Before North Carolina fencer Gill Litynski left for the NCAA Championships in San Antonio, the sophomore said she wanted to make a name for herself as the only female fencer from her school.
By the end of the weekend, she had done just that, improving from last year’s 18th place finish to reach the final four in the sabre category.
“My focus was on,” Litynski said. “I lost some I shouldn’t have, and I beat some I wasn’t expected to.”
The tournament format consisted of six pods of four fencers that fought every other pod. Litynski was placed in the most successful sabre pod, which also consisted of Princeton sisters Eliza and Gracie Stone.
In the semifinal, which was fought individually instead of in pods, eventual national champion Eliza Stone defeated Litynski 15-6. Gracie Stone finished tied for third with Litynski.
“They bonded well together, and they pretty much blasted everyone together as a group,” UNC coach Ron Miller said.
Miller said Litynski’s easy-going personality allowed her to bounce back quickly from defeats as well as build on her successes.
Senior Jackson Bryant-Comstock also lauded Litynski, calling her “one of the most dedicated, hard-working and self-motivating” fencers he’s seen in his 14 years of fencing.
“She’s fantastically talented, but she goes above and beyond in drills, practice and competition,” Bryant-Comstock said. “She’s the leader of the women’s squad, and she brings it everyday.”
