Completed Event: Fencing at NCAA Championship on March 20, 2025 , , 12th
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Final
Fencing
at NCAA Championship
Photo by: Duke Athletics
Men's and Women's Fencing Receive USFCA Scholar Team of the Year Honors
7/16/2025 3:06:00 PM | Fencing
DURHAM, N.C. - The United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) presented its top academic honors with Duke receiving Women's Scholar Team of the Year and Men's Scholar Team of the Year accolades.
Twenty women's teams and 12 men's teams received All-Academic recognition for their combined in-season grade-point average (GPA). The Blue Devils took home the top honors as the women posted a USFCA-best team GPA of 3.86, just ahead of Vassar College and Wagner College each with a 3.83 GPA and Brown University with a 3.82 GPA. Duke also received the Men's Scholar Team of the Year Award with a USFCA-best team GPA of 3.86, edging Vassar College (3.82) and Haverford College (3.75).Â
In addition to its academic success, Duke placed 12th at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Women's foilist Rachel Koo received All-America honors after placing eighth overall at the NCAA's main event. On the men's side, Dayaal Singh was an honorable mention All-America selection following his 12th-place showing in foil during NCAA competition.Â
Junior Kunling Tong was tabbed the ACC Co-Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year after earning a silver medal at the ACC Championship by going 5-0 in pool competition and earning the No. 2 seed heading into pool play. She also helped the women's team to the gold medal match versus Notre Dame at the ACC event. The Marietta, Ga., native owns a 4.00 GPA as a computer science major.
Tong, Koo and senior Allen Marakov each received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District At-Large First Team selections. Marakov is one of Duke's most decorated fencers with an All-America accolade (2024), a pair of NCAA Championship appearances (2023, 2024), the ACC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year award (2024) and three All-ACC Academic Team nods (2023, 2024, 2025). He capped his career with a bronze medal at the ACC Championship.
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Players Mentioned
Foil
/ Fencing
Epee
/ Fencing
Foil
/ Fencing
Saber
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