Sept. 9, 2001

With the new season ahead, the Academy's fencing program is about to benefit from a wealth of experience and leadership.

About The Women's Team
Salem admits, "We will need to find good walk-on fencers for the women's team. This year's walk-on tryout is life and death for the women's team," according Salem. "We need to be more aggressive in recruiting good women fencers to help build this team."

Elia Burrill on her team's potential:

"The team this year has excellent potential. What used to be a relatively young and developing team has now become a strong team. I expect improvement in all areas of the team this year and know that the team's hard working attitude will help us get there. Each year I have seen improvements on the team and I am sure there will be even more this year. I'm excited to see what we can do."

Women's Epee
With C1C Kimberly Sugrue and C2C Elia Burrill returning this year, Salem has no doubt that this team will be good and will continue to improve. Burrill and Sugrue have been great in their progress and are still getting better. C1C Kristin Wenner will be joining the epee fencers this year. "With her fencing and leadership experience we can not go wrong," commented Salem. Wenner was the team captain last season, and is currently the Squadron Commander of Cadet Squadron 24.

Kristen Wenner on the team captains:

"With two great captains this coming year, Elia and Eric, and with the talent and motivation of the team, I'm extremely confident that we will see unparalleled success in both our individual and team endeavors."

Women's Foil

C1C Margaret Kucia, C3C Ashley Roell, C2C Alexia Forbes, and C3C Apphia Taylor will be the women's foil team this year. The Academy's women's foil team will not be easy to handle anymore. The coach expects a better performance out of this team.

"Margaret is an expert fencer and works hard, Ashley is aggressive and a good fencer and Apphia and Alexia are not bigginers anymore," commented Salem.

Women's Sabre

As these three Sabre women continue to improve we have no worry about our sabre women's team. C2C Jamie Rasmussen, C2C Andrea Rix, and C2C Janet Modell have shown continual improvement throughout their time fencing. They have fun, they are tough, and they know what is going on now.

The Academy's fencing program will also benefit from Penn State alumnist Tom Strzalkowski who will join the coaching staff as a volunteer coach.

The coaching staff expects the fencers to try their best in practice and in competition. "We want fencing to be a pleasurable experience for these fine young men and women. A fencing career is a good life experience and the Air Force and the Academy support our fencers all the way," said Salem.