Northwestern University Athletics
High Goals Set for NU
10/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Fencing
Oct. 28, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. -- The song lyrics, "but he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes," may be a good way of describing fencing coach Laurie Schiller's feelings for the 2003-04 team.
"We have 38 dual meets this year, and I don't expect to lose many of them, if any," says Schiller. "This team can go out and beat anybody."
Last year's team went 27-6 overall, including a 16-2 mark in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. The Wildcats sent four fencers-three of whom were freshmen-to the NCAA Championships, where the team took eighth in the women's competition.
So how does Schiller expect to top that? Simple: More talent and greater depth.
"For the first time (in school history), every starter has a USFA classification," says Schiller. "We also have some newcomers who are ranked that aren't even starting."
(For reference, fencers can be classified A, B, C, D, E or U, similar to grades, based on their performance at various events. Every starter on this year's fencing team is classified D or higher.)
Schiller also believes that he will have a full-squad of six for the first time at the NCAA Championships this year.
"You have a full-team, you can finish in the top five of the NCAAs," states Schiller.
Besides a talented team, the Wildcats also have a more favorable schedule than last year, but it was not for a lack of effort that tough Eastern schools such as Columbia, Princeton and Yale will not be opponents.
"There are only so many good programs, and you try your best (to schedule competitions against them)," says Schiller, adding that for reasons including lack of space, the Wildcats could not schedule matches against some of the top-fencing Ivy League schools.
At foil, look for junior Julia F?ldi to have another stellar season. Last year she led the team in wins with a 109-23 overall record, placed 10th at the NCAA Championships and was an honorable mention All-America.
F?ldi will be joined by freshman Jessica Florendo, an A-classified fencer who won the under-19 foil title at the U.S. Fencing Association Summer National Championships last year. She is currently ranked by U.S. Fencing as ninth in the nation in junior women's foil.
Another heralded recruit is Courtney DuBois, an ep?eist who was selected second-team all-state during her prep career in Chatham, N.J. Even though DuBois is a freshman, she is expected by Schiller to make the NCAAs.
That may be because Schiller thinks she will follow in the footsteps of Sharon Sullivan. As a freshman last year, Sullivan compiled a 96-34 record and placed 14th at the NCAA Championships. She will provide leadership and guidance to the team, including to DuBois.
As for the sabre squad, Schiller says, "I've got five strong sabreists. Any of them could easily go (to the postseason)."
A strong case could be made for sophomore Emily Pasternak, who went 26-4 in the Midwest Conference and took 20th at the NCAAs. Her overall record of 88-31 was best among the Wildcat sabreists.
Junior Lauren Van Gieson captured second place in the conference in 2002-03 and is another excellent NU sabreist. She has a combined 148 wins the past two seasons, and will be seeking to surpass 200 in the near future.
Another Lauren on the team, Lauren Dunn, resembles her counterpart in that she is also a junior who wields the sabre well. Dunn had 20 consecutive wins against Midwest opponents at one point last year and finished a team-best 36-2 in the conference.
Time will tell if this is Schiller's year for a full-squad at the NCAA Championships. But with the talent and depth his team has, and an encouraging schedule, "high hopes" may be the theme for the 2003-04 Wildcats.
