FOUR FROM STANFORD earned major fencing honors from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation on Monday.
Donghwan Park was named MPSF Men's Fencer of the Year, Joy Yun earned Women's Fencer of the Year, Crystal Qian was named Women's Newcomer of the Year, and Lisa Posthumus was named Coach of the Year.
In addition, five Cardinal earned first-team All-MPSF honors and three were named to the second team.
Here are the major MPSF award winners:
Lisa Posthumus, Coach of the Year
Posthumus is in her 24th season as head coach of the Stanford fencing teams. This season, the Cardinal earned its second consecutive MPSF combined team title and finished 13th at the national championships. Stanford had four MPSF individual champions and three NCAA West Region champions. Four Cardinal advanced to nationals, with Irene Yeu earning All-America honors in women's epee.
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Donghwan Park. Photo by Karen Hickey/ISIphotos.com.
Donghwan Park, Men's Fencer of the Year
Stanford junior Donghwan Park captured won the MPSF championship in the men's saber and won his first NCAA West Region title as well. Park advanced to nationals where he placed 17th. During the MPSF team relay, Park outtouched his Incarnate Word opponent, 10-7, in the semifinals, and his Air Force opponent, 5-3, in the final to secure the team title. Park went 59-26 (.694) overall in individual competition this season, including 21-4 at the Northwestern Duals and 11-2 at the NCAA West Regionals.
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Joy Yun, Women's Fencer of the Year
Stanford junior Joy Yun won the MPSF and NCAA West Region titles in women's saber, her first championships in each. Yun advanced to the national championships for the second time, placing 22nd and earning a victory over Maggie Shealy, the top placer in pool competition. Yun finished with an overall record of 41-22 (.651), including a 9-2 record at the NCAA West Regionals and 18-3 mark at the Western Invitational. In the MPSF team relay, Yun outtouched her Incarnate Word opponent, 5-1 in the semifinals and her Air Force opponent, 7-2, in the final that resulted in the team title.
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Crystal Qian, Women's Newcomer of the Year
Stanford freshman Crystal Qian doubled as the MPSF and NCAA West Region women's foil champ. In her first national championships, Qian placed 14th, going 12-11 in the tournament, and finished her season with a 49-22 (.690) record. Qian went 8-2 at the West Regionals, 16-6 at the Western Invitational, and 11-3 at the Northwestern Duals. In the MPSF team relay, Qian closed out the 30-18 semifinal victory over Incarnate Word, and outtouched her Air Force opponent, 5-2, in the final.
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All-MPSF Stanford selections
First team
Women
Epee – Irene Yeu.
Foil – Crystal Qian.
Saber – Joy Yun.
Men
Epee – Kai Rayle
Saber – Donghwan Park.
Second team
Women
Foil – Haley Koo.
Saber – Jeanette Han.
Men
Foil – Luke Park.