A steady climb over the course of four days at the National Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Fencing Championships culminated in a team title for Harvard.

The Crimson stood fifth in the team standings after the first day and rose to second at the end of Day 2. Harvard completed its ascent to the top on the third day and finished with 165 points in the event held March 16-19 in Houston.

Harvard held off Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Columbia-Barnard to win. Those programs, along with St. John’s (New York), had combined to win the first 16 NCAA national titles.

Harvard sophomore Benji Ungar led his team by winning the men’s epee individual championship.

He was one of four fencers to go 18-5 in the epee round-robin format, which qualified him into the semifinal round. Ungar reached the final with a 15-4 win against Stanford’s Martin Lee.

The title match was a close affair that Ungar was able to win, 15-14, over Ohio State’s Denis Tolkachev.

Ungar is the third Harvard student-athlete to win an NCAA individual title in men’s fencing, joining 1987 epee champion Jim O’Neill and 1994 foil champ Kwame van Leeuwen.

Harvard freshman Kai Itameri-Kinter contributed a sixth-place finish in foil after going 13-10 in the round-robin competition. Enoch Woodhouse took 16th in the 24-man field, but finished ahead of both Penn State competitors as the Crimson was able to build its lead through the completion of the first weapon.

The Crimson wrapped up the title in saber, where Time Hagamen was fourth and David Jakus took 13th.

Ungar, Hagamen and Itameri-Kinter earned all-America status on the men’s side, while Emily Cross, Chloe Stinetorf and Maria Larsson were all-Americans for Harvard’s women.

The title is the fourth in the history of Harvard’s athletics program. The fencing team joins the 1989 men’s ice hockey team, the 1990 women’s lacrosse team and the 2003 women’s rowing team as NCAA champions.

Team results

1. Harvard, 165; 2. Penn St., 159; 3. Ohio St., 155; 4. Notre Dame, 152; 5. Columbia-Barnard, 148; 6. St. John’s (N.Y.), 139; 7. Stanford, 78; 8. Princeton, 76; 9. Penn, 74; 10. Wayne St. (Mich.), 70; 11. (tie) Duke and Northwestern, 56; 13. Rutgers, 46; 14. New York U., 41; 15. Air Force, 38; 16. Yale, 34; 17. UC San Diego, 30; 18. Temple, 23; 19. North Carolina, 21; 20. MIT, 18; 21. Brandeis, 17; 22. Cornell, 16; 23. (tie) Cal St. Fullerton and Detroit, 9; 25. Vassar, 7; 26. (tie) Boston College, Johns Hopkins and Tufts, 5; 29. Brown, 3.

Individual champions

Men’s saber: Adam Crompton, Ohio St., def. Patrick Ghattas, Notre Dame, 15-9.

Men’s epee: Benji Ungar, Harvard, def. Denis Tolkachev, Ohio St., 15-14.

Men’s foil: Boaz Ellis, Ohio St., def. Andras Horanyi, Ohio St., 15-9.

Women’s saber: Mariel Zagunis, Notre Dame, def. Emily Jacobson, Columbia-Barnard, 15-8.

Women’s foil: Erzsebet Garay, St. John’s (N.Y.), def. Jacqueline Leahy, Princeton, 14-12.

Women’s epee: Katarzyna Trzopek, Penn St., def. Anna Garina, Wayne St. (Mich.), 12-11.

Team results

1. Harvard, 165; 2. Penn St., 159; 3. Ohio St., 155; 4. Notre Dame, 152; 5. Columbia-Barnard, 148; 6. St. John’s (N.Y.), 139; 7. Stanford, 78; 8. Princeton, 76; 9. Penn, 74; 10. Wayne St. (Mich.), 70; 11. (tie) Duke and Northwestern, 56; 13. Rutgets, 46; 14. New York U., 41; 15. Air Force, 38; 16. Yale, 34; 17. UC San Diego, 30; 18. Temple, 23; 19. North Carolina, 21; 20. MIT, 18; 21. Brandeis, 17; 22. Cornell, 16; 23. (tie) Cal St. Fullerton and Detroit, 9; 25. Vassar, 7; 26. (tie) Boston College, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts, 5; 29. Brown, 3.

Individual results

Men’s saber

Semifinals: Adam Crompton, Ohio St., def. Timothy Hagamen, Harvard, 15-6; Patrick Ghattas, Notre Dame, def. Jason Rogers, Ohio St., 15-13.

Third place: Rogers def. Hagamen, 15-14.

Championship: Crompton def. Ghattas, 15-9.

