STATE COLLEGE, Pa., March 19, 2003 - The Penn State fencing team will duel in defense of its national title this weekend at the 2003 NCAA Fencing Championships at the Cadet Field House of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Nittany Lions will be represented by 11 competitors and four alternates at the four-day men's and women's combined event, which will be closed to the public and under heightened security due to world events.

The tournament is set to begin Thursday, as the men take to the strips at 10 a.m. for the first four rounds. The men's portion of the competition will conclude on Friday, with rounds 5-7 beginning at 10 a.m. and the gold medal bouts scheduled for 2:30 p.m. The women will have their turn in the spotlight on Saturday and Sunday, with the first four rounds set to begin at noon on Saturday. Rounds 5-7 will commence at 10 a.m. on Sunday, with the gold medal bouts scheduled for 2 p.m.

Throughout the event, the field of 144 fencers will simultaneously compete individually and for their respective teams. As the fencers battle their way through the individual brackets, their respective teams are awarded one point for each victory. At the conclusion of the event on Sunday afternoon, the scores of each school's men's and women's teams are combined to determine the 2003 Combined National Champion.

The No. 2 Penn State men's squad will have five competitors and three alternates in action at the Championships. Junior team captain Alex Weber (Frieburg, Germany) and freshman Marten Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) will compete in the men's saber after finishing in first and second place, respectively, at the Mid-Atlantic/South Regionals two weeks ago. Weber is looking to improve upon his fourth place finish at Nationals last season after posting a perfect 23-0 mark during the dual meet season this year. Zagunis has been extremely impressive in his debut season with the Nittany Lions, finishing at 37-4 in the regular season. Junior Amir Rahimi (Plano, Tex.) will back up Weber and Zagunis as a very capable alternate after going 31-7 throughout the season.

Nonpatat Panchan (Bangkok, Thailand) will take to the strips in defense of his men's foil National Title after claiming the Regional crown two weeks ago and winning 25 of his 31 bouts during the dual meet season. He will be accompanied by Chris Miller (Salina, Kan.), another solid freshman, who placed fifth at Regionals. Miller registered a very strong initial season, finishing at 30-10 in dual meet bouts. Sophomore Ian Schlaepfer (Rohnert Park, Calif.) will serve as an alternate in the men's foil following a 28-12 performance through the dual meets.

In the men's epee, two-time All-American Adam Wiercioch (Gliwice, Poland) will serve as the sole Nittany Lion representative. After going 32-7 during the season and claiming the Regional Title, he will be looking to improve upon last year's fourth place finish. Ethan Muri (Altoona, Pa.) just missed qualifying for Nationals with a sixth place finish at Regionals, but he has earned an alternate spot.

The top-ranked Lady Lions will send six competitors and one alternate to the Championships. Jessica Burke (Upper Marlboro, N.J.) has her eyes set on reclaiming the women's epee National Championship she earned as a freshman in 2000. She is in the perfect position to do just that after finishing the regular season at 33-6 and winning the Regional Title two weeks ago. Katarzyna Trzopek (Warsaw, Poland) is coming off of a remarkable freshman campaign that saw her go 44-3 in dual meets and finish as runner-up to Burke at the Regionals.

Freshman Annekathrin Donath (Touber, Germany) will lead the way in the women's foil after posting a strong stretch run this season, including a runner-up finish at Regionals. She will be joined by sophomore Meredith Chin (Wynnewood, Pa.), who garnered Honorable Mention honors last season and finished fourth at this year's Regionals.

Two-time All-American junior Heather Brosnan (Portland, Ore.) will attempt to utilize her superior experience to improve upon her fifth place finish in the women's saber at Nationals last year. She went 38-10 during the regular season and placed second at Regionals. Senior Austin O'Neill (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) will also compete in the women's saber after going 35-12 in dual meets and placing fifth at Regionals. They will be supported by junior Meredith Steyer (Topsfield, Mass.), who will serve as an alternate following a season in which she went 29-15.

Penn State will be vying for its 10th Combined National Championship this weekend. The Nittany Lions have won seven of the last eight national titles, including a dramatic comeback victory last season to reclaim the title.