Sept. 1, 2005

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland State women's fencing team has gained the services of Leigh Pendergrass for the 2005-06 season. An NCAA qualifier at foil last year at James Madison, Pendergrass is enrolled in the Honors College at CSU and will have sophomore eligibility for the Vikings.

"I'm pleased to have Leigh join the CSU fencing program this year," head coach Jim Sager said. "Not only is she an outstanding fencer, but she's also a great student. She's just the type of student-athlete we're looking for."

Pendergrass put together a 36-3 mark as a freshman at JMU and was one of 24 competitors in the foil competition at the NCAA Championships in Houston.

A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., Pendergrass was a three-time state champion in cadet and junior foil at the Baylor School. She led the team to an eighth-place national finish in 2004 and to state titles every year of high school.