Atlantic City to Host First National Fencing Tournament of the 2024-25 Season

After hitting the jackpot this summer in Paris, the exciting sport of fencing is heading to the bright lights of Atlantic City. 

USA Fencing just finished its best Olympics in 16 years — a four-medal performance in Paris that included two historic gold medals for Team USA. That makes Atlantic City the perfect first stop for our 2024-25 domestic season.

It all takes place Oct. 4–7, 2024, at the Atlantic City Convention Center, home to the 2024 USA Fencing October North American Cup. The tournament field includes 2,578 competitors from 41 different states. And in a reminder that fencing is a lifelong sport, the youngest is 11 and the oldest is 73.

Among those expected to compete: Eight Olympians, including four members of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team:

• Margherita Guzzi Vincenti, 2024 Women’s Epee Olympian, competing in Division I Women’s Epee on Monday, Oct. 7
• Hadley Husisian, Princeton University sophomore and 2024 Women’s Epee Olympian, competing in Division I Women’s Epee on Monday, Oct. 7
• Elizabeth Tartakovsky, 2024 Women’s Saber Olympian, competing in Division I Women’s Saber on Friday, Oct. 4
• Maia Weintraub, Philadelphia native and 2024 Olympic gold medalist (Women’s Foil team), competing in Division I Women’s Foil on Sunday, Oct. 6

The tournament features four days of nonstop fencing, from 8 a.m. until each day’s medal ceremony, usually around 8 or 9 p.m. The October North American Cup includes women’s and men’s competition in all three weapons and across three different categories:

• Junior: For the top fencers under 20 years old
• Division I: Our highest competitive division, for fencers 14 and older (this is the category where you’ll find Olympians and 2028 Olympic hopefuls)
• Division II: One step under Division I, offering competitive opportunities for a wider range of fencers 

As outlined in the Athlete Handbook, at Division I NACs for Men's Epee and Men's Foil, the competition format changes based on the number of fencers.

In Atlantic City, both Division I Men's Epee and Division I Men's Foil will exceed the 203-fencer minimum, meaning the two-pool format is in effect.

203 fencers or greater: The tournament uses a two-pool format spread across one day.

• The top 34 fencers ranked by USA Fencing National Rolling Points Standings as of 10 days before the tournament receive a bye, advancing directly to the second round of pools.
• First round: Fencers are divided into pools of 6 or 7. The top 75% of fencers in each pool advance to a single-elimination round that continues until 64 fencers remain.
• Second round: The 64 fencers remaining from the first round are combined with the 34 fencers who received a bye into a second round of pools, also consisting of 6 or 7 fencers each.
• The top 75% of fencers from the second round of pools are promoted to a single-elimination round that continues until one fencer remains.

All other Division I NAC events use a one-pool format with 75% of fencers promoted to single elimination.