State College, Pa. - March 10, 2006 -- The Penn State men's and women's fencing teams will send the maximum of 12 individuals to the 2006 NCAA Fencing Championships, hosted by Rice University in Houston, Tex. The three-day event runs Thursday-Saturday, March 16-18. Six of Penn State's qualifiers are returning All-Americans, one is a returning national champion and two more have earned Honorable Mention All-America status.

Leading the charge for head coach Emmanuil Kaidanov on the women's side will be junior captain Sophia Hiss (Oklahoma City, Okla.). His is a two-time All-American (2004 and 2005) and is coming off a runner-up finish in the saber at the Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals back on March 4-5. Hiss is 39-4 this year and has a 115-19 career record. Joining Hiss in the Saber is freshman phenom Caitlin Thompson (Portland, Ore.). Thompson won the 2006 Regional Championship and carries a 21-4 record with her to nationals.

In the epee, 2003 NCAA National Champion Katarzyna Trzopek (Warsaw, Poland) will look to build upon her legacy after surging to a runner-up finish at regionals. Trzopek, a senior who was also an All-American in 2004 but has suffered through injury troubles since, is 20-6 this year and has a 141-18 career record. Junior Case Szarwark (Nashville, Tenn.) will also compete in the epee. Szarwark was third at regionals and was a 2005 Honorable Mention All-American. She is 34-9 this year and 104-31 for her career.

Senior Annekathrin Donath (Tauber, German) returns to nationals in the foil after finishing third at regionals. Donath is a two-time All-American (2004 and 2005) and has a 132-26 career record after going 37-7 this year. Junior Tamara Najm (Morristown, N.J.) placed fifth at regionals and is making her first trip to nationals. Najm went 37-7 this year and is 94-18 for her career.

Leading Kaidanov's men's team will be captain Marten Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) in the saber. Zagunis claimed the 2006 Regional Championship and is a two-time All-American (2003 and 2004). He went 30-6 this year and has a 120-24 career record. Joining Zagunis in the saber will be sophomore Franz Boghicev (Dormagen, Germany). Boghicev was fourth at regionals and is a returning All-American from last year. He went 25-2 this year and has a superb 49-6 career record.

In the epee, 2006 Regional Champion Arthur Urman (Maalot, Israel) carries a 33-8 record with him to nationals. Urman, a 2005 All-American, has a 77-16 career record. Also competing in the epee will be freshman James Moody (Denver, Colo.). Moody took the seventh qualifying spot at regionals and went 29-14 this year.

Sophomore Jeffrey Chang (Hong Kong, China) will lead Penn State in the foil. Chang was an Honorable Mention All-American last year. He went 25-10 this year and has a 39-19 career record. Rounding out the Penn State qualifiers will be freshman Alexander Louton (Hollidaysburg, Pa.). Louton was fifth at regionals and went 25-5 this year.

Penn State will be looking to reclaim its hold on fencing supremacy on the national level. The Nittany Lions, who have just missed out on the crown the past three years, have won nine national titles under Kaidanov, including six straight and seven in an eight year span. Penn State has finished first or second in the combined team race in 15 of the 16 years the NCAA has given out a combined trophy.

THIS WEEK
No. 2/2 Penn State men's and women's fencing teams (women 15-1, men 14-1) will head to Houston, Tex., and the campus of Rice University for the 2006 Penn State men's and women's fencing national championships.

UP FOR GRABS
The 2006 combined team title is up for grabs this season as well as separate recognition of the men's and women's titlists.

ON THE WEB * ON THE AIR
Highlights of the Men's and Women's Fencing Championships will be shown on CBS at 1 p.m. Eastern time, Saturday, April 22. For up-to-date info on the tournament, go to http://ncaasports.com/fencing .

HEAD COACH EMMANUIL KAIDANOV
Considered one of the top fencing coaches in the world, Emmanuil Kaidanov (Kharkov, '62) is in his 24th year at the helm of the Penn State fencing programs. It is his 24th year as the men's head coach and 21st year as the women's mentor.

Kaidanov has a superb 320-22-0 record at the helm of the men's team (a superb .936 winning percentage) and an outstanding 311-24-1 record with the women (an equally impressive .927 winning percentage. His combined record leading the Penn State fencing programs is an amazing 631-46-1 (.931).

