NOTRE DAME, Ind. -- The Wayne State University women's fencing team had four student-athletes compete at the 2026 National Collegiate Fencing Championships, hosted at the University of Notre Dame. The Warriors posted 31 bout wins, placing 13th out of 20 programs.
WSU is the only school to participate in every NCAA Championship in fencing, this year being represented by
Salma Abdrabou (Cairo, Egypt) and
Reka Galfalvy (Budapest, Hungary) in women's epee, alongside
Anabella Acurero Gonzalez (Valencia, Venezuela) and
Ludovica Mancini (Rome, Lazio, Italy) in women's foil.
From 1982-1989, there were different championships for the men and women, with the women's side only having the foil weapon, until the epee was added in 1995. The addition of women's sabre did not occur until 2000.
In the span of separate championships (82-89), the Wayne State women captured a trio of team national titles in 1982, 1988, and 1989, with the 1982 championship being WSU's first women's national championship regardless of sport. Wayne State won the women's portion in 1990, but not the overall national championship, as it was combined that season. This year marks the first time since the 1989 campaign that there will be separate team national champions.
WOMEN'S EPEE
Abdrabou was the top finisher for Wayne State regardless of weapon. She placed 16th overall in the women's foil with a 10-13 overall ledger, with a -2 touch differential (84-86). The junior posted a 6-9 record on the first day and a 4-4 mark on the second.
Galfalvy bounced back on the second day, earning a 5-3 mark for a total record of 7-16. The junior finished 21st overall out of 24 competitors.
WOMEN'S FOIL
Mancini jumped seven spots from last year, placing 17th after a 24th-place finish a year ago. The senior foilist notched an 8-15 overall record, going 5-10 on the first day and 3-5 on the second.
Acurero Gonzalez collected a 6-17 record, earning five wins on the first day and one on the second, as she bested Duke's Sophia Shen 5-4.
As mentioned before, the women's team placed 13th out of 20 teams, with a total of 31 wins. The 31 wins are the most since the 2017 campaign, when WSU women's fencers combined for 39 bout victories.
