Shen Takes Gold at Coach Nikki Franke Classic to Lead Blue Devils

Saturday, October 25

Philadelphia, Pa.

Duke University

Coach Nikki Franke Classic

Aidan Lee fences at Nikki Franke Classic

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Shen Takes Gold at Coach Nikki Franke Classic to Lead Blue Devils

10/26/2025 7:28:00 PM | Fencing

Results

PHILADELPHIA – Duke opened the 2025-26 fencing season with a strong team showing at the Coach Nikki Franke Classic hosted by Temple University. The Blue Devils captured five top-five and nine top-10 placings.

Junior foilist Sophia Shen highlighted the weekend with a first-place showing while Aidan Lee (foil) and Zachary Shoman (saber) led the Blue Devil men with seventh-place finishes.

Day One Recap
Women's Foil

The women opened the action Saturday with five Blue Devils finishing in the top five of their respective weapons. Shen was the headliner for Duke with Rachel Koo also shining by tying for third. Zizi Newhard took fifth and Skylar Knight sixth.
All three foilists went 4-0 in pool competition with Newhard earning the top seed, Knight the second, Koo the fourth and Shen the eighth. Newhard and Shen cruised through to the quarterfinals where Shen edged her Blue Devil teammate, 15-13. Shen went on to win the semifinal bout, 15-9, and took home gold with a victory over Penn's Kimberley Jang.
Koo advanced to the semifinals en route to her third-place finish while Knight fell to runner-up Jang in the round of eight.

Women's Épée

In her first bout as a Blue Devil, graduate student Yeva Mazur took second behind Penn's Grace Hu. Mazur went unbeaten, 4-0, in pool action to garner the top seed. After edging Temple's Eliana Geva, 15-14, in the round of 32, Mazur cruised through to the final match before falling narrowly, 14-13, to Penn's Grace Hu.

Women's Saber

Kunling Tong took 20th and Victoria Gorman 21st at saber. Hava Stone finished her first event of 2025-26 tied for 22nd.

Day Two Recap
Men's Foil

Aidan Lee headlined the Duke contingent with a seventh-place finish while Tolba Abdelrahman rounded out the top-10 in 10th.
Abdelrahman, Dayaal Singh and Owen Li all finished 4-0 in pool competition with Abdelrahman earning the No. 11 seed. Lee, after going 3-2, headed into the next round as the 25th seed. The rookie caught fire, advancing to the quarterfinals before falling to the top seed by a narrow 15-13 score.

Men's Épée

Kyran Lin had the best showing for the Blue Devils in pool competition, going 5-0 to garner the No. 4 seed. Giulio Pech was also unbeaten to land at the No. 9 spot in the direct elimination round. Lin went on to tie for 18th, while Isaac Lief was 20th.

Men's Sabre

Zachary Shoman had a solid first showing as a Blue Devil, taking seventh. Justin Morrill and freshman Ethan Huang were 11th and 12th, respectively. Shoman, the No. 10 seed after going 4-0 in pool competition, advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to No. 4 seed Elden Wood of North Carolina.

Quote
"This weekend offered great exposure to our freshmen for their first competition in their collegiate season and a good test for the whole team. I look forward to seeing how we will build from here." - Omar Elgeziry

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