Harvard fencer Emily Cross to represent U.S. in Beijing

The United States Fencing Association (USFA) announced this week that rising senior Emily Cross has been selected to the U.S. team for the upcoming 2008 Olympics in China. A captain of the 2008-09 Harvard squad, Cross is one of four women’s foil fencers who will compete for the United States this August.

Cross, who took last season off to try out for the Olympics, placed third as a member of Harvard’s national championship team in 2006. A two-time All-American and All-Ivy League selection (and Ivy League rookie of the year), Cross captured consecutive under-20 world championships in 2005 and 2006. Her 12th-place world ranking makes Cross the highest-ranked U.S. female fencer ever.

Meanwhile, incoming freshman Noam Mills finished second in the foil at the European Zonal championship in Prague, Czech Republic. That showing propelled her into the Olympics where she will represent Israel. Mills, who was the No. 1 ranked epee fencer in the world junior rankings two years ago, was accepted to Harvard last year but deferred her admittance in order to train for the Olympics. She will be at Harvard in the fall.

Cross and Mills are the 14th and 15th Ivy League female fencers and the first from Harvard to qualify for the Olympics. The fencing component at this year’s games will be held Aug. 9-17.

In men’s action, rising senior Benji Ungar fell just short of making the U.S. epee squad. A Harvard captain for the 2008-09 campaign, Ungar helped the Crimson win the national team title in 2006.

— Compiled by Andrew Brooks