Supriya Nair is a junior at Stanford Online High School, a rare triple‑weapon fencer, and the creator of Neurofencing — a project that asks a simple question every athlete knows: Does a good warm‑up really make you faster? She started by wiring herself up with cheap sensors in her garage. Two years later, she’s collecting data at major hospitals and university labs, using high‑end gear to track hundreds of lunges and reaction times.

But Supriya’s curiosity doesn’t stop at the edge of the strip. Her newest study, done at Seattle Children’s Hospital, looks at how the tiniest blood vessels deep inside the brain differ from those near the surface—a finding she hopes to share at the big Neuroscience 2025 meeting. In this third conversation we’ll recap her journey in plain English, highlight what her latest numbers mean for fencers and coaches, and hear where her science‑meets‑sport adventure goes next.

• Visit https://www.neurofencing.com

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Luao Yang on the Road From Michigan to a Cadet Men’s Foil World Championship

Today we have a very special guest: Luao Yang! Luao is one of Team USA’s brightest young stars – he’s the newly crowned 2025 Cadet Men’s Foil World Champion.

This season he’s racked up impressive international results and made history for USA Fencing, all while still in high school. In this episode, we’ll chat about Luao’s recent competitions and big wins, his journey in fencing (including some standout moments), what it’s like training at his home club in Michigan, and what’s next on his horizon – including college plans – all in a fun, light-hearted conversation. Ready? Let’s get started!

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

today we have not one but two special guests whose journeys have been intertwined ever since their first lunges at Scarsdale Fencing Center.

First up is Will Morrill — a former Cadet World Champion who’s now tearing it up on the collegiate scene with the Columbia Lions. Alongside him is Emilio Gonzalez, fresh off winning individual Cadet gold and helping Team USA claim team gold at this year’s Junior & Cadet World Championships in Wuxi, China.

These two aren’t just teammates on the international stage; they’re training partners, friendly rivals, and close friends who’ve pushed each other to new heights since day one. Today, we’ll talk about what it felt like to stand atop the podium together in Wuxi, how Will is balancing Ivy League life with NCAA fencing, what’s next for Emilio as he starts weighing college options, and plenty of stories from their shared journey in sabre.

We’ll alternate questions so each athlete gets the hot seat in turn — and wrap things up with a rapid-fire Quick Hits round where they’ll both answer the same five quirky questions. It’s going to be a mix of thoughtful reflection, friendly banter, and a few surprises along the way.

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Our guest is Alexandra Lee, a sophomore saber fencer at Princeton University and a rising star on the international stage. 

She recently helped Team USA win a gold medal at the Junior & Cadet World Championships in Wuxi, China — and even brought home an individual silver in women’s saber as well. In this episode, we'll dive deep into Alexandra's journey, from standing atop the podium in Wuxi to balancing life as an Ivy League student-athlete, and learn what it takes to succeed in both elite fencing and rigorous academics.

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Today I have the distinct honor of speaking with one of fencing’s most impactful figures and someone who’s just been a really great person to get to know in my three years with USA Fencing. It’s Don Anthony. Donald is not just a world-class fencer who competed for Team USA at two Senior World Championships; he’s also a visionary sports executive, an entrepreneur, and a transformational leader. He’s served as President and Chair of USA Fencing, a Vice President of the FIE, and now leads The Ohio State University’s fencing program as Head Coach.

From discovering fencing at age 7 in Cleveland, to studying engineering at Princeton, to earning his MBA from the Wharton School — all while building a career that spans IBM, entrepreneurial ventures, and influential roles in the fencing world — Don’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Today we have a three-part episode for you: we’ll explore his fencing journey, how he balances coaching and leadership roles, and the legacy he’s building for future generations of fencers at Ohio State.

And as we’ve been doing here in season of our show, we’ll end with five quick questions.

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Today we have a very special guest — someone who has remained in the top 16 world rankings for men's foil each year since 2012: Alexander Massialas. We'll talk about three big topics:

His own fencing career — how he got started, his Olympic experiences, and what keeps him competing at the highest level.

His new role as a collegiate coach — why he chose this path, what it’s like to coach at Stanford, and advice for young fencers hoping to fence in college.

How he balances it all — competing internationally while also leading one of the country’s most prestigious fencing programs.

And at the end, we’ll wrap up with a fresh round of Quick Hits, where we’ll hit Alex with five fast, quirky questions that’ll put him on the spot in the best way possible.

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Today we’re talking with one of the most exciting young talents in the sport, Jaelyn Liu. At just 15 years old, Jaelyn has already made history by becoming the youngest U.S. Women’s Foil fencer to win a senior World Cup gold medal, a feat she accomplished in January in Hong Kong. This win came less than a year after she claimed the cadet world championship title in Riyadh, cementing her status as one of fencing’s rising stars.

We’ll talk about Jaelyn’s journey, what it was like to beat some of the best foilists in the world, and her goals for the future. And later, we’ll wrap up with our new segment, Quick Hits, where we ask five rapid-fire questions that are quirky, fun and a little thought-provoking. So stick around for that, and let’s dive in!

• Visit the USA Fencing website
• Follow USA Fencing on Instagram
• Read a transcript for this episode

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch.

The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing.

Today, we’re talking with Lauren Scruggs, who made her Olympic debut in Paris and walked away with two medals—a silver in the individual event and gold in the team event.

In addition to her Olympic success, Lauren is a standout student-athlete at Harvard University, where she fences under Head Coach Daria Schneider. She’s also been part of the incredible Peter Westbrook Foundation legacy, a program that’s shaped so many of the sport’s top fencers.

Today, we’ll talk about the path to Paris, her performance on the Olympic stage, anchoring Team USA to that gold medal, and life since Aug. 1. 

• Visit the USA Fencing website
• Follow USA Fencing on Instagram
• Read a transcript for this episode

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch.

The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing.

In this episode, we’re celebrating the unsung heroes who made it all possible: the cadre, or as we like to call them, the “team behind the team.”

Joining us are four key members of this incredible group:

• Dagmara Wozniak, a three-time Olympian and the current U.S. Women’s Saber National Team Coach, who served as team captain in Paris.
• Kate Reisinger, USA Fencing’s Chief of Sport Performance and the team leader in Paris.
• Liz Morey, the team armorer who ensured the athletes’ equipment was competition-ready.
• And Dr. Peggy Chin, USA Fencing’s Director of Sport Performance and the primary sports med provider for the team.

The guests also gave special shoutouts to the three other cadre members: Kaitlyn Litten, Adam Thompson and Bryan Wendell.

• Visit the USA Fencing website
• Follow USA Fencing on Instagram
• Read a transcript for this episode

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

Welcome to a special First to 15 miniseries: The Golden Touch.

The Golden Touch is a First to 15 miniseries exploring the thrilling journey of Team USA as they secured their first-ever gold medal in women’s team foil at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Join us as we speak to the athletes, their coaches, and key support staff who made history in one of the most unforgettable Olympic moments for USA Fencing.

In today’s episode, we’re speaking with the three Women’s Foil training partners who played a pivotal role in Team USA’s historic gold medal run at the Paris 2024 Olympics: Zander Rhodes, Katerina Lung, and Stefani Deschner. Let's dive into their unique experiences and how they supported the team to victory. 

• Visit the USA Fencing website
• Follow USA Fencing on Instagram
• Read a transcript for this episode

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn