men: Nick Itkin, Notre Dame Women: Iman Blow, Columbia-Barnard Men: Marc-Antoine Blais, Ohio State Women: Catherine Nixon, Princeton Men: Eli Dershwitz, Harvard Women: Maia Chamberlain, Princeton2017details Indianapolis, IN Notre Dame 186–161 Ohio State Men: Andras Nemeth, St. John's Women: Lee Kiefer, Notre Dame Men: Cooper Schumacher, St. John's Women: Anna Van Brummen, Princeton Men: Eli Dershwitz, Harvard Women: Francesca Russo, Notre Dame2016 Waltham, MA Columbia-Barnard 174–167 Ohio State Men: Maximilien Chastanet, Ohio State Women: Eleanor Harvey, Ohio State Men: Jacob Hoyle, Columbia Women: Jessie Radanovich, Penn State Men: Andrew Mackiewicz, Penn State Women: Adrienne Jarocki, Harvard2015 Columbus, OH Columbia-Barnard 165–156 Penn State Men: Alexander Massialas, Stanford Women: Lee Kiefer, Notre Dame Men: Jacob Hoyle, Columbia Women: Isis Washington, St. John's Men: Andrew Mackiewicz, Penn State Women: Francesca Russo, Notre Dame2014 Columbus, OH Penn State 180–159 Princeton Men: Gerek Meinhardt, Notre Dame Women: Lee Kiefer, Notre Dame Men: Yevgeniy Karyuchenko, St. John's Women: Vivian Kong, Stanford Men: Kaito Streets, Penn State Women: Adrienne Jarocki, Harvard2013San Antonio, TX Princeton 182–175 Notre Dame Men: Alexander Massialas, Stanford Women: Lee Kiefer, Notre Dame Men: Marco Canevari, Ohio State Women: Courtney Hurley, Notre Dame Men: Michael Mills, Penn Women: Eliza Stone, Princeton 2012 Columbus, OH Ohio State 182–161 Princeton Men: Zain Shaito, Ohio State Women: Evgeniya Kirpicheva, St. John's Men: Jonathan Yergler, Princeton Women: Katarzyna Dabrowa, Ohio State Men: Aleksander Ochocki, Penn State Women: Rebecca Ward, Duke 2011 Columbus, OH Notre Dame 174–168 Penn State Men: Ariel DeSmet, Notre Dame Women: Alexandra Kiefer, Harvard Men: Marat Israelian, St. John's Women: Courtney Hurley, Notre Dame Men: Daryl Homer, St. John's Women: Rebecca Ward, Duke 2010 Cambridge, MA Penn State 191–182 St. John's Men: Gerek Meinhardt, Notre Dame Women: Nicole Ross, Columbia-Barnard Men: Marat Israelian, St. John's Women: Margherita Guzzi Vincenti, Penn State Men: Daryl Homer, St. John's Women: Caroline Vloka, Harvard 2009 University Park, PA Penn State 195–182 Notre Dame Men: Nicholas Chinman, Penn State Women: Doris Willette, Penn State Men: Slava Zingerman, Wayne State Women: Anastasia Ferdman, Penn State Men: Aleksander Ochocki, Penn State Women: Rebecca Ward, Duke 2008 Columbus, OH Ohio State 185–176 Notre Dame Men: Andras Horanyi, Ohio State Women: Monika Golebiewski, St. John's Men: Slava Zingerman, Wayne State Women: Kelly Hurley, Notre Dame Men: Jeff Spear, Columbia Women: Sarah Borrmann, Notre Dame 2007 Madison, NJ Penn State 194–176 St. John's Men: Andras Horanyi, Ohio State Women: Doris Willette, Penn State Men: Slava Zingerman, Wayne State Women: Anna Garina, Wayne State Men: Timothy Hagamen, Harvard Women: Daria Schneider, Columbia-Barnard 2006 Houston, TX Harvard 165–159 Penn State Men: Boaz Ellis, Ohio State Women: Erzsebet Garay, St. John's Men: Benji Ungar, Harvard Women: Katarzyna Trzopek, Penn State Men: Adam Crompton, Ohio State Women: Mariel Zagunis, Notre Dame 2005 Houston, TX Notre Dame 173–171 Ohio State Men: Boaz Ellis, Ohio State Women: Emily Cross, Harvard Men: Michal Sobieraj, Notre Dame Women: Anna Garina, Wayne State Men: Sergey Isayenko, St. John's Women: Emily Jacobson, Columbia-Barnard 2004 Waltham, MA Ohio State 