Division Officer Resources

Division qualifiers are competitions in which a specified number of fencers, based on their results, qualify to the USA Fencing National Championships and the Junior Olympic Championships. 

Division qualifiers are restricted to members of the division for the following events: Div II, Div III and Y14 (USA Fencing National Championships) and Cadet and Junior (JOs). Veteran fencers can qualify for USA Fencing National Championships via Division II or Division III division qualifiers. Division qualifying tournaments cannot be mixed gender competitions. Fencers who have earned national points are the only athletes who will be skipped over. Athletes who have already qualified via a regional path will not be skipped over at any division qualifier. 

Fencers must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents. Any fencer who is a U.S. citizen who has also represented another country in the last three years, in any FIE and/or Union International de Pentathlon Monderne (UIPM) event, and who has not yet been granted permission to represent the USA by USA Fencing and the FIE, is not eligible for any USA Fencing National Championship competition, individual or team, including division qualifying competitions. A foreign fencer who is in the United States on a visa is NOT eligible to fence in any National Championships, individual or team, or associated division qualifying competitions. Divisions allowing ineligible athletes to compete in qualifying competitions may be fined by USA Fencing – a $500 fine, which may be invoiced or withheld from the division’s membership rebate. 

Athletes that have represented another country in the last three years at FIE level competitions (Senior/Junior and those athletes that represented another country at the Cadet World Championships) are not eligible to compete in a National Championship. 

For information regarding your division qualifier schedule, check your division’s website or contact your division officers. To obtain names, emails and phone numbers for any of the division’s officers, contact the National Office by phone (719-866-4511) or email (information@usafencing.org). 

Policy on ineligible fencers in division qualifiers: 

1. For division qualifying events in which any ineligible fencers are discovered (i.e., age, classification, membership, citizenship or representing country), the division and athlete(s) in question will be notified and instructed of the information needed to resolve the situation. Any missing membership forms, fees or paperwork needed to resolve the issue must be received by the National Office within 10 business days from the time of notification of the problem by the National Office. Late submission may result in the division qualifiers being recalculated based on the eligible fencers in the competitive field. 

2. No qualification or classifications will be awarded to fencers who compete in division qualifiers where ineligible athletes (i.e., age, classification, membership, citizenship or representing country) are allowed to compete until the situation is resolved. 

3. All entries for the given Championship will remain “registered” until the issues regarding the division qualifier in question are resolved. 

4. Petitions or protests will be reviewed after the situation is resolved. 

In addition to division qualifiers, multiple qualification paths exist on a regional level for qualification to the USA Fencing National Championships, Junior Olympic Fencing Championships and the July Challenge. These include: 

• Regional Open Circuit Tournaments (ROC): Division IA, Division II, Veteran for USA Fencing National Championships 

• Regional Junior Cadet Circuit (RJCC): Junior and Cadet for Junior Olympic Fencing Championships and the July Challenge, if age eligible 

• Super Junior/Cadet Circuit Tournament (SJCC): Junior and Cadet for the Junior Olympics and the July Challenge 

• Super Youth Circuit Tournaments (SYC): Youth 10, Youth 12 for March North American Cup and USA Fencing National Championships; Youth 14 for USA Fencing National Championships 

• Regional Youth Circuit Tournaments (RYC): Youth 10, Youth 12 for March North American Cup and USA Fencing National Championships; Youth 14 for USA Fencing National Championships 

• International Regional Circuit Tournament (IRC): Junior and Cadet for the July Challenge. For Y10, Y12 and Y14, attending this international tournament satisfies the prerequisite for the March Youth NAC.

ROC, RJCC, SYC, SJCC and division qualifying tournaments cannot be mixed (mixed gender or mixed age) competitions. RYC qualifying tournaments with less than five entrants in a given gender may mix by gender, but may not mix ages. 

