March 7, 1999

CLEVELAND, Ohio The Notre Dame men’s and women’s fencing teams came away with three individual titles at the Midwest Regional Championship at Cleveland State. Irish junior James Gaither won the men’s epee crown, and freshman Gabor Szelle won the sabre title. On the women’s side, senior Nicole Mustilli won the women’s epee title.

Mustilli beat teammate and 1997 NCAA epee champion Magda Krol to capture the title. Kiersten Ferguson took 11th in women’s epee. In women’s foil, senior All-Americans Sara Walsh and Myriah Brown placed fourth and fifth. Nicole Paulina was eighth and Gina Couri ninth.

Notre Dame junior Charles Hayes lost a fence off to Wayne State’s David Huynh to finish second in men’s foil. Steve Mautone and Stephane Auriol finished fifth and six in men’s foil. Gaither took first in men’s epee, ahead of teammate Brian Casas who was second, while senior Carl Jackson was fifth. Szelle was a perfect 11-0 to claim the sabre crown, as 1998 NCAA champion and Irish senior Luke LaValle was fourth and freshman Andre Crompton fifth.

The Irish now await the NCAA championship selections, which will be announced on Thurs., March 11.