A Basic Introduction
- Fencing is an exciting sport that you can enjoy for a lifetime. Through fencing you will meet many interesting athletes both at MIT and from other universities. There are hundreds of fencing clubs around the United States where you can continue to compete after college.
- Fencing is not a medieval game. It is a high-tech, fully modernized, physically and mentally demanding sport. Fencing is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport.
- Learn more about fencing
MIT is ranked NCAA Division III, but fencing is one of two sports here that competes in NCAA Division I. MIT fencers compete either as a team or individually through three major organizations: the NCAA, the NEIFC, and the IFA (the oldest collegiate athletics organization in existence).
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
- Regional schools:
Harvard,
Yale,
NYU,
St. John's,
Brandeis,
Boston College,
Brown,
Columbia,
Vassar,
Yeshiva.
Other schools: Notre Dame, Penn State, Stanford, UPenn, Duke, UNC, Rutgers, Air Force. - Format: Dual meets*
- New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference (NEIFC)
- Participating schools: Tufts, UMass-Amherst, UNH, Dartmouth, Boston University, Boston College, Brown, and Brandeis.
- Format: Dual meets*
- *one-day meet where the men’s and women’s teams fence up to 8 other teams
- Intercollegiate Fencing Association (IFA) (older than the NCAA)
- Participating
schools: Harvard,
Yale,
Columbia,
UPenn,
Rutgers,
St. John's,
Princeton,
Brandeis,
Boston College,
Brown,
NYU.
- Format: Two day team and individual event
- The Big One (NEIFC)
- New England Championships
- NCAA Northeastern Regional Championships**
- NCAA National Championships**
- ** Near the end of the season, fencers are selected (based on their individual win/loss record) to fence at NCAA regionals. Roughly 8 fencers per weapon are selected from Regionals to compete in the NCAA championships.
As per NCAA Division III rules, no fencing scholarships are available at MIT, but need-based financial aid is available for all who qualify. If you have any questions, contact our coach, Jarek Koniusz .
For information on applying to MIT:
Practices
- Practices
are held Monday through Friday, 5:00-7:00pm, in the Fencing Room*. Practices consist of warmup,
stretching, footwork, bladework drills, bouting drills, group lessons, and
bouting. Sprints, jumps, and team competitions are also incorporated into
practice. Fencers are expected to arrive at practice on time. Team captains
must be notified beforehand if a fencer has any schedule conflicts.
* The MIT fencing room is located at the DuPont Athletic Center, on the second floor, adjacent to the Student Center.
NCAA Champion Caroline Purcell '02 bouts during a regular practice day in the MIT fencing room
- Equipment: The MIT athletic department provides practice and competition equipment for the team. This includes masks, jackets, knickers, electric jackets and equipment, and weapons. Both teams are allowed access to private team locker rooms where they are assigned their own lockers.
- MIT fencers are required to purchase their own glove, and have proper footwear for practicing.
©2003 MIT Fencing Team · contact webmasters