Takamizawa, Schiminovich Lead ‘Cats To Open Season At October NAC

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (October 8, 2025) – Yukari Takamizawa and Sophia Schiminovich both placed inside the top 16 in their respective events to lead Northwestern fencing in its first action of the 2025-26 season at USA Fencing's October North American Cup (NAC) in Salt Lake City, Utah.
 
Competing in the Junior Women's Foil, Takamizawa looked to pick up right where she left off following an outstanding first-year campaign in 2024-25.  Following a 5-1 run through pool action, the Tokyo, Japan native came away with three head-to-head wins in the tableau, a run highlighted by a 15-12 upset of No. 14 seed Melody Fujiao Tang to secure a spot in the Round of 16.  Takamizawa ultimately finished in 11^th place.
 
Making her collegiate debut, Schiminovich impressed in the Division I Women's Sabre.  Schiminovich, who picked up four victories in pool play, rattled off three straight wins of her own to make a run to the Round of 16 en route to finishing 13^th overall.  Schiminovich also saw action in the Junior Women's Sabre, taking 26^th, while Natalie Shearer, fresh off a first-year campaign in which she earned Honorable Mention All-America honors, led the 'Cats with a 24^th-place finish.
 
Three-time All-Central Collegiate Fencing Conference (CCFC) honoree Karen Wang paced the attack for the Wildcat epeeists.  Out of Houston, Texas, Wang notched a pair of wins in the tableau on her way to finishing 31^st in the Division I section of the event.
 
A full listing of Northwestern's results from the October NAC follows.
 
Division I Women's Epee
31^st –  Karen Wang
70^th – Anna Damratoski
152^nd – Emma Ning
 
Division I Women's Foil
60^th – Bridgette Ouyang
68^th – Yukari Takamizawa
172^nd – Brianna Ho
 
Junior Women's Foil
11^th – Yukari Takamizawa
131^st – Bridgette Ouyang
 
Division I Women's Sabre
13^th – Sophia Schiminovich
28^th – Natalie Shearer
45^th – Elaine Lu
95^th – Nisha Hild
 
Junior Women's Sabre
24^th – Natalie Shearer
26^th – Sophia Schiminovich
44^th – Nisha Hild
49^th – Elaine Lu
 
UP NEXT
Northwestern returns to action close to home in Libertyville, Ill. when it hosts the Remenyik ROC/RJCC, October 18-19.