LA JOLLA, Calif. — The United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA) has released the 2026-27 NCAA Fencing Coaches' Preseason Poll, with both UC San Diego programs receiving national rankings.
 
The Triton men and women are both ranked No. 15. The men's team has earned a preseason ranking for four-straight seasons, while the women have won two-straight MPSF Championships.
 
For the first time, the USFCA is also releasing squad rankings for each weapon. On the men's side, UC San Diego is No. 11 in epee, with the foil and saber squads receiving votes but not officially ranked in the Top 15. On the women's side, UC San Diego is No. 13 in foil and No. 14 in epee.
 
The collegiate fencing season will begin for UC San Diego this weekend on the Tritons' home campus as they host the West Invitational at Main Gym Nov. 7-8. The Tritons will also host the first postseason events later this year, with the West Regional Championships and MPSF Championships slated for Mar. 13-14 in LionTree Arena.
 
UC San Diego welcomes 11 newcomers to the squad for the 2026-27 season. There are 27 returning scholar-athletes on the team, including 2026 All-Americans Nurzhan Abzhanov and Katherine Kim. Head coach Juan Ignacio Calderon is in his ninth season at the helm of Triton fencing and 10th at UC San Diego.
 
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 has begun a new era as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 24-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 39 have garnered 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in NCAA Division I or II. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDtritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.