Feb. 25, 2005

CLEVELAND - Cleveland State will send nine fencers to the Midwest Regional Championships on March 6 at Wayne State, the Midwest Fencing Conference Regional Seeding Committee announced.

Making the trip to Detroit for the men's team is the 10th-ranked foil team of Omer Deleeuw, Mike Merker and Tom Kotula, as well as Jeff Tormey at epee and Matt Kulma at sabre. The women's team will send epeeists Shaiah Pratt and Pam Marvinney as well as Erin Mick at foil and Shilah Pratt at sabre.

"Our strength of schedule really helped us out this year," head coach Jim Sager said. "I expected that the men would qualify, but the women were a pleasant surprise."

CSU put together one of its finest seasons in recent memory, as the men's foil team gained national prominence after upsetting No. 3 Notre Dame (Jan. 29) and finishing the season with a 150-40 combined record.

The nine qualifiers are the most for CSU since the criteria for regional qualification changed four years ago. Last season, the Vikings sent six to championships.

Cleveland State will compete in the Midwest Fencing Championships at Notre Dame on Feb. 26-27.