Tar Heels Finish 20th Overall At NCAA Championships

Thursday, March 21

Cleveland, Ohio

All Day

North Carolina

NCAA Championships (Men)

Wei Chee Chen placed 23rd in women's foil. (Photo courtesy of Camille Simmons Photography)

March 25, 2019 | Fencing

Complete Results

By: UNC Athletic Communications

North Carolina finished 20^th overall at the 2019 NCAA Fencing Championships, with three Tar Heels competing in Cleveland, Ohio. Competing at Cleveland State's Wolstein Center, freshman Beni Rabinowitz placed 13^th in men's sabre, junior Wei Chee Chen placed 23^rd in women's foil and junior Jackie Litynski was 24th in women's sabre.

It was first NCAA Championships appearance for each of them, but the 52^nd year in a row that the UNC program has send at least one fencer to the championships. This year's group of three made up the largest Tar Heel contingent since 2013.

The men's competition was first, on March 21-22. Rabinowitz sat in ninth after the first day. "Beni was like an international superstar the first day," Miller said. "He had no fear. The second day he wasn't not as sharp, but he still finished 12-11, just outside of All-America honors.

"He fenced with a great deal of courage and energy, and he beat some amazing people. It was a great first-year experience for him, and he'll be back again."

The women's competition was March 23-24, and there the Tar Heels struggled a bit more. Chen and Litynski both got off to slow starts, and ultimately won four bouts each.

"The level of competition at NCAAs was probably the strongest I've ever seen it," said Miller, who made his 52^nd trip. "It was an exceptionally good tournament. Most of the finals were amazing."

Columbia took the title, which is a combined men's and women's crown, with Penn State the runner-up. Among Atlantic Coast Conference opponents, Notre Dame was third, Duke was eighth and Boston College was 24^th.