Andy Ma, the Young Family Head Fencing Coach, has been selected Ivy League Women’s Fencing Coach of the Year.
Ma, who coaches both the women’s fencing team and the men’s fencing team, has led the women’s team this season to a 23-7 record, a No. 6 national ranking, and a share of the Ivy League Championship, their first since 2004.
At the conference championships, held Feb. 10-11 at Columbia’s Levien Gymnasium, Penn finished 5-1 and split the Ivy title with Columbia and Princeton. En route, the Quakers knocked off No. 3-ranked Harvard, the No. 4-ranked Tigers, No. 7-ranked Cornell, and No. 10-ranked Yale.
Sixteen members of the women’s fencing team competed in the championships. Fourth-year Sabrina Cho was named First-Team All-Ivy in the foil; first-year Grace Hu and first-year Victoria Kuznetskov were named Second-Team All-Ivy in the epee; and third-year Katina Proestakis-Ortiz was named Second-Team All-Ivy in the foil.
During the regular season, the Red & Blue bested No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 5 Duke, No. 8 Northwestern, No. 9 Temple, No. 11 St. John’s, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 14 Stanford, and No. 15 NYU.
Ma has directed the women’s and men’s programs since the 2009-10 season. The Coach of the Year honor is his fifth overall—two as women’s coach and three as men’s coach. The Ivy title is his first as women’s coach. He has more than 500 wins coaching both teams.
On deck for the Quakers is the Temple Invitational in North Philadelphia on Feb. 25. The NCAA Regionals begin March 9.
