COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Irish wrapped up day one of the 2024 NCAA Championships at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. After the opening day of action Notre Dame is in third place with 49 points.
The Irish finished day one of nationals with three top-10 finishers combined in sabre and foil. As a team, Notre Dame’s 49 points put the Irish just 10 points out of first place, as Harvard holds the top spot with 59 points and Columbia/Barnard is in second with 52 points.
WOMEN’S SABRE
No stranger to the NCAA Championships, Atara Greenbaum is in sixth place after the first day of round robin competition. Greenbaum finished with a record of 10-5 on the day to help the Irish. Teammate Jadeyn Williams is also in the top 10 for women’s sabre through three rounds, as she is in eighth place after accruing eight wins on day one. Greenbaum and Williams will return to competition on Friday for the final two round-robin competition period.
WOMEN’S FOIL
Rebeca Candescu turned in the best performance on the opening day of competition for any Notre Dame fencer, as the junior is in fourth place through 15 bouts. Candescu has a record of 10-5 through three rounds of action. Josephina Conway is also competing in foil for the Irish, currently in 15th after notching seven wins on the afternoon. Both Candescu and Conway have two more rounds of round robin action in the morning session on Friday.
WOMEN’S FOIL
Amanda Pirkowski and Michaela Joyce got the day going for Notre Dame in foil. Both Pirkowski and Joyce racked up seven wins over day one of round robin competition. Pirkowski is in 17th place and Joyce ends day one in 18th after three rounds. The two Irish fencers will wrap up round robin action on Friday morning.
DAY ONE RESULTS
Epee (Rounds 1-3)
17. Amanda Pirkowski, 7-8 (-5)
18.Michaela Joyce, 7-8 (-5)
Foil (Rounds 1-3)
4. Rebeca Candescu, 10-5 (+23)
15. Josephina Conway, 7-8 (-4)
Sabre (Rounds 1-3)
6. Atara Greenbaum, 10-5 (+13)
8. Jadeyn Williams, 8-7 (+7)
TEAM STANDINGS
- Harvard (59)
- Columbia/Barnard (52)
- Notre Dame (49)
- St. John’s (41)
- Penn State (39)
UP NEXT
The women will return to the strips for the final two rounds of the round-robin play Friday morning. After the two rounds are completed, the top-four finishers will advance to the semifinals starting at 1:30 p.m. ET in the afternoon.