Round-robin standings: 1. Adam Crompton, Ohio St., 21-2; 2. Patrick Ghattas, Notre Dame, 20-3; 3. Jason Rogers, Ohio St., 20-3; 4. Timothy Hagamen, Harvard, 19-4; 5. James Williams, Columbia, 18-5; 6. Franz Boghicev, Penn St., 18-5; 7. Benjamin Igoe, Rutgers, 16-7; 8. Luther Clement, St. John’s (N.Y.), 16-7; 9. Teddy Levitt, Stanford, 14-9; 10. Peter Truszkowski, Duke, 13-10; 11. Matt Stearns, Notre Dame, 12-11; 12. Marten Zagunis, Penn St., 11-12; 13. David Jakus, Harvard, 10-13; 14. Andrew Magee, New York U., 10-13; 15. Alexander Diacou, Columbia, 9-14; 16. Jaroslaw Jelinek, Detroit, 9-14; 17. Matt Kolasa, Penn, 8-15; 18. Nikita Tsukhlo, St. John’s (N.Y.), 8-15; 19. Justin Bernstein, Vassar, 7-16; 20. Igor Kopylov, MIT, 7-16; 21. Robert Ziechmann, North Carolina, 6-17; 22. Will Randolph, North Carolina, 2-21; 23. C.J. Baran, Air Force, 1-22; 24. Jeremy Simpson, Brandeis, 1-22.

Men’s epee

Semifinals: Benji Ungar, Harvard, def. Martin Lee, Stanford, 15-4; Denis Tolkachev, Ohio St., def. Ben Solomon, Princeton, 15-9. 

Third place: Solomon def. Lee, 15-8.

Championship: Ungar def. Tolkachev, 15-14.

Round-robin standings: 1. Benji Ungar, Harvard, 18-5; 2. Denis Tolkachev, Ohio St., 18-5; 3. Ben Solomon, Princeton, 18-5; 4. Martin Lee, Stanford, 18-5; 5. Michael Pearce, Yale, 15-8; 6. Adam Rodney, St. John’s (N.Y.), 14-9; 7. Dwight Smith, Columbia, 14-9; 8. Jason Stockdale, Air Force, 14-9; 9. Ben Bratton, St. John’s (N.Y.), 14-9; 10. Julian Rose, Harvard, 13-10; 11. Arthur Urman, Penn St., 12-11; 12. Jason Henderson, Rutgers, 12-11; 13. Marek Petraszek, Wayne St. (Mich.), 12-11; 14. Jackson Ranes, Air Force, 11-12; 15. Tommi Hurme, Princeton, 11-12; 16. Aaron Adjemian, Notre Dame, 10-13; 17. Jason Pryor, Ohio St., 8-15; 18. Karol Kostka, Notre Dame, 8-15; 19. James Moody, Penn St., 7-16; 20. Clayton Kenney, Stanford, 7-16; 21. Mike Burkhart, North Carolina, 7-16; 22. Daniel Zielinski, Johns Hopkins, 5-18; 23. Philip Andrews, New York U., 5-18; 24. Sam Richardson, Boston College, 5-18.

Men’s foil

Semifinals: Andras Horanyi, Ohio St., def. Scott Sugimoto, Columbia, 15-13; Boaz Ellis, Ohio St., def. Ron Berkowsky, Penn, 15-3.

Third place: Sugimoto def. Berkowsky, 15-13.

Championship: Ellis def. Horanyi, 15-9.

Round-robin standings: 1. Boaz Ellis, Ohio St., 21-2; 2. Andras Horanyi, Ohio St., 22-1; 3. Scott Sugimoto, Columbia, 17-6; 4. Ron Berkowsky, Penn, 19-4; 5. Steve Gerberman, Stanford, 14-9; 6. Kai Itameri-Kinter, Harvard, 13-10; 7. Gabe Sinkin, New York U., 13-10; 8. Jakub Jedrkowiak, Notre Dame, 12-11; 9. Michael Galligan, Penn, 12-11; 10. Sam Wunderlich, St. John’s (N.Y.); 11-12; 11. Spencer Sugimoto, MIT, 11-12; 12. Douglas Hohensee, Princeton, 11-12; 13. Cory Werk, Yale, 11-12; 14. Jesse Schibilia, Rutgers, 10-13; 15. Eugene Vortsman, Brandeis, 10-13; 16. Enoch Woodhouse, Harvard, 10-13; 17. Richard Fulton, Stanford, 10-13; 18. Calvin Chen, Columbia, 10-13; 19. Jeffrey Chang, Penn St., 9-14; 20. Alexander Louton, Penn St., 9-14; 21. Mark Kubik, Notre Dame, 7-16; 22. Will Friedman, Brandeis, 6-17; 23. John Chung, UC San Diego, 5-18; 24. Steve Piantadosi, North Carolina, 3-20.

Women’s saber

Semifinals: Mariel Zagunis, Notre Dame, def. Emma Baratta, Columbia-Barnard, 15-14; Emily Jacobson, Columbia-Barnard, def. Caitlin Thompson, Penn St., 15-13.

Third place: Baratta def. Thompson, 15-14.

Championship: Zagunis def. Jacobson, 15-8.