Regional Open Circuit (ROC): Open to current USA Fencing members, with a competitive type membership are eligible to fence in open/senior competitions and to foreign fencers with a current ICL (International Competitive License) or that chose to pay the International Admin fee for region only tournaments. Foreign fencers are not eligible to compete in USA Fencing National Championship events. Foreign fencers will be required to create a profile in the USA Fencing database prior to competing in any sanctioned tournament. 

Regional Junior/Cadet Circuit (RJCC): Open to current USA Fencing members with a competitive type membership are eligible to fence in Cadet and/or Junior competitions and to age-eligible foreign fencers with a current ICL (International Competitive License) or that chose to pay the International Admin fee for region only tournaments. Foreign fencers are not eligible to compete in USA Fencing National Championship events. Foreign fencers will be required to create a profile in the USA Fencing database prior to competing in any sanctioned tournament. Foreign fencers may qualify for the July Challenge via the SJCC/RJCC system as it is not a National Championship but will need an

International Competitive License to fence in this national tournament. National point holders will not be skipped on the Regional Ranking List when determining the number of qualifiers. 

Super Youth Circuit and Regional Youth Circuit (SYC/RYC): Open to current USA Fencing members with a competitive type membership are eligible to fence in youth age competitions and to age-eligible foreign fencers with a current ICL (International Competitive License) or that chose to pay the International Admin fee for region only tournaments. Foreign fencers are not eligible to compete in

USA Fencing National Championship events. Foreign fencers will be required to create a profile in the USA Fencing database prior to competing in any sanctioned tournament. National point holders will not be skipped on the Regional Ranking List when determining the number of qualifiers. 

Division qualifiers are determined by the qualifying information for various event types. For more information, see Table 2.6.3.1. 

When determining who has qualified for a Championship, only fencers who qualify through National Points are skipped over to the next eligible fencer. Fencers that qualify for championships via regional points are not skipped over. Those who qualify through the division should not be skipped. For example, if a fencer competes and qualifies in a Junior division qualifier and is age eligible for Cadet, he/she will not get skipped over if they choose to also fence in the Cadet division qualifier. Those who qualify for Div IA, Div II, or Div III by earning regional ROC points are not considered automatic qualifiers at divisional qualifiers and should not be skipped over. 

There is no retroactive path to qualification. Therefore, fencers who fail to qualify to enter a national tournament through a RJCC, ROC, SYC, RYC or divisional qualifying competition do not qualify simply by virtue of a qualifying fencer at the event qualifying at a later qualifying competition as well. 

Qualifying forms and instructions are sent to regional (ROC, RJCC, RYC,SYC & SJCC) tournament organizers and division officers via email; information is also posted on the USA Fencing website under the Championship Tournament page and Regional Resources page 

  Complete results must be submitted to the National Office via the USA Fencing registration database no later than 72 hours after the completion of the tournament. Results and reports will be accepted in any other format. These forms must reflect complete results and are the only acceptable notice from the regional tournaments and divisions regarding their qualifying fencers. 

Regional tournament organizers and/or divisions who do not submit results by the deadlines described above may be charged a late fee by USA Fencing for late processing; results will not be able to be uploaded until the late fee is paid in full. 

USA Fencing National Championships from Division Qualifying Competitions (25 percent rule/round up)  

Below is an example of how to determine qualifiers for Division III when the division holds only one competition to determine qualifiers for both Division II and Division III. 

  A Division II/III qualifying competition has the following entries: 

Number of C fencers = 8 

Number of D fencers = 12 

Number of E fencers = 11 

Number of U fencers = 15 

Total number of Fencers = 46 

Total number of Division II qualifiers = 12 (based on 46 total C, D, E, and U fencers)

Total number of Division III qualifiers = 10 (based on 38 total D, E, and U fencers) 

How to Determine Qualifiers: 

   List the fencers in order of their finish. 

The first 12 qualify for Division II and Division III if classification eligible at the start of the event. 

Then count the number of D, E and U fencers. In this example, there are 38 such fencers. 25 percent of that group equals 10, the number of fencers who can qualify for Division III Nationals only. 

