DURHAM, N.C. – Duke head fencing coach Alex Beguinet announced the addition of 17 student-athletes who will join the program for the 2014-15 season. The group includes nine men's fencers and eight women's fencers.

“We are so happy to have these bright young people coming into the program this fall,” said Beguinet, now entering his 30th season at Duke. “Each of them has special talents in addition to their fencing skills, and each will be a wonderful addition to the Duke community.”

The group hails from nine different states and Brazil. Included in the class are seven saber fencers, seven epee fencers and three foil fencers.

Men's saber fencers joining the squad are Pascual Di Tella (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and Peter Yang (Portland, Ore.). On the women's side, Duke welcomes sabers Dara Buggay (Birmingham, Ala.), Haley Fisher (Kennesaw, Ga.), Jennifer Ling (Cranbury, N.J.), Natalie Moszczynski (Watchung, N.J.) and Alexandra Viqueira (Maplewood, N.J.).

“We will have a very nice women's saber squad this year,” Beguinet said. “This squad will be young with five freshman women saberists joining rising sophomore Anjelica Hubbard, but some of the girls coming in have lots of experience and great results. I know this will be a good group and I expect good things from them.

“We are very pleased to have two good freshmen men's saberists coming in as well. We are counting on them add depth to our current strong men's saber squad.”

Additions to the epee roster include men's fencers Alec Ajnsztajn (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Jared Garland (Hingham, Mass.), Dean Ischiropouplos (Philadelphia, Pa.), Dakota Nollner (Ogden, Utah) and Bobak Shadpor (Basking Ridge, N.J.), and women's fencers Sophie Caplin (Earlysville, Va.) and Caroline Keefe (Upper Montclair, N.J.).

“The epeeists who will join us are all remarkable student-athletes – both for the men's and the women's squads. Adding two more women epeeists will fortify that squad, and the four men's epeeists coming will certainly help strengthen that squad after graduating two of the best we've had in a few years.”

Joining the foil squad will be men's fencers Sam Goodman (Rochester, N.Y.) and Jan Maceczek (Marlboro, N.J.) and women's fencer Samantha Meyers (Wyckoff, N.J.).

“In foil we have additions in each of the two genders, but we expect that all three foilists will quickly rise to the top of their squads.”

Those fencers will join a Duke program that has logged four NCAA top-10 finishes in the past five seasons, including 10th place with four All-Americans in 2014.

“This has been an especially difficult year for students seeking admission to Duke, and we are very proud to call all of these incoming fencers Blue Devils,” said Beguinet.

Incoming Duke Fencers

Men's Fencers Name Weapon Hometown Alec Ajnsztajn Epee Sao Paulo, Brazil Pascual Di Tella Saber Buenos Aires, Argentina Jared Garland Epee Hingham, Mass. Sam Goodman Foil Rochester, N.Y. Dean Ischiropouplos Epee Philadelphia, Pa. Jan Maceczek Foil Marlboro, N.J. Dakota Nollner Epee Ogden, Utah Bobak Shadpoor Epee Basking Ridge, N.J. Peter Yang Saber Portland, Ore. Women's Fencers Name Weapon Hometown Dara Buggay Saber Birmingham, Ala. Sophie Caplin Epee Earlysville, Va. Haley Fisher Saber Kennesaw, Ga. Caroline Keefe Epee Upper Montclair, N.J. Jennifer Ling Saber Cranbury, N.J. Samantha Meyers Foil Wyckoff, N.J. Natalie Moszczynski Saber Watchung, N.J. Alexandra Viqueira Saber Maplewood, N.J.

Fencer Bios

Alec Ajnsztajn (Men's Epee)

Intended Major: Engineering or History

Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil

High School: Ranked 7th on the 2014 Brazilian Junior National Points List … 38th on the 2014 Brazilian Senior National Points List … won bronze and placed 10th individually at the 2013 Brazilian Junior National Championships … two-time USFA Junior Olympic Qualifier … four-time Bernards High School Fencing Team Varsity Scholar Athlete… two-time team MVP… two-time first team all-conference selection … 2013-14 District 1 Champion … silver medalist at the New Jersey Squad State Championship … placed seventh at NJ State Individual Championship … NJIFA All-State second team … NJ Star Ledger All-State second team … National Honor Society… AP Scholar with Distinction… National Hispanic Scholar… National Merit Commended Scholar.

