First to 15: The USA Fencing Podcast

With more than two decades of fencing experience, Mary Sola Spohn has earned multiple national medals and an NCAA Division I fencing scholarship to Northwestern University. Her journey extends beyond the strip, as she's made a significant mark in the world of stunt acting and fight choreography.  Mary's expertise in on-screen swords and fencing, paired with her knowledge in various martial arts, i...

Today, we're chatting with a young saber fencer whose name is already gaining recognition within the fencing community. We’re talking about Jenna Shoman, and at just 17 years old, Jenna's achievements are already the stuff of fencing lore.  From the Manhattan Fencing Center to the global stage, her dedication to the sport is something to behold. Who could forget the moment at the 2022 Summer Natio...

David is not only a former NCAA athlete and an experienced coach, but he’s also a key figure behind the scenes. If you’ve competed at a national tournament, you’ve probably seen him at the Satellite Bout Committee near the finals strip — often wearing a neon yellow polo. He's a strategic mind in USA Fencing’s Tournament and SEMI Committees, an international referee, and a visionary in integrating...

In this episode, we're exceptionally excited to welcome Jess Davis, a modern pentathlete and epee fencer who trains at the New York Athletic Club. At the Pan American Games In October in Santiago, Chile, Jess qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in the sport of modern pentathlon, which combines equestrian jumping, fencing, swimming, and the laser run — which is a combo of running and pistol shooti...

We're thrilled to have Nathan Jeon as our guest. Nathan is a multi-talented individual in the fencing world, known not only for his skills as a three-weapon fencing referee specializing in foil but also for his notable journey as a fencer and academic.  Starting his fencing journey at a young age, Nathan quickly ascended through regional and national rankings, competing both nationally and interna...

Today’s guest is as sharp on the strip as she is in the classroom. At just 19, she has already left her mark on the fencing world and shows no signs of stopping. We're joined by Tierna Oxenreider, an epee fencer from Columbus, Ohio, who has dedicated 12 years to mastering the art of fencing. She not only represents the prestigious Columbia University and the New York Athletic Club but also recentl...

Our guest is not only a force on the fencing strip but also a force for change in the community of fencing itself.  Nzingha Prescod is a 2-time Olympian, World Champion, and 4-time Senior World Medalist.  But that's not all — the Columbia University graduate is also the Founder & CEO of The Prescod Institute for Sport, Teamwork and Education, better known as PISTE. Through PISTE, she's been breaki...

We're joined by Julie Seal , a 15-time Individual National Champion, a 2022 Veteran World Champion in Saber, and a two-time Pan American Team Bronze Medalist.  She's also a mother of five incredible children — all of whom fence — and even has a son-in-law who fences and referees as well. And if that's not enough, she's gearing up to compete in the 2023 FIE Veteran Fencing World Championships in Da...

Our guest is Akhi Spencer-El , a USA Fencing Hall of Famer and Team USA’s national weapons coach for men’s saber. Appointed in January 2022, Akhi made history as USA Fencing’s first Black national coach. But his accomplishments go far beyond that important milestone. His résumé is teeming with accolades: three-time junior saber national champion, two-time senior saber national champion, former wor...

In this episode, we welcome back to the podcast Supriya Nair , a 14-year-old foil and epee fencer from Redmond, Wash., who fences with the Rain City Fencing Center.   When we last spoke to Supriya about a year ago, she had just received an award for her groundbreaking experiment, Neurofencing, which explored the importance of pre-bout warm-ups through a neuroscientific lens. Now, we're catching up...

Today’s guest is a true difference-maker in the fencing world — someone who has not only made impressive strides in the sport but is using her passion to break barriers and make fencing accessible to all.  Meet Emersyn Runions , a 16-year-old A-rated epee fencer who has been honing her skills for the past 7 years at a number of different clubs, including her current club — the Pegasus Sword Academ...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Maggie Dull. Maggie is an integral part of our fencing community, serving as one of the chairs of the Bout Committee at USA Fencing national tournaments, including right here at Summer Nationals. But Maggie's contribution to the sport stretches far beyond the Bout Committee alone. Starting her fencing journey as a walk-on for Vassar College's varsity...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Matt Tucker, a referee and soon-to-be veteran fencer from Boston who specializes in saber and foil but referees all three weapons. Matt started refereeing nationally in 2016 and moved up the refereeing ranks quickly. He’s now an early career FIE ref. On top of all that, he’s a Data Scientist for Amazon's Alexa organization and married to a fellow nat...