194–160 Penn State Men: Boaz Ellis, Ohio State Women: Alicja Kryczalo, Notre Dame Men: Arpad Horvath, St. John's Women: Anna Garina, Wayne State Men: Adam Crompton, Ohio State Women: Valerie Providenza, Notre Dame 2003 USAF Academy, CO Notre Dame 182–179 Penn State Men: Nontapat Panchan, Penn State Women: Alicja Kryczalo, Notre Dame Men: Seth Kelsey, Air Force Women: Katarzyna Trzopek, Penn State Men: Adam Crompton, Ohio State Women: Alexis Jemal, Rutgers 2002 Madison, NJ Penn State 195–190 St. John's Men: Nontapat Panchan, Penn State Women: Alicja Kryczalo, Notre Dame Men: Arpad Horvath, St. John's Women: Kerry Walton, Notre Dame Men: Ivan Lee, St. John's Women: Sada Jacobson, Yale 2001 Somers, WI St. John's 180–172 Penn State Men: Jedediah Dupree, Columbia Women: Iris Zimmermann, Stanford Men: Soren Thompson, Princeton Women: Emese Takacs, St. John's Men: Ivan Lee, St. John's Women: Sada Jacobson, Yale 2000 Stanford, CA Penn State 175–171 Notre DameSt. John's Men: Felix Reichling, Stanford Women: Eva Petschnigg, Princeton Men: Daniel Landgren, Penn State Women: Jessica Burke, Penn State Men: Gabor Szelle, Notre Dame Women: Caroline Purcell, MIT 1999 Waltham, MA Penn State 171–139 Notre Dame Men: Felix Reichling, Stanford Women: Monique DeBruin, Stanford Men: Alex Roylblat, St. John's Women: Felicia Zimmerman, Stanford Men: Keeth Smart, St. John's 1998South Bend, IN Penn State 149–147 Notre Dame Men: Ayo Griffin, Yale Women: Felicia Zimmerman, Stanford Men: George Hentea, St. John's Women: Charlotte Walker, Penn State Men: Luke LaValle, Notre Dame 1997 USAF Academy, CO Penn State 1,530–1,470 Notre Dame Men: Cliff Bayer, Penn Women: Yelena Kalkina, Ohio State Men: Alden Clarke, Stanford Women: Magda Krol, Notre Dame Men: Keeth Smart, St. John's 1996 New Haven, CT Penn State 1,500–1,190 Notre Dame Men: Thorstein Becker, Wayne State Women: Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State Men: Jeremy Kahn, Duke Women: Nicole Dygert, St. John's Men: Maxim Pekarev, Princeton 1995Notre Dame, IN Penn State 440–413 St. Johns Men: Sean McClain, Stanford Women: Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State Men: Mike Gattner, Lawrence Women: Tina Loven, St. John's Men: Paul Palestis, NYU 1994 Waltham, MA Notre Dame 4,350–4,075 Penn State Men: Kwame van Leeuwen, Harvard Women: Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State Men: Harold Winkmann, Princeton Men: Thomas Strzalkowski, Penn State 1993 Detroit, MI Columbia-Barnard 4,525–4,500 Penn State Men: Nick Bravin, Stanford Women: Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State Men: Ben Atkins, Columbia Men: Thomas Strzalkowski, Penn State 1992Notre Dame, IN Columbia-Barnard 4,150–3,646 Penn State Men: Nick Bravin, Stanford Women: Olga Chernyak, Penn State Men: Harold Bauder, Wayne State Men: Thomas Strzalkowski, Penn State 1991 University Park, PA Penn State 4,700–4,200 Columbia-Barnard Men: Ben Akins, Columbia Women: Heidi Piper, Notre Dame Men: Marc Oshima, Columbia Men: Vitali Nazlimov, Penn State 1990Notre Dame, IN Penn State 36–35 Columbia-Barnard Men: Nick Bravin, Stanford Women: Tzu Moy, Columbia-Barnard Men: Jubba Beshin, Notre Dame Men: David Mandell, Columbia
Separate team championships (1982–1989) YearTeamVenueTeam ChampionsIndividual ChampionsTeam ChampionScoreTeam Runner-UpFoilÉpéeSabre1989 Men Evanston, IL Columbia 88–85 Penn State Men: Edward Mufel, Penn State