First to 15: The USA Fencing Podcast

With more than two decades of fencing experience, Mary Sola Spohn has earned multiple national medals and an NCAA Division I fencing scholarship to Northwestern University. Her journey extends beyond the strip, as she's made a significant mark in the world of stunt acting and fight choreography. 

Mary's expertise in on-screen swords and fencing, paired with her knowledge in various martial arts, including boxing and Filipino Martial Arts, has made her a sought-after trainer for A-List celebrities, Academy Award winners, Olympic athletes, and young stars. 

• Check out Swordplay LA
• 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

Today, we're chatting with a young saber fencer whose name is already gaining recognition within the fencing community. We’re talking about Jenna Shoman, and at just 17 years old, Jenna's achievements are already the stuff of fencing lore. 

From the Manhattan Fencing Center to the global stage, her dedication to the sport is something to behold. Who could forget the moment at the 2022 Summer Nationals in Minneapolis when Jenna achieved a perfect pool — a staggering 30 touches for and not a single one against?

Jenna is a member of the 2023 Junior and Cadet World Team and claimed a bronze medal in Cadet Women’s Saber at Junior and Cadet Worlds in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

• 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

David is not only a former NCAA athlete and an experienced coach, but he’s also a key figure behind the scenes. If you’ve competed at a national tournament, you’ve probably seen him at the Satellite Bout Committee near the finals strip — often wearing a neon yellow polo. He's a strategic mind in USA Fencing’s Tournament and SEMI Committees, an international referee, and a visionary in integrating technology with fencing. His contributions span from local clubs to the global stage, including the Olympics.

• 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

In this episode, we're exceptionally excited to welcome Jess Davis, a modern pentathlete and epee fencer who trains at the New York Athletic Club.

At the Pan American Games In October in Santiago, Chile, Jess qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in the sport of modern pentathlon, which combines equestrian jumping, fencing, swimming, and the laser run — which is a combo of running and pistol shooting.

Jess is the reigning national champion in both modern pentathlon and Division I-A Women’s Epee. She got that fencing title this past summer in Phoenix, winning a number of exciting 14-14 bouts on her way to the crown.

We’re excited to welcome this a seven-time world team member and two-time national pentathlon champion to the podcast.

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

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

We're thrilled to have Nathan Jeon as our guest.

Nathan is a multi-talented individual in the fencing world, known not only for his skills as a three-weapon fencing referee specializing in foil but also for his notable journey as a fencer and academic. 

Starting his fencing journey at a young age, Nathan quickly ascended through regional and national rankings, competing both nationally and internationally, and later collegiately at UC San Diego. 

His dedication to the sport took a turn toward refereeing, where he started nationally in 2018 and recently received his FIE License in Foil. 

Currently a Ph.D. student at Columbia University, Nathan balances his academic pursuits with a deep involvement in fencing, both as a referee and a fencer at the New York Athletic Club. In this episode, we dive into his experiences, insights, and the passion that drives him in the world of fencing.

• 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

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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’s guest is as sharp on the strip as she is in the classroom. At just 19, she has already left her mark on the fencing world and shows no signs of stopping.

We're joined by Tierna Oxenreider, an epee fencer from Columbus, Ohio, who has dedicated 12 years to mastering the art of fencing. She not only represents the prestigious Columbia University and the New York Athletic Club but also recently added a silver medal to her collection from the 2023 Junior and Cadet Worlds in Bulgaria.

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

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

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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 not only a force on the fencing strip but also a force for change in the community of fencing itself. 

Nzingha Prescod is a 2-time Olympian, World Champion, and 4-time Senior World Medalist. 

But that's not all — the Columbia University graduate is also the Founder & CEO of The Prescod Institute for Sport, Teamwork and Education, better known as PISTE. Through PISTE, she's been breaking down barriers and making fencing accessible to hundreds of kids in under-resourced communities. 

On top of all that, she serves on the Board of Directors of USA Fencing and is a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s Council on Social and Racial Justice

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

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

We're joined by Julie Seal, a 15-time Individual National Champion, a 2022 Veteran World Champion in Saber, and a two-time Pan American Team Bronze Medalist. 

She's also a mother of five incredible children — all of whom fence — and even has a son-in-law who fences and referees as well.

And if that's not enough, she's gearing up to compete in the 2023 FIE Veteran Fencing World Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida, starting Oct. 11!

• 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

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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 Akhi Spencer-El, a USA Fencing Hall of Famer and Team USA’s national weapons coach for men’s saber. Appointed in January 2022, Akhi made history as USA Fencing’s first Black national coach.

But his accomplishments go far beyond that important milestone. His résumé is teeming with accolades: three-time junior saber national champion, two-time senior saber national champion, former world No. 1 in junior saber, and a 2000 Olympian. 

He’s also an experienced mentor, having coached at the Pan American Games, Columbia University, and the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where he guided a team that included Ibtihaj Muhammad.

This summer at the 2023 FIE Fencing World Championships, Akhi and the men's saber team achieved their best-ever finish, capturing an individual gold medal for Eli Dershwitz and a team bronze for the U.S.

• 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

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

In this episode, we welcome back to the podcast Supriya Nair, a 14-year-old foil and epee fencer from Redmond, Wash., who fences with the Rain City Fencing Center.  

When we last spoke to Supriya about a year ago, she had just received an award for her groundbreaking experiment, Neurofencing, which explored the importance of pre-bout warm-ups through a neuroscientific lens. Now, we're catching up with Supriya to see how her research has evolved and what new insights she has for us.

If you missed our first conversation with Supriya last year, you might want to consider listening to Episode 8 to hear how this all got started. But to catch you up, Supriya had always heard from her coaches that pre-bout warmups were important, but wondered if there was any quantitative data to prove it. So she set out to investigate this for herself — using special equipment to test that hypothesis. The result was an award-winning experiment she calls Neurofencing.

Now she’s back with even more data and insights. 

• Visit the USA Fencing website
• Follow USA Fencing on Instagram
• Read a transcript for this episode
• Supriya's neurofencing site
• Backyard Brains article on neurofencing

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn

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First to 15: The Official Podcast of USA Fencing

Host: Bryan Wendell

Cover art: Manna Creations

Theme music: Brian Sanyshyn