Nov. 5, 2006

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - While its only a couple of weeks into his college career, freshman Liran Gross is already turning heads nationally. The Beer-Sheva, Israel native defeated some of the nation's top fencers over the weekend to finish sixth in men's foil at the Garret Penn State Open on Sunday (Nov. 5).

Coupled with his sixth-place showing at the Remenyik Open on Oct. 28, Gross has established himself very early on as one of the top foilists in the country.

"I had other coaches come up to me over the weekend and tell me how impressed they were with Liran's performance," CSU head coach Jim Sager said. "While Liran's been outstanding, I've been very pleased with how our entire team has performed the first two weeks of the season.

In other action at Penn State, freshman Jonathan Bibb followed up his victory at the Remenyik Open by finishing 24th in men's epee.

After beginning the 2006-07 campaign by competing at a pair of open events, the men's and women's fencers travel east for five dual matches this weekend. The weekend begins with a dual match at Lafayette on Friday (Nov. 10) and concludes when the Vikings face Marist, Yeshiva, Vassar and Sacred Heart at the Vassar Duals on Sunday (Nov. 12) in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

"We're really looking forward to getting into the dual meet season this weekend, which is really the start of regional qualifying," Sager said.