Northwestern University Athletics
The 2000-01 Women's Fencing Outlook
11/30/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Fencing
Nov. 30, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern women's fencing team finished the 1999-2000 season with 15 straight dual meet wins and won the Midwest Conference Championship, ending the regular season 35-1. On their way to the championship the Wildcats compiled a 904-353 overall individual record for a .719 winning percentage. Head coach Laurie Schiller won the 700th match of his career, and the Wildcats sent five fencers to the national meet with three of them receiving All-America attention. Northwestern finished the national meet sixth in the women's division and ninth overall.
"Last season was a great year for Northwestern fencing," said Schiller. "We need to build on last year's success and continue our program's progress."
Losing All-American sabrist Vivian Imaizumi to graduation has been but a bump in the road for the team.
"It's going to be hard replacing Vivian," said Schiller. " But we have excellent depth and I expect all our fencers to contribute."
The Wildcats finished last season 35-1, taking sixth in the national tournament and winning head coach Laurie Schiller's first conference title while bringing his career record to 706-371.
Repeat conference champions is the goal and returnig starters, Carly Wells and Kate Rudkin, plan on making it a reality. With both of them placing fifth at the 2000 NCAAs, and compiling a 186-30 regular season record a year ago, Wells and Rudkin will be forces to reckon with.
The team is much deeper than just two returning All-Americans, however. Northwestern fencers took the four top spots in the conference tournament, with junior Kate Frambach -- who posted a 35-7 record for the 1999-2000 season -- defeating Imaizumi for the sabre title. Wells finished third at the conference tournament, behind Frambach and Imaizumi, while Rudkin finished third in ep?e. Junior Kristen Dorf took second in the foil competition, ending her sophomore campaign with a 96-30 overall record. She is already ninth on NU's all-time foil win list at 199-68.
This year's sabre team is headed up by Wells and Frambach, with Jessica Brower, Monica Rani and Laurel Scherffius rounding out the top five. The sabre team was 33-3 last season, as Rani saw limited action winning eight bouts and losing two. Scherffius also saw some match time, going 14-3.
Jennifer Greenebaum, who posted an 81-40 record a year ago, helps Rudkin lead an ep?e squad that was 30-6 last year. Others competing for bout time are senior Meghan Gaesor, who competed in 51 matches a year ago, and Margaret Ruf who was 13-5 in 1999-2000. Lynn Zuckerman (12-7 last season) and Alison Kline (9-8) will also be vying for match time.
In the foil division, Dorf, Eva Mendelsohn and Maggie Kebrdle will lead the way for a squad that was 31-5 last season. Mendelsohn was 52-27 a year ago. Kebrdle was 68-34 last season.
Ranked No. 2 in the nation for the majority of the 1999-2000 season, the women defeated ranked teams throughout the season, with their only loss coming to No. 1 Penn State at the Notre Dame Duals in South Bend, Ind. The Nittany Lions are the three-time reigning national champions. The Wildcats defeated No. 3 Princeton, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Columbia, No. 8 St. John's and No. 9 Temple to solidify its No. 2 ranking.
"My goal is to repeat as Midwest Conference champions but it's going to be tough to repeat a season like that," said Schiller. "A lot of teams we beat have made themselves better, but if we fence at the top of our game and compete as a team we'll have a chance to win back-to-back titles."