Starting with the first fencer after those qualified for Division II (in this example, 13th place); count off the next 10 D, E or U fencers who have not already qualified by other paths. These (10) D, E, or U fencers are qualified for Division III. Any C fencers in this range are skipped, but not counted against the 10, because they are not eligible to fence Division III. 

In exceptional cases, subject to approval by the USA Fencing Board of Directors or National Office, a member of USA Fencing in good standing may be permitted to qualify to the Division I Championships,

Junior Olympic Fencing Championships, the July Challenge or the USA Fencing National Championships by petition. No petition may contravene the results of a qualifying competition – a fencer who has fenced in the qualifying competition without withdrawing due to a disabling injury or illness cannot then petition to disregard or override those results. Petitions will be denied for fencers who chose to fence in a regional qualifier (RYC, SYC, RJCC, and ROC) over their division qualifier. U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents are eligible to petition. 

The following criteria and procedures are applicable to filling a petition:   

A petition may be filed by a fencer who qualified (by means of competition or petition) to that same competition in the prior season or whose recent competitive record indicates a strong possibility that the athlete would have qualified had they been able to compete in the qualifying competition but: 

• Was unable to compete in the various qualifying competitions this season due to injury, illness, military deployment/study abroad, compulsory school requirements OR

• Did compete and had to withdraw because of a disabling injury or illness OR 

• The number of qualifying athletes at a division qualifying tournament changed due to the inclusion of ineligible fencer(s) in the tournament 

(Note: Athletes who attend a school or university in the United States, outside of their division, shall not constitute inability to compete.) 

All petitions must be made through an online system to USA Fencing National Events; the petition link is available through the specific tournament page on 

Petitions received for the same athlete two seasons in a row will not be considered.

The petition must be accompanied by: 

• A non-refundable fee of $100.00, payable to USA Fencing; this will be charged at the conclusion of the online petition process. 

• A written statement that gives specific details of the dates, reason for absence or withdrawal, and other pertinent facts. Written notice from the independent attending physician and/or statement from the Bout Committee must substantiate any medical reasons if the medical reason required withdrawal from the qualifying competition. 

• A summary of the fencer’s significant recent competitive results. In particular, results in previous National Championships and recent North American Cup (NAC) competitions should be noted. (Example: top 64 international, top 8 in a USA Fencing NAC/Championship, top 16 at a ROC, top 24 at an SYC). 

• A completed entry form for the Junior Olympic Fencing Championships, Division I National Championships, USA Fencing National Championships or July Challenge with the correct registration and entry fees or receipt indicating entry was submitted online. If the petition is not approved, only the event fee will be refunded. 

• Responses to the petition will be made via email. Petitions that do not meet these requirements will not be considered. 

• Decisions on petitions will be based upon the validity of reasons given for absence or withdrawal and the probability that the fencer would have qualified had they competed in the qualifying competition to its conclusion, based on results achieved in other recent competitions. 

• If a fencer is permitted to enter the Junior Olympic Fencing Championships, Division I National Championships, July Challenge or USA Fencing National Championship competition by this petition procedure, the fencers’ entry will in no way affect the number of qualifiers from the division involved. 

If the qualifying competition was not run in accordance with the USA Fencing rules, a protest may be submitted via email to nationalevents@usafencing.org specifying the rule infraction(s). This must be done immediately to the Bout Committee at the qualifying competition and within three business days after the qualifying competition to the National Office; otherwise, no action will be taken by USA Fencing. Even if a timely protest is submitted, there is no guarantee that the protest will be upheld. 

For more detailed information regarding the protest process, see below from the USA Fencing Operations Manual.

Eligibility (age, classification):  

Subject to the exceptions in Table 2.5.1, fencers must be at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition. Fencers younger than that must, as of the regular fee entry deadline, be on the Y14 National Point Standings to be eligible for Cadet events or on the Cadet point standings to be eligible for Junior events. There are no classification requirements. 

Fencers must meet age requirements as above and be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident representing the United States. Athletes that have represented another country in the last three years at FIE level competitions (Senior/Junior and those athletes that represented another country at the Cadet World Championships) are not eligible to compete in a National Championship. 

