Wayne State University Athletics

Yasemin Topcu Block, a three-year (1988-90) member of the Wayne State women's fencing team, has been selected for induction into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a three-time All-America honoree and the medalist at the 1989 NCAA national championship meet held in Evanston, Ill. Topcu was a First Team All-American in 1988 after placing fourth and a Second Team selection in 1990 with an eighth-place finish. She helped the Tartars claim three consecutive national foil team titles in 1988, 1989 and 1990. By winning the 1989 national championship, she became the first female national fencing champion in WSU history. Over her last two seasons, Topcu compiled a 144-43 mark for a winning percentage of .770. A native of Berlin, Germany, she graduated cum laude in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in political science and peace and conflict studies. Topcu also earned a diploma in political science from Free University in Berlin in 1996. She spent the next four years at the Social Science Research Center in Berlin as a research fellow on the project, "Between Politics and Moral -- Politics of Humanitarian Assistance." She has also written for several publications. She currently resides in California with her husband, Claus Block, a former WSU fencer, and their two children.