Round-robin standings: 1.Mariel Zagunis, Notre Dame, 17-6; 2. Emily Jacobson, Columbia-Barnard, 19-4; 3. Emma Baratta, Columbia-Barnard, 19-4; 4. Caitlin Thompson, Penn St., 18-5; 5. Sophia Hiss, Penn St., 17-6; 6. Ibtihaj Muhammad, Duke, 16-7; 7. Siobhan Byrne, Ohio St., 15-8; 8. Eva Jellison, Stanford, 15-8; 9. Valerie Providenza, Notre Dame, 15-8; 10. Olga Ovtchinnikova, St. John’s (N.Y.), 14-9; 11. Eileen Grench, Ohio St., 14-9; 12. Katarzyna Kuzniak, Wayne St. (Mich.), 12-11; 13. Carolyn Wright, Harvard, 12-11; 14. Alexa Weingarden, Harvard, 12-11; 15. Carly Guss, Yale, 8-15; 16. Emily Paternak, Northwestern, 8-15; 17. Lauren Phillips, Rutgers, 8-15; 18. Mai Van Vu, Northwestern, 7-16; 19. Allison Schafer, Duke, 6-17; 20. Alexandra Heiss, Cornell, 6-17; 21. Raelyn Jacobson, UC San Diego, 6-17; 22. Kasia Wieronski, St. John’s (N.Y.), 5-18; 23. Cassandra Partyka, Penn, 4-19; 24. Jennifer Kling, North Carolina, 3-10.

Women’s foil

Semifinals: Erzsebet Garay, St. John’s (N.Y.), def. Annekathrin Donath, Penn St., 15-8; Jacqueline Leahy, Princeton, def. Emily Cross, Harvard, 15-5.

Third place: Cross def. Donath, 15-4.

Championship: Garay def. Leahy, 14-12.

Round-robin standings: 1. Erzsebet Garay, St. John’s (N.Y.), 21-2; 2. Jacqueline Leahy, Princeton, 18-5; 3. Emily Cross, Harvard, 20-3; 4. Annekathrin Donath, Penn St., 16-7; 5. Jessica Florendo, Northwestern, 16-7; 6. Adrienne Nott, Notre Dame, 15-8; 7. Katia Larchanka, St. John’s (N.Y.), 15-8; 8. Samantha Nemecek, Northwestern, 14-9; 9. Abby Emerson, Penn, 14-9; 10. Chloe Stinetorf, Harvard, 13-10; 11. Tamara Najm, Penn St., 12-11; 12. Kathleen Reckling, Columbia-Barnard, 12-11; 13. Kelsey Finkel, Columbia-Barnard, 12-11; 14. Melanie Bautista, Notre Dame, 11-12; 15. Ilana Sinkin, Penn, 11-12; 16. Jenna Remmert, Temple, 10-13; 17. Senta Breden, Cal St. Fullerton, 9-14; 18. Nina Gernes, Temple, 8-15; 19. Lindsay Howard, Wayne St. (Mich.), 7-16; 20. Jen Chun, UC San Diego, 6-17; 21. Kristen Wentrcek, New York U., 5-18; 22. Christin Lee, Tufts, 5-18; 23. Sara Jew-Lim, Princeton, 3-20; 24. Marilyn Tycer, Duke, 2-21.

Women’s epee

Semifinals: Anna Garina, Wayne St. (Mich.), def. Kaela Brendler, Ohio St., 15-14; Katarzyna Trzopek, Penn St., def. Justyna Konczalska, Wayne St. (Mich.), 15-14.

Third place: Brendler def. Konczalska, 15-11.

Championship: Trzopek def. Garina, 12-11.

Round-robin standings: 1. Katarzyna Trzopek, Penn St., 16-7; 2. Anna Garina, Wayne St. (Mich.), 22-1; 3. Kaela Brendler, Ohio St., 16-7; 4. Justyna Konczalska, Wayne St. (Mich.), 17-6; 5. Erin McGarry, Princeton, 15-8; 6. Madeleine Stephan, Notre Dame, 14-9; 7. Case Szarwark, Penn St., 14-9; 8. Reka Szele, St. John’s (N.Y.), 14-9; 9. Maria Larsson, Harvard, 14-9; 10. Chelsea Ambort, UC San Diego, 13-10; 11. Eliza Enyart, Air Force, 12-11; 12. Elizabeth Morgan Midgley, Columbia-Barnard, 12-11; 13. Sharon Sullivan, Northwestern, 11-12; 14. Jasmine McGlade, Harvard, 11-12; 15. Amy Orlando, Notre Dame, 11-12; 16. Anne Kercsmar, Duke, 10-13; 17. Meghan Phair, Cornell, 10-13; 18. Dorothy Hubbard, Duke, 9-14; 19. Jean Goto, New York U., 8-15; 20. Joanna Guy, St. John’s (N.Y.), 7-16; 21. Holly Buechel, Penn, 6-17; 22. Rachel Rowe, Columbia-Barnard, 6-17; 23. Brianna Ferrara, Temple, 5-18; 24. Ruth Schneider, Brown, 3-20.