Xiong Earns Podium Finish, Leads ‘Cats At February NAC

CINCINNATI, Ohio (February 16, 2026) – Angelica Xiong secured a fifth-place finish in the Junior Women's Epee to lead Northwestern fencing at USA Fencing's February North American Cup (NAC) over the weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio.
 
After tearing through pool action with a sparkling 6-0 mark, Xiong rattled off four straight victories in direct elimination, a run that included a 15-10 triumph over No. 23 Michelle Lv to secure her spot on the podium.  The Woodbury, Minn. native now has three podium finishes to her name during the 2025-26 season.
 
The duo of Juliana Hung and Yukari Takamizawa paced the Wildcat foilists.  Competing in the Division I section of the weapon, Hung scored a pair of upset wins in the tableau, highlighted by a razor-thin 11-10 decision against No. 19 Iris Yang, en route to securing a 30^th-place finish. Takamizawa, who took 44^th in the Division I section, posted a 5-1 record across her six pool bouts in the Junior Women's Foil ahead of a pair of wins in direct elimination to finish 24^th.
 
Elaine Lu claimed the top finish by a Wildcat sabreist, coming in 36^th in the junior section of the weapon.  Lu claimed head-to-head wins in four of her six pool bouts ahead of adding another victory in the tableau.  Competing in the Division I Women's Sabre, Megumi Oishi matched Lu's pool mark before adding a win of her own in direct elimination to place 41^st.
 
A full listing of Northwestern's results from the February NAC follows.
 
Division I Women's Epee
55^th – Natasha Lee
88^th – Anna Damratoski
101^st – Angelica Xiong
134^th – Karen Wang
187^th – Ava Wade-Currie
 
Division I Women's Foil
30^th – Juliana Hung
44^th – Yukari Takamizawa
54^th – Samantha Serban
 
Division I Women's Sabre
41^st – Megumi Oishi
85^th – Sophia Schiminovich
108^th – Elaine Lu
 
Junior Women's Epee
5^th – Angelica Xiong
91^st – Natasha Lee
 
Junior Women's Foil
24^th – Yukari Takamizawa
 
Junior Women's Sabre
36^th – Elaine Lu
86^th – Sophia Schiminovich
 
UP NEXT
Northwestern kicks off postseason competition at the Central Collegiate Fencing Conference Championships, February 21-22, in Granville, Ohio.