In this episode, we're thrilled to be talking with none other than Jackie Dubrovich, 2020 Tokyo Olympian and a standout star in women's foil. Jackie, hailing from the New Jersey Fencing Alliance, is a seasoned competitor in the world of fencing and is currently ranked 17th in the world in women’s foil. We’re recording this live at Summer Nationals in Phoenix, where Jackie and her women’s foil team...

Today we're diving into the mental side of the sport, focusing on a common yet often overlooked struggle: impostor syndrome. We're thrilled to welcome Dr. Lisa Orbe-Austin , a licensed psychologist and renowned executive coach, who's made tremendous strides in tackling impostor syndrome, diversity, equity and inclusion, and effective communication within various organizations and educational insti...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Megumi Oishi, a student-athlete at Northwestern University, founder of The Athlete Narrative, and an advocate for body positivity in fencing and beyond.  Megumi has been fencing for 10 years, is a 16-time national medalist, a one-time international medalist, and was one of just 24 fencers who qualified for the NCAA Championships in women’s saber wher...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Georgina Love, a foil and epee fencer from Central Florida. Georgina, who is fondly known as George, recently showcased her tenacity at the North American Cup in St. Louis in April 2023, where she won gold medals in both the Vet-60 Women's Foil and the Vet-60 Women's Epee events. In a thrilling final foil bout, George turned an early 5-0 deficit into...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Ralf Bissdorf, the Women’s Foil National Coach for Team USA! Ralf is a two-time Olympian with Team Germany, a silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and spent more than 500 days ranked as the No. 1 men’s foil fencer in the world.   In 2001, he was awarded the Silver Laurel of the Federal Republic of Germany — the highest award for a sportsper...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Daria Schneider, head coach of the women’s and men’s fencing programs at Harvard University. Schneider took the helm at Harvard in 2019 and immediately led the Crimson to a men’s Ivy League championship in her first season.   Before Harvard, she was the head coach at Cornell and assistant coach at Columbia.   And before coaching, Schneider was, as yo...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Arya Chavan, a 13-year-old saber fencer with the Zeta Fencing club of Ashland, Massachusetts, who has already achieved junior national points and won a silver medal in her first cadet team event.   Get ready to be inspired as we discuss her journey, challenges, and aspirations in fencing, as well as her dedication to her education and other interests...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Zach Moss, who has been the head coach of the Northwestern fencing program since 2016. Under his leadership, the Wildcats have achieved national recognition and consistent success, including a program-best third place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2021.   In this conversation, we dive into the world of collegiate fencing and learn more about Co...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Ana Irene Delgado, a member of the Executive Committee of the FIE, the International Fencing Federation. Delgado hails from Panama and has fenced for the Central American nation at FIE World Cups as well as the Central American and Caribbean Games. Among her many volunteer roles, Delgado leads the working group known as “Fencing for the Planet.” Her...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Philippe Bennett, a veteran foil fencer and member of the Fencers Club in New York — a storied fencing club located right next to the Empire State Building.  He’s been a member there for nearly 50 years and currently serves as its Chair. He has represented Team USA at the Veteran World Championship six times, at the Pan American Veteran Championship...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Aleks Ochocki, Team USA’s women’s saber national coach. Before taking the reins of our talented women’s saber program, Aleks was the assistant saber coach at Notre Dame, where he coached multiple team and individual NCAA champions.   Aleks is also the head coach and founder of the Advance Fencing and Fitness Academy in New Jersey.   And we haven’t ev...

In this episode of First to 15, we're joined by Jen Oldham , a fencing coach, innovator and pioneer of the women’s saber program in the United States.   Oldham is a successful saber fencer, having competed for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and at the international level with several top 32 finishes and a bronze team medal.   She has parlayed that experience in many ways, includin...