CCNY Revives Men's NCAA Fencing, Reigniting a Storied Beavers Tradition

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The City College of New York will add varsity men's fencing beginning in the 2027-28 season, reviving one of the most decorated traditions in American collegiate fencing and continuing the recent USA Fencing-led expansion of the sport.

The new program restores a men's team that, in its heyday, produced Olympic medalists, NCAA individual champions and a U.S. Olympic coach. CCNY competes as an NCAA Division III member of the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC), and already sponsors a women's fencing team that competes against opponents across all three NCAA divisions.

CCNY's revival comes as USA Fencing continues sustained, behind-the-scenes work with campus leaders to grow opportunities in the sport — from feasibility and program guidance to long-term strategic planning. That collaborative effort helped build the foundation for City College to bring men's fencing back to its athletic lineup in part thanks to a grant to The Foundation for City College in support of the men’s fencing program.

"CCNY has one of the richest fencing legacies in the country, and helping bring its men's program back is exactly the kind of work we love to do," says Brad Suchorski, USA Fencing's director of membership, service and growth. "Reviving a program with this much history is a win for the sport and for every fencer who will get to wear the lavender and gray."

The announcement continues a wave of program additions across college fencing. Schools including Fairleigh Dickinson, Arcadia, Denison and Trinity have recently launched, revived or announced new fencing programs, expanding opportunities for student-athletes nationwide — even as some other NCAA sports have contracted.

Unlike most collegiate sports, fencing does not separate competition by division — all NCAA programs compete against one another, meaning CCNY's men will face Division I opponents from the outset, just as the women's team does today.

"This announcement represents another exciting step forward for CCNY Athletics as we continue to invest in opportunities that enhance the student-athlete experience and support the long-term growth of our department," says Duane Bailey, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation. "Men's fencing has a remarkable history at City College, and we are proud to restore that legacy while creating new opportunities for future generations of Beavers."

CCNY's fencing roots run deep. The Beavers' men's program flourished in the mid-20th century, sending fencers to the Olympic Games and the NCAA podium. Albert "Albie" Axelrod, a five-time Olympian who won a bronze medal at the 1960 Rome Games, captured the NCAA and Intercollegiate Fencing Association individual foil titles while fencing for City College in 1948. Teammate Harold Goldsmith added another NCAA individual crown in 1952.

The program reached even greater heights under coach Edward Lucia, who led the Beavers from 1954 to 1975, produced a long line of All-Americans, served as a U.S. Olympic coach for the 1964 Games and was inducted into the USA Fencing Hall of Fame. In the decades since the men's team was discontinued, the women's program has carried the fencing banner at City College, regularly sending athletes to NCAA Regional and national competition.

Phil Andrews, USA Fencing's CEO, said the revival reflects a growing recognition of fencing's value on college campuses.

"Bringing back a program as historic as CCNY's creates new pathways for young fencers while honoring a legacy that helped shape the sport in this country," Andrews says. "We're eager to continue partnering with institutions that share our vision for the sport's growth."

Founded in 1847 as the first free public institution of higher education in the United States, City College sits in the heart of Harlem and serves a famously diverse student body. Its athletic program, known as the Beavers, fields 17 varsity sports and has claimed dozens of CUNYAC championships across its history.

For prospective student-athletes and families, CCNY's return to men's fencing means more chances to wear school colors, pursue a degree and compete on the national stage. For more information on CCNY Athletics, visit ccnyathletics.com. For more on USA Fencing, visit usafencing.org.