Photo of: Freshman Elena Helgiu and the Harvard women's fencing team look to repeat as Ivy League Champions this season.
Photo courtesy of Gil Talbot Photography.

The Particulars:
The Harvard men’s and women’s fencing teams will take on Cornell, Penn and Yale at the Ivy League Championships, part 1. The event will be held in Ithaca, N.Y.

Last Time Out:
The Harvard men posted a pair of wins at the Brandeis Invitational. The Crimson rolled past Air Force, 17-10, and Haverford, 23-4. On the women’s side, Harvard downed Air Force, 24-3, and Haverford, 17-10, at the event.

About Harvard:
The Crimson men enter the weekend ranked No. 6 in the United States Fencing Coaches Association national poll. The team owns an 8-5 record on the season. The Harvard women are the reigning Ivy League champions and have a 9-5 record. The Crimson have won eight Ivy League championships in program history with the men capturing five and the women taking three.

Scouting the Opponents:
Cornell serves as the host of the Ivy League Championship, part 1. The Big Red boast a 12-1 record heading into the weekend. Yale sports an 11-2 record on the men’s side while the women’s squad is 10-3 on the year. The Bulldogs have laid claim to nine Ivy League crowns, six by the women and three by the men.

On the men’s side, Penn owns an 11-1 overall record and took the Ancient Eight title last season. The Quakers are also ranked seventh in the USFCA national poll. The Penn women are the No. 10 team in the nation with an overall record of 10-4. The Quakers have captured 10 Ivy League crowns on the women’s side while the men have 13 titles to their credit.

Follow From Home:
The Ivy League will be providing live stats for the Ivy League Championships, part 1.

Up Next:
Beantown bragging rights will be on the line as Harvard takes on Brandeis, MIT and Boston College in the Beanpot tournament, Feb. 24.