Don't worry. You haven't walked onto the set of a bad Martin Lawrence movie. You've simply stumbled upon the North Carolina fencing team preparing for their first dual meet of the season on Sunday at Rutgers.
UNC coach Ron Miller's squad returns six NCAA qualifiers, including senior Beth Athanas, a 13th-place NCAA championship finisher, and sophomore Ivona Puszkarczek, who placed eighth in the NAC Cadet/Junior competition in Dallas on Nov. 12. UNC's men and women compete in epee, foil and sabre.
UNC also added another weapon in freshman Wesley Newkirk, who said he expects to be an All-American every year. Newkirk developed his skills under the watchful eye of former Penn State fencing coach Wes Glon, who coached the 1996 Olympic team.
Miller, in his 35th year of coaching, is confident this year's squad will better last year's 17th-place NCAA finish.
"We have one to two strong fencers in every weapon," Miller said. "If we can use our athletic training that we've been working on all fall to our advantage, then we have a chance at anyone."
Sunday's match will be the Tar Heels' first real test as they square off against four of the nation's top teams in Penn State, Princeton, Rutgers, and NYU.
UNC equally balances its youth with experience as freshman and sophomores comprise exactly half of the team.
The balance allows the young fencers to receive guidance from the more seasoned swordsmen.
Veterans on the men's team include juniors Josh Webb, Seth Axford and Matt McMurray.