Dara Buggay (Women's Saber)

Intended Major: Biomedical Engineering

Hometown: Birmingham, Ala.

High School: Placed 3rd at the Wright Memorial and Regional Youth Circuit in 2014 ... took fifth at the event in 2013 ... runner-up at the Louisville Tournament ... third-place finish at the Pennsylvania Keystone State Games ... placed eighth at the Vanderbilt Tournament ... the 23rd-place finish in Division III at the 2014 March North American Cup ... 30th in Division II at Summer Nationals 2013 ... assistant coach for the Birmingham Fencing Club ... training to become a fencing referee ... member of the National Honor Society ... president of Mu Alpha Honor Society ... president of Latin Honor Society ... a second grade tutor in reading and writing ... a volunteer with Impact Alabama to screen young children to detect any early vision problems ... captain of a Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society

Sophie Caplin (Women's Epee)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Earlysville, Va.

High School: Founder and captain of the Tandem Friends Fencing Club ... led team to victory in the Central Virginia school championships 2011 ... placed sixth in Division II at the North American Cup in 2013 ... took fifth at the ROC in Division II in 2013 ... won gold at the 2012-13 Junior Olympic qualifier ... a USFA sanctioned referee in epee and foil ... serves as a youth foil coach at local fencing clubs in Virginia.

Pascual Di Tella (Men's Saber)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina

High School: Member of the Argentine National Team, currently fencing with the cadet and senior national teams ... placed third in the 2013 Phoenix Junior World Cup ... placed sixth in the 2012 event ... won the 2012 South American Cadet Championship ... also the senior vice champion of the 2012 South American cup ... finished first in the senior point standings for all of Argentina in 2012.

Haley Fisher (Women's Saber)

Intended Major: Public Policy

Hometown: Kennesaw, Ga.

High School: Fenced at Nellya Fencers (Atlanta, GA), under coach Arkady Burdan for eight years ... top individual results include 2013 Junior Olympic (Baltimore, MD) Cadet silver medalist, Nov 2011 USFA North American Cup (Austin, TX) silver medalist and 2012 Summer Nationals (Anaheim, CA) Women's Saber Division 1A bronze medalist ... presently ranked 26th on the USFA Junior Pt.'s List and holds an A2013 rating ... has been a member of Nellya's Senior women's saber team, winning gold in 2012 and silver 2013, 2011 ... member of Nellya's Junior Women's Saber team that won gold in 2011, 2012 and 2013 ... member of USFA First team All-Academic and La Societe Honoraire de Francais.

Jared Garland (Men's Epee)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Hingham, Mass.

High School: Started fencing at DC Fencers' Club where he fenced for two years before spending the next six years with Boston Fencing Club … competed at the Junior Olympics in 2012-13 … placed third in the Bay State Games in 2013 … took third in the 2013 Fall Foliage Classic … third place at 2013 Danny Bukantz Division II ROC in senior epee … has competed in martial arts since age five … member of the National Honor Society … president of the Hingham High School Quiz Bowl Team … nationally ranked in the National History Bowl and Bee … also played the trumpet and sings.

Sam Goodman (Men's Foil)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.

High School: Advanced to the top 32 at several North American Cup events in both junior and cadet … placed second in the 2012 St. Louis NAC in Division II … recorded a third-place finish at the 2011 Detroit NAC in Division III … an eighth-place finisher at the 2013 ROC in Buffalo in Division 1A … Fenced at Rochester Fencing Club … graduated at the top of his class … worked as a physics research assistant at the University of Rochester.

Dean Ischiropouplos (Men's Epee)

Intended Major: Public Policy

Hometown: Media, Pa.

High School: Placed 12th in the junior men's epee division at the 2013 January North American Cup … took ninth in the cadet men's epee bracket at the 2013 Junior Olympic Championships … was the 16th-place finisher in junior men's epee at the 2014 Junior Olympics … member of the National Honor Society.

Caroline Keefe (Women's Epee)

Intended Major: Biology and Global Health, or Biomedical Engineering.

Hometown: Montclair, N.J.

