Field: participants in six events Competition will include 144 (24 per weapon).

Dates and site: The championships will be conducted March 23-26 at Stanford.

Information/results: The fax-on-demand telephone number is 770/563-1133 (pin code 1915); request numbers are 1315 for bracket/schedule, 1316 for ticket information, 5079 for day one results, 5080 for day two results, 5081 for day three results and 5082 for day four results. Championships results will be published in the April 10 issue of The NCAA News.

Championships notes: Women's sabre makes its debut in the championships, resulting in an increase of 24 participants over last year. Penn State has won the last five team titles and seven of the 10 in the history of the championships. Notre Dame has been the runner-up each of the last four years. Stanford, which is hosting the championships for the first time, could also be a title contender. The Cardinal men's team is ranked first and the women's squad fourth in the United States Fencing Coaches Association February 4 poll. Penn State is atop of the February 4 women's poll with the men fourth, and Notre Dame is ranked second among the men and third in the women's ranking.