LOUISVILLE, Ky. – UC San Diego fencer Derek Rong competed this past weekend in the USA Fencing North American Cup, finishing third in Men's Epee U20. The event hosted 2,200 athletes competing in over 46 different events at the Kentucky International Convention Center.
 
With 70 strips laid out, freshman Derek Rong joined the country's best fencers in the Men's Epee U20. Facing a field of 250 competitors, Rong went 5-0 in pool competition. Continuing his run in the tableau, he scored 73 points through five rounds. Rong was defeated by the eventual champion with their duel coming down to a two-point difference.
 
Commenting on his outstanding performance, head coach Juan Ignacio Calderon said, "this third-place finish is going to give him a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. A North American Cup with more than 250 fencers is always a test of endurance, consistency, and tactical discipline." Adding, "this is exactly what Derek showed this past weekend and it is the road the team needs to follow."
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons return to Main Gym in La Jolla, Calif. to host Wellesley College in a dual meet on January 19.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.