High School: A competitive figure skater until sophomore year in high school when she switched to fencing … led her high school squad in wins as a junior and senior … team captain and MVP as a senior … placed second in the New Jersey High School Individual State Fencing Championship … took fourth in the district individual championships as a junior … helped her epee squad place fourth at the district championships … participated in two USFA Summer Nationals, placing fifth in 2013 … member of the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society and French Honor Society…a volunteer fencing coach at various middle schools and the YMCA … studied Arabic for three years with goal of contributing, volunteering and working in impoverished and developing countries abroad.

Jennifer Ling (Women's Saber)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Cranbury, N.J.

High School: Placed 10th in the Junior Women's saber event in the 2014 Junior Olympics ... took fifth at NJISAA State Individual Tournament in 2014 ... captain of the High school fencing team in 2013 and 2014 ... placed 16th in the Cadet Women's saber event in the 2013 Junior Olympics ... took 28th at the 2013 Arizona Junior World Cup ... placed seventh at the NJISAA State Individual Tournament in 2012 ... claimed 13th at November NAC 2012 in St. Louis Missouri for Cadet Women's Saber.

Jan Maceczek (Men's Foil)

Intended Major: Economics

Hometown: Marlboro, N.J.

High School: Placed sixth at the 2012 European Cadet Circuit in Halle Germany … third-place finisher at the 2011 and 2012 Junior Olympics … took sixth at the 2012 January North American Cup in the cadet division … seventh-place finish in cadet at the 2012 July North American Cup … advanced to the top 32 at Division 1 Nationals in 2013 and 2014 … named to the USA Fencing All-Academic first team in 2012 and 2013 … interned at Sapient Global Markets in New York … volunteered at Superior Court of New Jersey, Monmouth … volunteered at Marlboro Township Library.

Samantha Meyers (Women's Foil)

Intended Major: Psychology

Hometown: Wyckoff, N.J.

High School: Fenced Varsity for first two years at Ramapo High School … competitive fencer in Europe during senior year … resides in Paris, France.

Natalie Moszczynski (Women's Saber)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Watchung, N.J.

High School: Four-year member of the varsity fencing team … won the district's freshman-sophomore competition as a freshman … won the district saber competition as a senior and placed sixth at the inidivudal state championship … four-time team MVP and co-captain of the saber squad … fenced with the Bergen Fencing Club … New Jersey All-State Fencing Team selection in 2014 … member of the National Honor Society … fluent Polish speaker.

Dakota Nollner (Men's Epee)

Intended Major: Bio-Medical Engineering

Hometown: Ogden, Utah

High School: Placed eighth at the 2012 Junior Olympics in Junior Men's Epee ... member of the National Honor Society ... Valedictorian of Bonneville High School, Class of 2014 ... National Merit Scholar ... brother of Duke fencer Dylan Nollner ('14), a two-time All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier.

Bobak Shadpoor (Men's Epee)

Intended Major: Biology, minor in Economics

Hometown: Basking Ridge, N.J.

High School: Member of Medeo Fencing Club where he initially started with foil with Coach Andrzej Zamlynny … switched to epee during 2013-14 season and earned his A2014 ranking in the weapon … placed 10th in epee at the During the 2013-2014 season, began fencing Epee and earned A2014 at a cup and later placed tenth at the Cobra ROC DIV 1A qualifier.

Alexandra Viqueira (Women's Saber)

Intended Major: Undecided

Hometown: Maplewood, N.J.

High School: Member of the Columbia High School fencing team ... helped the program win the 2012 New Jersey State Championship ... during freshman year, finished second in district and third in the New Jersey State Individual Competition ... during sophomore and junior seasons, compiled a record of 110-34, finishing fourth in the NJ State Individual Competition and third in district ... two-time all-state selection ... trained at the Peter Westbrook Foundation with Olympian Akhnaten Spencer-El ... posted top finishes of top 16 at 2013 Junior Olympics and 2012 January NAC ... has fenced internationally in Poland and Hungary ... did not fence as a senior while rehabbing from surgery.

Peter Yang (Men's Saber)

Intended Major: Economics

Hometown: Portland, Ore.

High School: Division II champion of the 2012 North American Cup in Milwaukee … member of the 2014 Portland Junior Olympic gold medal team … completed OMTA piano syllabus … 2011 OMTA Piano Romantic Festival Winner.

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