Northwestern University Athletics
Moss Announces Eight in Class of 2021
4/1/2017 10:22:00 AM | Women's Fencing
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Women's fencing coach Zach Moss announced the signing of eight of the nation's finest high school fencers, who will join Northwestern for the 2017-18 season.
Justine Banbury, Ashley Gomerman, Sarah Filby, Alexis Browne, Isabella Min, Sofia Simontov, Anya Harkness and Zhesi Zhuang comprise the first wave of the fencing team's class of 2021. The signees come from high schools in California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Washington. The incoming class will help bolster a squad with 11 seniors departing after this season.
Head Coach Zach Moss on the Class of 2021:
"I am very excited about this class. They are first and foremost strong students and have excellent character. Each of them brings a strong set of skills that can immediate contribute to our programs growth and success. With eleven seniors graduating, it's great to bring in a strong class like this to help fill the void. We can't wait to get them on campus to see the positive impact they have on our fencing team and the Northwestern community at large."
Ashley Gomerman
Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East
High School/Club: Bronze points winner for Region Three junior women's sabre in 2013-14 and 2015-16 … 1st All-Academic team 2014-16.
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Music Honor Society … All-State and All-Eastern vocalist .. High honor roll throughout high school … Anticipated major is undecided.
Justine Banbury
Grand Rapids/East Grand Rapids
High School/Club: Third place at cadet Pan-Americans 2016 … Fifth place at cadet Junior Olympics 2016 … Tenth place at cadet international competition in Budapest
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … High honor roll throughout high school … Four year member of Student Council … Competed with classmate Sarah Filby from a young age … Older brother plays football at Cornell and father played football at Southern Illinois … Anticipated major is Environmental Engineering.
Alexis Browne
New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South
High School/Club: Top-16 finish in the junior competition at 2016 Summer Nationals ... Top-32 finish in Div. II NAC in Oct. 2016 … Third place at Div. II NAC in Dec. 2014.
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Music Honor Society … Fenced with current Wildcats Cindy Oh and Abby Tartell and with classmate Isabella Min … Anticipated major is undecided.
Sarah Filby
Edina, Minn./Edina
High School/Club: Current member of the Canadian Junior Women's Foil National Team … Named 2015/16 Fencing Canada Junior Women's Athlete of the Year … Bronze medal at 2016 Junior PanAm Zonal Championships … Bronze medal at 2016 Senior Foil Canadian National Championships ... Gold medal at 2015 Guatemala Junior World Cup … Sixth place at 2015 Cadet World Championships … USA Fencing All-Academic First Team 2013-15.
Personal: Born in Toronto, Ont. … Anticipated major is Journalism.
Isabella Min
Cresskill, N.J./Cresskill
High School/Club: Second place at Div. II 2015 Summer Nationals … Top-64 finish at 2015 Junior division at Junior Olympics.
Personal: AP Scholar … Member of French National Honors Society … Member of Art National Honor Society … Danced ballet for ten years … Fenced at the same club with current Wildcats Alisha Gomez-Shah and Cindy Oh and competed against current 'Cats Maddy Curzon and Abby Tartell … Anticipated major is undecided.
Sofia Simontov
Seattle, Wash./Mercer Island
High School/Club: Seventh place finish at Division IA 2014 Summer Nationals … Ninth place finish at Division II 2014 Summer Nationals … Third place at Division III 2013 March NAC.
Personal: 2014-2014 All-Academic Team … Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Spanish Honors Society … Father ran track at the University of Moscow … Fenced at the same club as former Wildcat Devynn Patterson, Class of 2012 … Anticipated major is Learning and Organizational Change.
Anya Harkness
San Jose, Calif./Lincoln
High School/Club: USA Fencing All-Academic First Team in 2016 ... First Place at the 2016 Bladerunner ROC for Senior Women's Epee ... Finished eighth in cadet epee at the 2015 Junior Olympics.
Personal: Played Soccer and Water Polo as a goalkeeper in high school ... First time All-League in Water Polo in 2014 ... Finished first in her class academically and honor roll for four years ... Anticipated major is undecided.
Zhesi Zhuang
Aliso Niguel, Calif./Alisa Niguel
High School/Club: Second place at 2014 California High School Fencing Championships in sabre … Finished third at Div II NAC in 2014.
Personal: Born in Shenyang, China … Awarded Esprit de Wolverine for outstanding achievement in Biology and Chemistry … Anticipated major is Environmental Science.
