Cornell fencing opens its 2026-27 season Nov. 15 at the Elite Invitational with three returning NCAA qualifiers and a sophomore class that contributed 183 bout victories as freshmen.
The Big Red brings back athletes responsible for 400 of last season’s 592 wins, according to Cornell Athletics’ season outlook. That returning experience follows a program-record ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, where Cornell also set a school record with 42 victories.
Returning depth meets an Ivy League challenge
Cornell posted a 460-198 record in dual bouts last season, winning 69.9% of those contests. Its record against Ivy League opponents was 55-103, leaving improvement within the conference as a major challenge for the new season.
All six freshmen who fenced meaningful bouts last season return after combining for a 183-110 record. Cornell also retains five of its eight United States Fencing Coaches Association All-Northeast Region honorees: sabre fencers Samantha Marsee, Isabela Carvalho, Trisha Nath and Reya Ghayalod, along with foilist Lana Lee.
Lee, Marsee and Carvalho are the returning NCAA qualifiers. Cornell sent four athletes to nationals last season, its largest contingent since 2022 and the fifth time the program qualified at least four.
Epee rebuilds after Ketkar’s departure
Epee faces the largest postseason experience gap following the graduation of Ketki Ketkar, Nora Weber and Mallika Ketkar.
Ketki Ketkar became Cornell’s first Ivy League individual champion in any weapon last season. She also took silver at the NCAA Northeast Regional and won 17 bouts at the NCAA Championships, the most by any Cornell fencer. Her national semifinal appearance ended with a 15-7 loss to Columbia’s Hadley Husisian.
Ketkar earned All-American recognition for the third time, joining Peggy Walbridge and Christine Hamori as Cornell fencers to achieve that distinction three times. Weber was a second-team All-Northeast selection and reached the regional round of 12.
Sophomore Emersyn Runions returns after a 29-14 debut season, including a 27-10 dual-bout record. Juniors Katherine Alexandrov and Elaine Hong finished 24-13 and 16-10, respectively. Sophomore Anoushein Reid went 15-6, while senior Nawal O’Neil was 14-2. None of Cornell’s returning epeeists has competed at the NCAA Championships.
Foil and sabre retain national experience
Foil returns its top three athletes after a 181-130 season. The group’s only graduating fencer was Mia Jo, who finished 43-33.
Lana Lee led Cornell in bout victories as a freshman. She placed 12th at the regional, then finished 20th at her first NCAA Championships with seven wins. Seniors Brianna Lee and Sumaja Denysiuk also return.
Sabre brings back all four athletes who reached the regional finals last season, the first time Cornell placed four finalists in any weapon. Marsee earned bronze with a 7-4 record in the round of 12, followed by Carvalho in fourth, Nath in fifth and Ghayalod in 11th.
Marsee, Carvalho and Nath earned first-team All-Northeast honors; Ghayalod received honorable mention. At nationals, Carvalho placed 16th and Marsee finished 19th, each winning nine bouts.
Senior Mia Hsu and sophomore Marley Kim provide additional depth. Sabre finished 201-137 last season and loses Erika Chin, who went 22-9, and Fiona Neibart, who finished 20-24.
Nine competition dates on the schedule
After the Nov. 15 opener, Cornell competes at the Brandeis Invitational on Dec. 6 before a six-week break for finals and winter recess.
The Big Red resumes with four meets in eight days: the Dave Micahnik Penn Invitational on Jan. 16, the Tufts Invitational on Jan. 17, the Princeton Invitational on Jan. 19 and the Penn State Invitational on Jan. 23.
Cornell’s published outlook lists the Ivy League Championships for Feb. 6, the NCAA Northeast Regionals for March 14 and the NCAA Championships for March 27.
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