Three Wildcats Named Fencing All-Americans at NCAA Championships
Northwestern took home some hardware at the NCAA Fencing Championships in University Park, Pennsylvania as three Wildcats earned All-American honors.
The 'Cats placed fifth among women's programs and 10th overall, despite only competing with a women's fencing team. NU was ranked seventh in the nation entering the NCAA Championship meet.
Notre Dame graduate transfer Amanda Pirkowski earned a podium finish in the epee, placing seventh and receiving Second-Team All-American honors. Pirkowski won 16 of 23 bouts and landed 21 more strikes than she took. She was also named an All-American in 2022 with the Fighting Irish, who won the 2025 NCAA Championships.
In the foil, freshman Daphne Chan Nok Sze placed 10th and was named an Honorable Mention All-American. Chan Nok Sze had a 13-10 record in pool play, wrapping up a strong first year with the Wildcats. Fellow freshman Natalie Shearer was also named an Honorable Mention All-American, placing 11th in the sabre. Shearer won 11 of her 22 bouts.
Northwestern sent six fencers to the NCAA Championships this season for the first time since 2021. Junior Karen Wang placed 16th in epee at her third consecutive trip to the national competition, while freshman Yukari Takamizawa (foil) and sophomore Alex Chen (sabre) finished 20th.
The Wildcats had eight fencers reach the podium at the NCAA Midwest Regionals. Northwestern finishes its 2024-25 season with a record of 31-8.
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Gavin Dorsey is the Lead Writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.