Fencing
Harvard’s Jonas Hansen and Lauren Scruggs Take Home the Gold at Fencing NCAA Championships
After last year’s second-place finish, the Crimson looked to come back and demonstrate its improvement throughout this season. Coming off of a fantastic season with an impressive 19 wins, the second-most in program history, Harvard had immense momentum going into the weekend.
What a Hansen Devil
Junior captain Jonas Hansen (epee) competes against a New York University fencer on January 28. Hansen was crowned the Epee National Champion at the NCAA Championships.
Sabre Tooth
Senior sabre Elizabeth Tartakovsky competes in a match against New York University's Sharon Ni on January 28. The Crimson went on to win the match 18-9, and most recently took fourth place out of 28 teams at the NCAA Championships in N.C.
Records Breaking, Ancient Eight Fencing, and Team USA: An Interview with Harvard Fencing’s Head Coach Daria Schneider
In only four years in her role as the head coach of Harvard fencing, Daria Schneider has made quick work of the Ivy League. In addition to winning two team Ivy League championships, in 2020 and 2023, Schneider has coached several players to individual Ivy League championships. Moreover, she is the first female coach of a men’s Ivy League fencing team, setting a new standard for equality amongst the Ancient Eight schools.
At Ivy League Championships, Harvard Men’s Fencing Takes Home the Gold
The Harvard women’s and men’s fencing teams traveled to Ithaca, New York this past weekend to compete in the Ivy League Championships. The men’s team was triumphant, leaving the weekend as Ivy League Champions, while the women’s team finished fourth in the contest.
Men's Fencing v. NYU
Harvard men's fencing takes on NYU at the Harvard-NYU dual meet on January 28.
Attorneys Clash Over Key Witness’ Credibility in Closing Arguments for Harvard Admissions Bribery Trial
Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys sparred over the credibility of a self-described “middleman” in the alleged admissions bribery scheme between ex-Harvard fencing coach Peter Brand and a Harvard parent in closing arguments Tuesday.
Ex-Harvard Fencing Coach Wanted $7.5 Million as Admissions Bribe, Witness Says
Shortly after the son of a wealthy Maryland businessman received a likely letter from Harvard College in 2013, Peter Brand, the school’s longtime fencing coach, had a question, a government witness told a federal jury Thursday: Where’s my $7.5 million?
‘Middleman’ in Harvard Fencing Coach Bribery Scandal Details Alleged Payment Schemes at Day 2 of Trial
A key government witness in the federal bribery trial of former Harvard fencing coach Peter Brand laid out new details on Tuesday about how he helped a wealthy Maryland businessman funnel money via nonprofits to the coach in exchange for recruiting spots for his sons.
Admissions Bribery Trial of Former Harvard Fencing Coach Set to Begin Monday
Former Harvard fencing coach Peter Brand and ex-Harvard College parent Jie “Jack” Zhao are set to go on trial in federal court Monday, more than two years after they were first arrested on bribery charges.
Harvard Men’s and Women’s Fencing Dominate Beanpot Invitational
Both the men’s and women’s fencing teams faced off against three Boston teams at the Beanpot Invitational, hosted by Boston College in Chestnut Hill on Wednesday, November 16th. The Crimson went up against Brandeis, Boston College, and MIT and came out victorious for both divisions. Both of the team’s wins make this the men’s and women’s 14th and 15th BeanPot win respectively.
No Rocky Road: Harvard Men's and Women's Fencing Dominate Opponents in Air Force Western Invitational in Colorado
The Harvard women’s and men’s fencing teams got off to a hot start in last weekend's season-opening meets. Both teams traveled to the Air Force Academy in Colorado to compete in the Air Force Western Invitational on Saturday and Sunday. The men won six out of its seven matches in the Rockies, while the women went undefeated across eight matches.
Can't Foil Me
A Harvard fencer competes at the 2020 Ivy League Championships. The Crimson swept that tournament, extending a dominant run that has continued through at least the first tournament of the 2022-23 season.
Foiling the Competition: Lauren Scruggs, Female Rookie of the Year
First-year Lauren Scruggs made her presence known from the moment she joined Harvard's fencing roster. At 19-years-old, she has amassed four gold medals at Junior Championships, a first-place finish at the North American Cup National Championships, a second-place team finish at the NCAA National Championships, and second team All-America standing.
Female Rookie of the Year 1
Lauren Scruggs participates at the 2021 World Fencing Championships. Scruggs was also the youngest US fencer to win a gold medal at Junior Championships, competing in the U20 division at just 16-years-old in 2019.
Female Rookie of the Year 2
First-year Lauren Scruggs pictured competing on behalf of the United States. She is now in contention for the national team squad that will represent the United States in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Lauren Scruggs: Foil's Newest Junior World Champion
On April 5, first-year Lauren Scruggs mounted the top step of the podium at the junior world championship fencing tournament, becoming the No. 1 foil fencer in the world. After four fierce days of competition in the other half of the globe, the New York native annihilated Japan’s Yuzuha Takeyama 15-3 to take home the gold and add to her laundry list of accomplishments in the fencing world.
Fencing's Individual Champs Reflect on Team's Success at NCAAs
Harvard fencing traveled to the campus of Notre Dame in Indiana to compete in this year's NCAA Division I fencing Championships from March 25 to March 28 and came home with two individual sabre champions and an overall second place team finish. Led by Junior captain Elizabeth Tartakovsky and sophomore captain Filip Dolegiewicz, the team’s second place finish was their best result since 2006.
Sabre-metrics
Harvard Fencing participates in the 2020 Ivy League Championships in Cambridge on Feb. 8, 2020. This past weekend, both the No. 4 men and No. 6 women went 2-2 at the St. John's Invitational.
Crimson Swashbucklers Buckle Down to Earn Even Records at St. John's Invitational
Over the weekend, the Crimson men's and women's fencing teams faced off against some of the top-ranked teams in the country. Both Harvard teams managed to hold their own in such high-caliber competitions, with each emerging from the weekend with two wins and two losses.
Former Harvard Fencing Coach, Parent Indicted on Bribery Charges by Federal Grand Jury
Former Harvard fencing coach Peter Brand and Harvard College parent Jie “Jack” Zhao have been indicted on bribery charges by a federal grand jury.
Affidavit Sheds New Light on Harvard Fencing Scandal
Monday court filings in support of federal prosecutors’ case against a former Harvard fencing coach and parent paint a picture of two men respectively beset by financial difficulties and intent on securing his sons’ admission to the College.
Feds. Charge Former Harvard Fencing Coach, Parent With Bribery
The former fencing coach and Harvard College parent at the heart of an admissions scandal which embroiled Harvard Athletics in spring 2019 were arrested on Monday and charged with bribery, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Massachusetts.
Home Sweet Home
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, Tartakovsky has had to get creative with her home training.