Fencer Takes Individual Title at NCAAs

Don’t be fooled by the big poofy hair, the glasses, or the mile-wide grin.

No, this athlete may not look like your typical muscular jock, but he has a license to kill—with a saber, that is.

Senior captain and saber fencer Tim Hagamen went into the NCAA national competition March 22-25 with one thing on his mind: winning.

He had come close a few times before; he had already been awarded the title of all-America twice. This time it was about not only leading his team, but also becoming the first men’s saber fencer in Harvard history to win the individual championship.

And that’s exactly what he did.

Beyond leading his squad to a sixth-place finish, the New York, N.Y. native became just the fourth Crimson man to win a title, following junior Benji Ungar’s epee victory last season.

The honor comes as no shock to head coach Peter Brand.

“Overall in the 25 years I’ve been coaching fencing, I can honestly say Tim is probably the best overall player I’ve had the privilege of coaching as the whole package, as far as a person who makes a commitment to the game, to his team, willing to go above and beyond what is expected of him,” he said.

Hagamen had to go beyond captain duties after numerous road bumps came up during this rollercoaster season.

After losing co-captain Sam Cross, junior captain Emily Cross, and junior Carolyn Wright, Hagamen not only came out on top, but also brought his team with him.

His ability to perform at the highest level and to make those around him better made the victory that much sweeter for his teammates.

“Tim is just one of the most remarkable athletes, but more importantly great team members,” said senior epee fencer Jasmine McGlade. “He’s worked so hard both in his individual training and as a captain. He really motivates everyone...he’s such a great role model for everyone on the team, I know everyone couldn’t be happier for him.”

His season had culminated in IFA and regional victories before he led the squad into the national competition with 11 fencers as a long shot for a title repeat.

But success was not assured entering that weekend’s competition, as he faced some stiff competition.

The opposition included Notre Dame fencer Patrick Ghattas, who had finished in the runner-up spot each of the last three years.

“The field in general was probably the strongest I’ve seen in the last five or six years,” Brand said. “Especially with Penn State, the depth of their roster was something I have not seen in quite a long time. In each weapon, in each event, they had literally a world-class fencer.”

The setup of the tournament also made things difficult: fencers face others in five-touch bouts in round-robin play and then compete in a final four. There was no way for Hagamen to run away with the title: he was going to have to work for it.

But Hagamen was up to the task, fighting his way to the final bout against Ghattas. He went 19-3 in round-robin competition before the final bracket, good enough for first entering the final round. Ohio State’s Mike Momteselidze stood in his way in the semifinal bout, but Hagamen took care of him 15-7 before pulling out the victory over Ghattas by the slimmest of margins, 15-14.

“[The final bout] absolutely could’ve gone either way,” Hagamen said. “It was really a lot of back and forth, the lead changed quite a bit, the momentum really was going back and forth a lot. I felt lucky that in the end it went my way. Patrick was killing me on his defensive actions and I had to try to adjust my strategy.”

Hagamen now finishes his career with three all-America performances, a national championship, and his long sought-after individual title.

But the humble star credits a portion of his success to the teammates he hopes he has impacted. Accordingly, he hopes his legacy includes not only these medals, but also the memory of a captain who instilled strength and heart.

“One of the things that I’d really like to continue after I leave is the sense of team spirit we’ve developed over the years,” Hagamen said. “I feel like it’s one of the distinguishing characteristics of our team; I think it really separates us from the other schools. It’s one of our real assets.”

Although better team spirit came from a collaborative effort by the squad, no one undervalues the role Hagamen has played both in it and overall in the last four years. The men’s team will take a big hit when it enters competition next year without him.

—Staff writer Madeleine I. Shapiro can be reached at mshapiro@fas.harvard.edu.