Lucy Dale, Special to The Denisonian—

Photos by Ani Shintre

Tensions are high in the Mitchell Athletic Center while several varsity sports teams rev up for their competitive seasons. Among the noise, the Denison’s Women’s Fencing team is showing its dedication at every practice. Coming off a season that earned current sophomore Bella Musto ‘26 and Big Red Fencing its first national medal, the team is motivated to continue its rise to the top.

Coach Peter Grandbois, who is also a professor in the English and Journalism departments at Denison, commented on the team’s recent achievements.

“I’ve definitely heard it from staff saying, ‘wow,’ ‘great work,’ ‘congratulations,’ ‘you’ve come a long way fast’ and I think that’s really true,” he said. “It’s been a very speedy transition…we’re changing so fast and becoming very experienced and [much] stronger.”

The team won over 64% of its matches during the 2022/2023 season. With a strong foundation set, Denison Fencing sought out new recruits for this year’s season. Grandbois shared insight on the diversity of the team, saying “We have different people coming from countries like China and Turkey who have fenced all their lives…one girl [Lal Ertun ‘27] is on the Turkish world team.”

However, the team also allows walk-on athletes “as long as they’re willing to work really hard,” Grandbois said. “We love that dynamic, it creates a lot of diversity and that’s a strength, and again, on the other side of it, it creates challenges because you have a very wide range of abilities.”

Paige Cromwell ‘24 spoke about the difficulty of being on an underappreciated sports team at Denison, saying that despite the national recognition that some of the fencers have received, the fencing team sometimes misses out on the spotlight. “I think we have a lot to offer and we kind of get brushed to the side because of some of the other more popular sports.”

Fencing, in general, is a sport that does not get a lot of attention. Between its complex rules, lack of coverage, and unique terminology, it’s not a surprise that many students at Denison don’t show up to support the team. When asked why their classmates should attend a fencing match, Cromwell said, “There’s a lot of passion involved… a lot of screaming, and even if you don’t quite understand the rules, it’s easy to get captured in just the movement of everybody.”

Grace Lukens ‘26 added to this sentiment by expressing how watching fencing is a great way to stimulate your brain.

“Fencing is just a really interesting sport and the fact that spectating it causes a lot of mental energy…when you watch a basketball game you sort of know what’s happening but with fencing, there’s always something new happening and it’s very exciting,” Lukens said.

The obstacles of a rapid climb to the top and managing a diverse set of backgrounds are two barriers that Denison’s Women’s Fencing team will work to overcome this year’s season. After watching the group during their practice, it’s hard not to believe Grandbois when he said, “I think this year is going to be another big jump–and even the next couple of years I see that same thing happening.”

With increasing support from the Denison community, Women’s Fencing is ready to lunge into the 2023/2024 competitive season.