UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - October 28, 2008; The Penn State men's and women's fencing teams will open its 2008-09 season by hosting the Garrett Open in University Park, Pa., on Saturday Nov. 1, with women's action, and will conclude with men's competition on Sunday, Nov. 2. The women fencers start competition at 8:30 a.m. Saturday with the men's team competing Sunday at 8:30 a.m. The Garrett Open will be held at Penn State's White Building.
"My goal is to get everyone in a dual this weekend in order to evaluate their skills," said head coach Emmanuil Kaidanov. "With that said we will see the freshmen and their performances in their first collegiate starts and they will get a chance to learn the certain hierarchy of fencing."
Allison Glasser (Piedmont, Calif.) and James Moody (Denver, Colo.) are back for their senior year and are both ready to take on a leadership role. Glasser earned a first place finish at Regionals, which qualified her for the NCAA Championships last year. In the championships at Ohio State, Glasser tallied 12 victories, good for fifth place. In the 2007 Garrett Open, Glasser placed second in the tournament.
Moody placed seventh at Regionals which was enough for him to receive a bid to the NCAA Championships. Moody had a strong finish at the Championships and finished with nine victories. Last year, Moody placed fifth in the Garrett Open.
Redshirt sophomore Doris Willette (Lafayette, Calif.) will look to continue her perfection from the 2006-07 season. Willete participated in the World Fencing Championships last year, and in addition to her sixth place finish there, she earned a spot in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Coach Kaidinov states, "Doris not only has personal victories but a radiant sense of confidence as well. We look forward to her competing this weekend."
Following the Garret, Penn State will be on the road the following weekend. November 7, the team will head to St. Louis for the Junior/Cadet/Youth NAC competition