PHILADELPHIA – For the second consecutive season, the University of Pennsylvania’s Young Family Head Coach of Fencing, Andy Ma, has been named the Ivy League Men’s Coach of the Year. Ma led the fifth-ranked Quakers to their second consecutive Ancient Eight crown last weekend inside the Dave Micahnik Fencing Center.

In similar fashion to last season, the Quakers put together a 4-1 record at the round robins and shared the conference title with Columbia and Princeton. Penn took down No. 2 Columbia (defending NCAA Champions) on Saturday, but fell to No 6 Princeton on Sunday.

Six All-Ivy selections fueled the Quakers in their title run this past weekend. Justin Yoo (epee) and John Vaiani (foil) led the way with first-team nods, while Zsombor Garzo (epee), Connor Mills (saber), Willie Upbin (foil), and Isaac Buchwald (saber) each earned second-team accolades. Yoo and Vaiani combined to go 20-7 over the two days, each earning first-team honors for the second straight year.

Now in his eighth year in University City, Ma has brought Penn Fencing to unprecedented success during his tenure. Not only winning back-to-back Ivy titles, the Red and Blue were also ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time in school history last year. The Quakers finished the 2016 season with a program-best 28 wins.

Coach Ma also led the women’s squad to their highest ranking in program history earlier this season at No. 4 in the country. With still one more competition left, the men and women stand at 45-12 in dual matches this season.

The Red and Blue will enjoy a weekend off before competing in the Temple Invitational on Sunday, February 26.

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