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
Justine Banbury, Ashley Gomerman, Sarah Filby, Alexis Browne, Isabella Min, Sofia Simontov, Anya Harkness and Zhesi Zhuang comprise the first wave of the fencing team's class of 2021. The signees come from high schools in California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York and Washington. The incoming class will help bolster a squad with 11 seniors departing after this season.
Head Coach Zach Moss on the Class of 2021:
"I am very excited about this class. They are first and foremost strong students and have excellent character. Each of them brings a strong set of skills that can immediate contribute to our programs growth and success. With eleven seniors graduating, it's great to bring in a strong class like this to help fill the void. We can't wait to get them on campus to see the positive impact they have on our fencing team and the Northwestern community at large."
Ashley Gomerman
Melville, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East
High School/Club: Bronze points winner for Region Three junior women's sabre in 2013-14 and 2015-16 … 1st All-Academic team 2014-16.
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Music Honor Society … All-State and All-Eastern vocalist .. High honor roll throughout high school … Anticipated major is undecided.
Justine Banbury
Grand Rapids/East Grand Rapids
High School/Club: Third place at cadet Pan-Americans 2016 … Fifth place at cadet Junior Olympics 2016 … Tenth place at cadet international competition in Budapest
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … High honor roll throughout high school … Four year member of Student Council … Competed with classmate Sarah Filby from a young age … Older brother plays football at Cornell and father played football at Southern Illinois … Anticipated major is Environmental Engineering.
Alexis Browne
New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South
High School/Club: Top-16 finish in the junior competition at 2016 Summer Nationals ... Top-32 finish in Div. II NAC in Oct. 2016 … Third place at Div. II NAC in Dec. 2014.
Personal: Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Music Honor Society … Fenced with current Wildcats Cindy Oh and Abby Tartell and with classmate Isabella Min … Anticipated major is undecided.
Sarah Filby
Edina, Minn./Edina
High School/Club: Current member of the Canadian Junior Women's Foil National Team … Named 2015/16 Fencing Canada Junior Women's Athlete of the Year … Bronze medal at 2016 Junior PanAm Zonal Championships … Bronze medal at 2016 Senior Foil Canadian National Championships ... Gold medal at 2015 Guatemala Junior World Cup … Sixth place at 2015 Cadet World Championships … USA Fencing All-Academic First Team 2013-15.
Personal: Born in Toronto, Ont. … Anticipated major is Journalism.
Isabella Min
Cresskill, N.J./Cresskill
High School/Club: Second place at Div. II 2015 Summer Nationals … Top-64 finish at 2015 Junior division at Junior Olympics.
Personal: AP Scholar … Member of French National Honors Society … Member of Art National Honor Society … Danced ballet for ten years … Fenced at the same club with current Wildcats Alisha Gomez-Shah and Cindy Oh and competed against current 'Cats Maddy Curzon and Abby Tartell … Anticipated major is undecided.
Sofia Simontov
Seattle, Wash./Mercer Island
High School/Club: Seventh place finish at Division IA 2014 Summer Nationals … Ninth place finish at Division II 2014 Summer Nationals … Third place at Division III 2013 March NAC.
Personal: 2014-2014 All-Academic Team … Member of National Honor Society in high school … Member of National Spanish Honors Society … Father ran track at the University of Moscow … Fenced at the same club as former Wildcat Devynn Patterson, Class of 2012 … Anticipated major is Learning and Organizational Change.
Anya Harkness
San Jose, Calif./Lincoln
High School/Club: USA Fencing All-Academic First Team in 2016 ... First Place at the 2016 Bladerunner ROC for Senior Women's Epee ... Finished eighth in cadet epee at the 2015 Junior Olympics.
Personal: Played Soccer and Water Polo as a goalkeeper in high school ... First time All-League in Water Polo in 2014 ... Finished first in her class academically and honor roll for four years ... Anticipated major is undecided.
Zhesi Zhuang
Aliso Niguel, Calif./Alisa Niguel
High School/Club: Second place at 2014 California High School Fencing Championships in sabre … Finished third at Div II NAC in 2014.
Personal: Born in Shenyang, China … Awarded Esprit de Wolverine for outstanding achievement in Biology and Chemistry … Anticipated major is Environmental Science.
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram, visit our Social Media page and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To get involved with the #B1GCats, become a season-ticket holder or join the Wildcat Fund!
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