Fencing, with its combination of precision skill, athletic strength, intellectual demand, as well as its use of technology, has attracted a growing number of MIT student athletes. Since the program began with just five students in 1896, the number of fencers at the Institute has grown to 20 students on each of the men’s and women’s varsity teams, with new squads added as recently as 1995 and 2000. As many as 70 students try out for the team at the beginning of each season, which has doubled in size since 1986 while utilizing the same training space.

Nora Szasz '97, who now works as a consultant for McKinsey and Company, credits fencing with teaching her lessons that have made her successful professionally.

“Consulting is all about team work — doing your best as an individual while making sure everyone else around you succeeds. Fencing taught me how to motivate people,” says Szasz.

She first took up fencing in a physical education class during her first year at the Institute. Szasz showed potential, and before long, earned a spot on the women’s varsity team. Later, she went on to qualify for NCAA Nationals and soon after became an assistant coach.

“It’s an extremely high concentration sport. You have to be in the best state of mind to do well. Physically, you have to be in top condition,” says Szasz, who earned her S.B. and S.M. in electrical engineering and computer science at the Institute before going on to earn her Ph.D. in 2003.

Men’s team captain Spencer Sugimoto ‘08 began fencing in high school and competed nationally before coming to MIT. At the Institute, he was named an All-American in his sophomore year.

The sport’s dueling aspect, precise nature, and discipline first attracted Sugimoto.

“I like that fencing is a one-on-one thing – you’re up against somebody who is also trying to win,” says Sugimoto. “I also enjoy the team aspect of it; while you’re the one who has to decide what to do in a split second, the team always rallies around you.”

Sugimoto also credits fencing with teaching him lessons that will help him after MIT. “I equate fencing to sales. You have to be extremely quick on your feet and have your mind open to new strategies in an unpredictable situation,” he says.

Over the past century, MIT fencing has produced numerous All-American athletes and national competitors. Some of the highlights include:

• The 1980 men’s team captured the bronze medal at the NCAA championships. Keith Lichten ’95 became a first-team All-American by taking the silver medal in men’s epee at NCAA;
• In 2000, Caroline Purcell ’02 became the Institute’s first NCAA All-Division National Champion, winning the first women’s collegiate sabre title; and
• At the highest level of the sport, three MIT fencing alumni have participated in the Olympic Games: Joseph Levis ’26 (silver medalist in 1932); Johan Harmenberg ’74 (gold medalist in 1980); and Mark Smith ’78 (1984).

Meanwhile, current assistant coach Evan Efstathiou ’00 is trying out for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

“This is a very physically demanding sport,” says women’s and men’s team Head Coach Jarek Koniusz, “which is equally demanding mentally, as it requires you to outsmart your opponent in a face-to-face situation. It’s like playing chess, while working with a deficit of time. As a result, fencing requires a well-trained reaction time.”

Fencing room renovation

MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) has made it a priority to upgrade the Institute’s fencing room to bring it in line with other Institute facilities to support future generations of MIT student athletes.

At present, the teams practice on strips laid out in a tight configuration, which leaves no safety zone on either side between the end of the strip and the walls. This limits fencers’ ability to practice efficiently and move freely on the strip.

“The goal of the room renovation project is to make the current fencing room a more productive space,” says Coach Koniusz. The proposed renovation will provide for 10 full-length, conductive fencing strips with regulation-size safety zones on each end. It will create much-needed room for benches and fold-out wall targets, and include a renovation of the equipment storage and maintenance room, to free up floor space during practice. A large screen television and recording system will be mounted so fencers can view and analyze their moves using a newly acquired cutting edge video analysis software. The computerized scoring systems will be mounted overhead, eliminating the need for wires strewn across the floor.

A commitment to excellence

For a sport whose members may have first picked up a foil or epee in an MIT physical education class, MIT fencing boasts a retention rate of nearly 100 percent. Indeed, MIT’s fencing teams are not only among the top athletic programs at the Institute, but also have one of the highest academic grade point averages among teams on campus.

“Putting together the really fast problem-solving ability I learned in fencing with the bigger picture problem-solving I learned while studying engineering at MIT has proven to be very effective,” says Sugimoto.

Fencing requires creativity and problem-solving, and goes hand in hand with the Institute’s academic culture. The combination provides a great environment for the future leaders of the world.