Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, March 19
South Bend, Ind.
All Day
Northwestern
at
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Ryan Kuttler/Northwestern Athletics
No. 6 Northwestern Prepares For NCAA Championships
3/18/2026 9:00:00 AM | Women's Fencing
Six Wildcats to compete in South Bend, Ind., March 19-20
EVANSTON, Ill. (March 18, 2026) – Six members of the No. 6 Northwestern University fencing team will represent the Wildcats at the NCAA Championships this week in South Bend, Ind.
For the second time in as many seasons, Northwestern will send the maximum allotment to the national meet. That group includes returning NCAA qualifiers Natalie Shearer (sabre) and Yukari Takamizawa (foil), the former of which earned Honorable Mention All-America honors last season.
Anna Damratoski (epee), Natasha Lee (epee), Brianna Ho (foil), and Elaine Lu (sabre) are set to make the first NCAA Championships appearances of their careers.
Northwestern is one of just three women's teams to qualify six student-athletes, joining No. 1 Columbia and event host No. 2 Notre Dame.
CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
The 2026 edition of the NCAA Championships will feature the crowning of a standalone women's team national champion. Previously, a combined national title was awarded using both men's and women's results.
Action at the University of Notre Dame's Joyce Center will get underway at 8 a.m. CT on Thursday morning with opening round bouts in the epee, followed by the start of the foil and sabre. After the completion of the meet's round-robin format on Friday morning, semifinal and championship bouts will take center stage at 12:30 p.m. CT. Links to watch and follow live results can be accessed above.
A full meet schedule for the NCAA Championships follows.
MEET SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 19
8 a.m. CT – Women's Epee (Rounds 1-3)
10 a.m. CT – Women's Foil (Rounds 1-3)
12:30 p.m. CT – Women's Sabre (Rounds 1-3)
Friday, March 20
8 a.m. CT – Women's Epee (Rounds 4-5)
8 a.m. CT – Women's Foil (Rounds 4-5)
8 a.m. CT – Women's Sabre (Rounds 4-5)
12:30 p.m. CT – Women's Semifinals and Championships
For the second time in as many seasons, Northwestern will send the maximum allotment to the national meet. That group includes returning NCAA qualifiers Natalie Shearer (sabre) and Yukari Takamizawa (foil), the former of which earned Honorable Mention All-America honors last season.
Anna Damratoski (epee), Natasha Lee (epee), Brianna Ho (foil), and Elaine Lu (sabre) are set to make the first NCAA Championships appearances of their careers.
Northwestern is one of just three women's teams to qualify six student-athletes, joining No. 1 Columbia and event host No. 2 Notre Dame.
CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
The 2026 edition of the NCAA Championships will feature the crowning of a standalone women's team national champion. Previously, a combined national title was awarded using both men's and women's results.
Action at the University of Notre Dame's Joyce Center will get underway at 8 a.m. CT on Thursday morning with opening round bouts in the epee, followed by the start of the foil and sabre. After the completion of the meet's round-robin format on Friday morning, semifinal and championship bouts will take center stage at 12:30 p.m. CT. Links to watch and follow live results can be accessed above.
A full meet schedule for the NCAA Championships follows.
MEET SCHEDULE
Thursday, March 19
8 a.m. CT – Women's Epee (Rounds 1-3)
10 a.m. CT – Women's Foil (Rounds 1-3)
12:30 p.m. CT – Women's Sabre (Rounds 1-3)
Friday, March 20
8 a.m. CT – Women's Epee (Rounds 4-5)
8 a.m. CT – Women's Foil (Rounds 4-5)
8 a.m. CT – Women's Sabre (Rounds 4-5)
12:30 p.m. CT – Women's Semifinals and Championships
Players Mentioned
Epée
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's Fencing
Epee
/ Women's Fencing
Sabre
/ Women's Fencing
Foil
/ Women's FencingThis is Northwestern Athletics | 2024-25 Recap
Tuesday, August 19
David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program - 2025 Video
Tuesday, August 19
The Foundation: Northwestern Fencing
Wednesday, March 19
Laurie Schiller Full Speech | 2022 Northwestern Athletics Hall of Fame Induction
Monday, September 19