Kaidanov is assisted by long time assistant coach Wieslaw Glon (Warsaw Academy), David Ling (Duke, '73) and Victor Svatenko (Univ. of Physical Culture, Almaty)

WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS - QUICK REFERENCE

 Weapon Name Yr. Hometown 2005-06 Rec. Epee Case Szarwark Jr.. Nashville, Tenn. 34-9 Third at Regionals; 2005 HM All-American; 104-31 career record Epee Katarzyna Trzopek Sr. Warsaw, Poland 20-6 Second at Regionals; 2003 National Champion, 2004 All-American; 141-18 career record Foil Annekathrin Donath Sr. Tauber, Germany 37-7 Third at Regionals; 2003 and 2004 All-American; 132-26 career record Foil Tamara Najm Jr. Morristown, N.J. 37-7 Fifth at Regionals; 94-18 career record Saber Caitlin Thompson Fr. Portland, Ore. 21-4 Regional Champion; Member 2005 Juniors Gold Medal Team; 21-4 career record Saber Sophia Hiss Jr. Oklahoma City, Okla 39-4 Second at Regionals; Team Captain; 2004 and 2005 All-American; 115-19 career record MEN'S QUALIFIERS - QUICK REFERENCE Weapon Name Yr. Hometown 2005-06 Rec. Epee Arthur Urman So. Maalot, Israel 33-8 Regional Champion; 2005 All-American; 77-16 career record Epee James Moody Fr. Denver, Colo 29-14 Ninth at Regionals (7th qualifying); 29-14 career record Foil Jeffrey Chang So. Hong Kong, China 25-10 Second at Regionals; 2005 HM All-American; 39-19 career record Foil Alexander Louton Fr. Hollidaysburg, Pa. 25-5 Fifth at Regionals; 25-5 career record Saber Marten Zagunis Sr. Beaverton, Ore. 30-6 Regional Champion; 2003 and 2004 All-American; Team Captain; 120-24 career record Saber Franz Boghicev So. Dormagen, Germany 25-2 Fourth at Regionals; 2005 All-American; 49-6 career record USFCA MEN'S POLL Feb. 22, 2006 1. Ohio State 2. (tie) PENN STATE Notre Dame 4. Harvard 5. St. John's 6. Columbia 7. Princeton 8. Stanford 9. Penn 10. Air Force USFCA WOMEN'S POLL Feb. 22, 2006 1. Notre Dame 2. PENN STATE 3. Harvard 4. Columbia-Barnard 5. Northwestern 6. (tie) St. John's Ohio State 8. Penn 9. Princeton 10. Temple 2005-06 RESULTS Women 15-1 overall, Men 14-1 overall Women's Results December Sat. 3 State College Pa. (5-0) vs. North Carolina W, 23-4 vs. Rutgers W, 21-6 vs. Princeton W, 18-9 vs. Harvard W, 15-12 vs. New York Univ. W, 23-4 January Sat. 28 State College, Pa. (5-1) vs. Drew W, 25-2 vs. Columbia W, 14-13 vs. Penn W, 17-10 vs. St. John's L, 13-14 vs. Temple W, 22-5 vs. Duke W, 21-6 February Sat. 5 Waltham, Mass. (5-0) vs. MIT W, 24-3 vs. Boston College W, 24-3 vs. Haverford W, 25-2 vs. Sacred Heart W, 27-0 vs. Brandeis W, 24-3 March Sat. 4 NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals 12 qualifiers Men's Results December Sat. 3 State College Pa. (4-1) vs. North Carolina W, 2205 vs. Rutgers W, 16-11 vs. Princeton W, 15-12 vs. Harvard L, 13-14 vs. New York Univ. W, 24-3 January Sat. 28 State College, Pa. (5-0) vs. Drew W, 27-0 vs. Columbia W, 15-12 vs. Penn W, 15-12 vs. St. John's W, 19-8 vs. Duke W, 23-4 February Sat. 5 Waltham, Mass. (5-0) vs. MIT W, 21-6 vs. Boston College W, 24-3 vs. Haverford W, 23-4 vs. Sacred Heart W, 24-3 vs. Brandeis W, 22-5 March Sat. 4 NCAA Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals 12 qualifiers