MADISON, N.J. – The Drew University men's and women's fencing teams will host their conference championships once again this season, as both events are set to be held this weekend in the Simon Forum.
 
The National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing (NIWFA) Championships will take place on Saturday starting at 9 a.m. while the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Fencing Association (MACFA) Championships will be contested on Sunday, also starting at 9 a.m.
 
The NIWFA Championships will feature Army, Bryn Mawr, CCNY, Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson, Haverford, Hunter, Johns Hopkins, Navy, NJIT, Rutgers, Stevens, Temple, Tufts, and William & Mary.
 
Drew is coming off a fourth-place finish at last year's championship, where Filiz Erdogan captured Second Team All-NIWFA honors with her sixth-place finish in foil. Temple is the defending NIWFA team champion.
 
This season, Erdogan is the team leader in victories, posting a 76-29 record. Freshmen Ava Insinga (52-60) and Sabrina Holmes (49-53) pace the Rangers in sabre while first-year Emily Varhaul (40-57) has led Drew in epee.
 
The MACFA field will consist of Army, Cornell, Drew, Haverford, Hunter, Johns Hopkins, Lafayette, Maryland, Navy, NJIT, Rutgers, Stevens, William & Mary, and Yeshiva.
 
Last season, the Rangers placed seventh at the MACFA Championships, where foilist Henri Degremont and epee Will Morton each finished 11th for Drew. Johns Hopkins captured the team title.
 
Sophomore Lupo Sala has led Drew's men's team with a 60-15 record in epee this season while Degremont has recorded a 55-16 mark in foil. Sophomore Jason Ahlman has recorded a 46-52 mark for the sabre unit.