College Fencing: The Drawbacks of Division 1

By Zack Brown

The biggest reason people do fencing is to get into a good school (or because you actually ENJOY fencing… NERD!). Too many people rule out smaller schools because of their fencing teams!

While the reveries of joining an NCAA championship team are appetizing, there are some cold, unsavory truths to consider when looking at the school you’ll spend 4 years of your life fencing for.

It’s not going to be pretty, but here are some deets to deliberate on when weighing your college teams of choice!

Realistically:

Most people are NOT going to get a scholarship for fencing!

Unless you are on the national team (for the USA, not just... Siberia), a full ride to any high-powered athletic school for fencing is going to be out of reach. Fencing isn’t a lucrative sport, so even partial scholarship availability is going to be QUITE limited to very specific athletes (unless you’re at Harvard……. Or is it too soon to make that joke?).

If you are on that short list, fantastic! Enjoy free money! Otherwise, consider smaller schools like NJIT or LIU, both of which have programs where their coaches (Jason Henderson and Ivan Lee, respectively) can grant TONS of scholarships to athletes.

Realistically:

The big teams are STACKED!

The teams that typically win NCAAs (Notre Dame, Columbia, PSU) have a LOT of people gunning to be on their starting lineup. There are only 9 bouts for your weapon each match. Unless you’re a consistently impressive starter, you will have to choose: Do you want to juggle strip time with 10 other competent fencers and spend most of the matches as a cheerleader? Or do you want to be the superstar on your team and fence every match? Look at how Tim Morehouse left a LEGACY at Brandeis!

Weigh the bout opportunity of a smaller team roster versus becoming a faceless sparring partner at a big-name school. Is a potential championship ring worth not ACTUALLY fencing?

Realistically:

Most people are NOT going to fence after college!

At the last Div 1 I fenced, I counted 8 people in the field of 170 who were out of college. Along with the hefty price tag, fencing is VERY HARD to do recreationally without a strong club nearby. Unless you are fighting for a national team spot, the justification to continue fencing past graduation becomes harder to find when there’s not an endgame.

Put your hard work in now, but be cautious about picking a university PURELY for fencing when you might not pick up a weapon post-graduation.

Realistically:

Decide what’s best for YOU!

Choose your college because it FEELS right! Whichever school you pick, the camaraderie and adventures you’ll experience with your team last a lifetime. The low-stress environment of a club team is as much fun as the intense focus needed in every bout of NCAA fencing. Select YOUR right fit. You’ll love the college fencing trip regardless of the path you take.

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