When determining qualifications for the top 8 or top 16 respectively on National Rolling Point Standings, ONLY foreign fencers ARE skipped. 

Qualification  

Cadet

• Fencers must meet eligibility AND 

• Be on the Cadet National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Earn at least 110 regional points on either the Cadet or Junior Regional Point 

Standing (Total points = an athlete’s top two point results) OR 

• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Cadet JO qualifying competition OR

• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Junior JO qualifying competition. Junior event must occur first OR

• For EPEE ONLY: the top 3 (on Modern Pentathlon Point Standings) USA Fencing Modern Pentathlon fencers will be eligible to compete in the JO epee events without qualifying by any other means. USA Modern Pentathlon fencers MUST be USA Fencing members. 

JUNIOR 

• Fencers must meet age eligibility AND 

• Be on the Junior national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Earn at least 110 regional points on the Junior Regional Point Standing (Total points = an athlete’s top two point results) OR 

• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Junior JO qualifying competition OR

• For EPEE ONLY: the top 3 (on Modern Pentathlon Point Standings) USA Fencing Modern Pentathlon fencers will be eligible to compete in the JOI epee events without qualifying by any other means. USA Modern Pentathlon fencers MUST be USA Fencing members. 

Seeding and Format:  

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No points are awarded. 
Eligibility (age, classification, qualification path) 

Fencers must be at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition or on the Junior national rolling point standings (NRPS). Fencers must have a classification in the weapon of “C”, “D”, “E” or “U” at the time of the qualifying competition AND be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident. 

  Qualification 

Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND: 

• Place in the top 25 percent of the current season’s division qualifying competition OR 

• Be on the current season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR 

• Be on the Div II ROC Regional Point Standings OR 

• Place in the top 40 percent of any current season Div II or Div III NAC, if held

UPDATE: If you have qualified for Division II, meet the age and classification standard on the day you register online for the Championship, you are eligible to fence in that event at the National Championships.  If you qualified for Division II at your Division Qualifier and at that same time earned a higher classification, you are eligible for the National Championships. In this instance, please email nationalevents@usafencing.org for registration assistance.

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No points are awarded. 

Eligibility (age, classification, qualification path) 

Fencers must be at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition or on the

Junior national rolling point standings (NRPS). Fencers must have a classification of “D”, “E”, or

“U” at the time of the qualifying competition AND be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident. 

Qualification 

Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND: 

• Place in the top 25 percent (round up) of the total number of “D”, “E”, or “U” fencers competing in the current season division’s Division II Qualifying competition (when Division II and Division III qualifying competition held together) OR 

• If separate Division III qualifying competition held by division, then top 25 percent of the field will qualify for Division III National Championships OR 

• Be on the Division IA or Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings, if classification eligible, at the regular fee entry deadline for these Championships OR 

• Place in the top 40 percent at Div II or Div III NAC of the current season, if held 

• Qualified for Division II, if classification eligible 

UPDATE: If you have qualified for Division II, meet the age and classification standard on the day you register online for the Championship, you are eligible to fence in that event at the National Championships.  If you qualified for Division II at your Division Qualifier and at that same time earned a higher classification, you are eligible for the National Championships. In this instance, please email nationalevents@usafencing.org for registration assistance.

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No regional or national points are awarded. For awarding classifications, Division IA tournaments are always at least a Group A3 competition. 

Eligibility (age, classification, qualifying path) 

Fencers must at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition or on the Junior National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) and be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident. There is no classification requirement. 

Qualification 

Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND 

• Be on the current season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR 

• Be in the top 8 of the Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Place in the top 40 percent of any current season Div IA NAC, if held 

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

The July Challenge is held in June/July, in conjunction with the USA Fencing National Championships. This event constitutes the beginning of the Senior/Open season. 

Eligibility for Division I (age, classification and qualification path) 

Fencers must be at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition (see Table 2.5.1 for exceptions). Fencers must have a classification of “A”, “B”, or “C” at the entry deadline and meet the specific event criteria below. This is not a NAC. 

