Northwestern University Athletics
Four 'Cats Qualify for NCAA Championships
3/14/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Fencing
March 14, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Three Northwestern freshmen and one sophomore qualified for the NCAA Championships, the NCAA announced Thursday night. First-year fencers Emily Pasternak (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier), Sharon Sullivan (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) and Christina Wang (Milpitas, Calif./Castilleja), as well as sophomore Julia F?ldi (Budapest, Hungary/Szent Istavan Gimnazium) will represent NU at the NCAA Championships from March 22-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo.
F?ldi and Wang headline NU's foilists. Foldi went a team-best 94-15 this season, placing third at the Midwest Collegiate Championships and sixth at the Midwest Regionals. Wang posted an 84-26 record, the second best freshman mark on the team. She also finished fifth at the conference championships and seventh at Regionals.
Sullivan will compete in the ep?e draw. Sullivan had an 85-22 mark, good for the second most wins on the team. She took fifth at the conference championships and sixth at Regionals. In her first two weekends of college competition, Sullivan took home three ep?e titles; she captured the Burton Open, the Big Ten Club Championships and the USFA Remenyik Open in successive events.
Pasternak will represent the NU sabreists after an impressive debut season. With an 81-15 overall record, she registered a team-best third-place finish at Regionals. The local fencer also took fifth at the conference championships.
Sophomore Lauren Van Gieson (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) could join Pasternak in the sabre draw, as she was selected as the first alternate. If a selectee can not compete, Van Gieson will earn her first trip to nationals.
"We're obviously very happy," said NU head coach Laurie Schiller. "If Lauren gets to go too we'll have five of a possible six in the tournament, which would make us a very strong team."
