USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The U.S. Women’s Saber Team finished November as the top-ranked team in the world and have been recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee as the November Team of the Month.

Team USA finished the 2013-2014 season opened the 2014-15 season with a gold medal at the Isla de Margarita World Cup in Venezuela on Nov. 2 where the team of Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.), Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J.), Ibtihaj Muhammad (Maplewood, N.J.) and Monica Aksamit (Matawan, N.J.) defeated France, the 2014 Senior World silver medalists, in the semifinals and Russia, the 2012 Senior World Champions, in the finals.

On Nov. 23, team USA returned to the podium when Zagunis, Wozniak, Muhammad and Daria Schneider (New York, N.Y.) won silver at the Orleans World Cup in France.

Team USA not only retained its world No. 1 ranking after the pair of medal wins, but maintain a 52-point lead in the standings over Russia.

"I am delighted to learn that Team USA Women's Sabre has won USOC Team of the Month! It is a huge honor for us and we are very appreciative of the recognition of our recent results,” Zagunis said. “Since our World Championship win this summer we have all been working extremely hard to retain our team number one world ranking. I know that we will continue to strive to win more medals and set ourselves up for gold in Rio.”

Other athletes recognized by the USOC include the following:

FEMALE
1.    Tatyana McFadden, Paralympic Track and Field
2.    Claressa Shields, Boxing
3.    Gracie Gold, Figure Skating

MALE
1.    David Wagner, Wheelchair Tennis
2.    Colin Burns, Weightlifting
3.    Austin White, Gymnastics

TEAM
1.    U.S. Women’s Saber Team, Fencing
2.    Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Figure Skating
3.    David Wagner and Nick Taylor, Wheelchair Tennis