Qualification 
Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND 

• Be on the current Senior National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• On aged out Junior NRPS at the regular fee entry deadline and age eligible OR 

• Top 24 of the Cadet NRPS at the regular fee deadline and age eligible OR 

• Top 16 from Div IA Regional Points Standings OR 

• Be in the top 4 of the Division II regional points at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• 2020 NCAA National Championships Individual Competitors (24) OR 
  Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of an “A”, “B” as defined in the Section 2.2.5. 

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

Senior Team events at the July Challenge Tournament: The Senior & Veteran Team events at the July Challenge Tournament are not championship events. All non-championship team events held at the national level will have no club or division affiliation requirements. Any three or four fencers that are age, gender and/or classification eligible for the event may enter a team. They must be competitive USA Fencing members or have an ICL (International Competitive License). 

V40, V50, V60, V70 and V80+ events are held at the USA Fencing National Championships; there is no Championship event for Vet Open or Vet Team. Veteran National Championships is the last tournament for selection for the World Veteran Championships at which national points are awarded. Athletes must be U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.   

Eligibility (age, classification, qualifying path) 

• Age eligibility for the separate age categories (V50, V60, and V70) is governed by the FIE rules for the Veteran World Championships. For each Veteran age group fencers must meet the birth years specified in Table 2.5.1. Athletes that have represented another country in the last 3 years at FIE level competitions (Senior/Junior) are not eligible to compete in a National Championship. 

Qualification 

• Must meet eligibility requirements above AND 

• Compete in the current season’s division qualifying competition for Division II and/or Division III Championships OR 

• Compete in any Regional Open Circuit event during the current season OR 

• Compete in any NAC during the current season OR  

• Be on the Veteran Age Group national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Be on the Veteran Combine regional point standings at the regular fee entry deadline 

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

The July Challenge is held in late June early July, in conjunction with the USA Fencing National Championships. This competition constitutes the beginning of the Cadet and Junior point cycle/season which is why their NRPS are updated with the new season’s birth year span in April each year. Only those that meet the new season’s birth year span are eligible to compete in these events. 

• Eligibility (age, classification) 

Subject to the exceptions in Table 2.5.1, fencers must be at least 13 years old on January 1 in the year of the competition. Fencers younger than that must, as of the regular fee entry deadline, be on the Y14 point standings to be eligible for Cadet events or on the Cadet point standings to be eligible for Junior events. There are no classification requirements for U.S. athletes. 

• Qualification – when determining qualification using 25 percent or 50 percent on regional points or national points lists, foreign fencers ARE NOT skipped (fencers who age out are skipped or deleted from the points list). 

CADET 

• Fencers must meet eligibility AND 

• Be on Cadet NRPS (Age out after JOs) OR 

• Be in the top 50 percent of the Y14 national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Cadet Regional Point Standing OR 

• Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Junior Regional Circuit Points OR 

• Placed in the top 32 on the final International Regional Circuit Points List, for each weapon and gender, by the regular fee entry deadline OR  • Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of “A”, “B” or “C” as defined in the Section 2.2.5. 

JUNIOR 

• Fencers must meet age eligibility AND 

• On Junior NRPS (Age out rankings after JOs) by entry deadline OR 

• On Cadet NRPS (Age out rankings after JOs) OR 

• Earn at least 65 regional points on your regions Junior Regional Point Standing OR 

• Be in the top 25 percent of the Youth 14 national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Placed in the top 32 on the final International Regional Circuit Points List, for each weapon and gender, by the regular fee entry deadline OR 

• Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of “A”, “B” as defined in the Section 2.2.5 

Seeding and Format 

All information regarding seeding can be found in Table 2.15.1.1; all competition format information can be found in Table 2.16.1. 

2018-19 Season

• 2018 SN Division Officer Meetings

• 2018 JO Division Officer Meeting Notes

2017-18 Season

• 2017 National Championship Division Officer Meeting Notes

2016-17 Seaon

• July 2016 Dallas Division Officer Meeting Notes