Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

MPSF Fencing Annual Awards Announced

4/3/2023 11:00:10 AM

Photo: Stanford's Joy Yun (Courtesy: Stanford Athletics)

2023 MPSF Fencing Annual Awards & All-Conference (PDF)
   
Stanford University junior All-American Joy Yun (Portland, OR) won the MPSF and NCAA West Region titles in women’s sabre, her first championship in each. Yun advanced to the national championships for the second time, placing 22nd and earning a victory over Maggie Shealy, the top finisher in pool competition. Yun finished the season with an overall record of 41-22 (.651), including a 9-2 record at the NCAA West Regionals and 18-3 mark at the Western Invitational, which included a win over the 2021 NCAA second-place fencer from Northwestern. In the MPSF team relay, Yun out-touched her Incarnate Word opponent, 5-1 in the semifinals and her Air Force opponent in the final, 7-2, which resulted in Stanford’s team title. Yun also became a two-time MPSF Fencer of the Week early in the season.
 
   
Stanford University freshman Crystal Qian (Cupertino, CA) doubled as the MPSF and NCAA West Region Women’s Foil Champion. In her first national championship competition, Qian placed 14th, going 12-11 in the tournament. She finished her season with a 49-22 (.690) record, including 8-2 at the West Regionals, 16-6 at the Western Invitational, and 11-3 at the Northwestern Duals. In the MPSF team relay, Qian closed out the 30-18 semifinal victory over Incarnate Word, and advanced to out-touch her Air Force opponent in the final, 5-2.  
 
   
Stanford University junior All-American Donghwan Park (Sacramento, CA) won the MPSF Championship in men’s sabre and won his first NCAA West Region title. Park advanced to nationals where he placed 17th. During the MPSF team relay, Park out-touched his opponent from Incarnate Word, 10-7 in the semifinals. He then defeated his Air Force opponent in the final, 5-3, to secure the team title for the Cardinal. Park went 59-26 (.694) overall in individual competition this season, including 21-4 at the Northwestern Duals and 11-2 at the NCAA West Regionals. Park also earned his first career MPSF Fencer of the Week award this season after compiling a 16-8 record at the Air Force Western Invitational.
 
 
United States Air Force Academy freshman Jack Griffith (Naples, FL) was the 2023 NCAA West Regional and MPSF Men’s Foil Champion, and played a large role in helping the Falcons reach the conference championship bout. Griffith was an NCAA Championship Qualifier, where he placed 19th with eight victories, helping Air Force become the MPSF’s top team with an 11th-place outcome (the Falcons’ second-best NCAA result since 2003). Griffith was the MPSF Fencer of the Week on November 29 after he compiled a 14-4 foil record (.778) in the Elite Invitational at the University of Pennsylvania, which included wins over No. 1 Notre Dame in three bouts, along with two wins each over No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Princeton, and No. 8 Penn.
 
   
Stanford University 24th-year Head Coach Lisa Posthumus guided the Cardinal to its second consecutive MPSF combined team title and 13th-place finish at the national championships. Stanford had four MPSF individual champions (Irene Yeu-women’s epee, Crystal Qian-women’s foil, Joy Yun-women’s sabre, Donghwan Park-men’s sabre) as well as three NCAA West Region Champions. Four Cardinal advanced to nationals, with Yeu earning All-America honors in women’s epee. In addition to the five first-team All-MPSF honorees, the Cardinal had three MPSF Semifinalists for second team honors.
 
   
United States Air Force Academy Second-Year Assistant Coach Adi Nott coached NCAA West Regional and MPSF Men’s Foil Champion, freshman Jack Griffith. Nott also coached three first-time NCAA Championship Qualifiers in Griffith, junior Ned Maurer and freshman Melissa Kline. Kline also placed second in MPSF Women’s Foil and third in regional foil. Nott previously coached Nestor Levin to his fourth-straight NCAA Championship appearance in her first year on staff.