Sophia Mandour NCAA Fencing Q & A

Junior Sophia Mandour is the lone Tar Heel competing this weekend at the NCAA Fencing Championship in Notre Dame, Indiana. Mandour will be competing in women's foil, where she excelled all season and was named second team All Mid-Atlantic/South Region by the USFCA earlier this week.

Mandour's strong performance over the season and her sixth-place finish at regionals was enough to join the field of 24 fencers looking to bring home the 2022 women's foil individual championship.

Mandour qualified for the NCAA Championships as a freshman but did not compete after the tournament was canceled due to COVID-19. After spending a year at home training on her own and staying safe, Mandour hit the strips full of energy and confidence in 2022. Mandour will look to take her experience and positive mindset into this weekend's action.

Q: How did you get into fencing?
A: Ok, so it's a funny story. I was watching Disney Channel when I was younger watching a show called the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. It's kind of ridiculous, but I remember these two characters named London and Maddie fencing. I had never seen anything like that before and remember thinking, this is just awesome and unique. I remember thinking to myself, "I want to try it!" I know it sounds weird; my mom was even shocked to hear me say it. I told her I was serious, so she found the closest place to our house. The closest one was 35 minutes away, so we decided to go and check it out. I tried it the first time and then continued to do it once a week. Eventually, I just started adding the days until I got to training six times a week.

Q: What brought you to UNC?
A: My uncle had a strong love for UNC so I feel like that influenced my love for it. My mom told me that I should go down there and check it out. I visited for the first time when I was just about to start high school. I saw the campus and thought it was so beautiful. I loved the atmosphere with the nature and the social aspects of campus. They had a small tournament in the fencing room that weekend, and even though I was young, my mom thought I should go ahead and try it out. I remember fencing against the captain of the team, and I beat her. I also got the opportunity to meet Coach Ron Miller. He talked to me and told me that my fencing looked great and that when I was thinking about where to go to college, I should look into UNC. It was nice to have that small connection before I even came here.

Q: What was the process like coming back to the team after a year at home?
A: I wasn't sure how everything was going to go at the time with COVID. I just needed to prioritize my mental and physical health. There was a lot of stress. I wanted to go back and fence of course, but at the same time, in the circumstances of how everything was, I was just trusting my gut. During COVID I continued to go to my local fencing club and stick with my close friends. I fenced a little bit, but most of the time I was helping little kids teaching them how to fence.

I continued training to stay in shape and make sure my body was ready to jump back into the season when it came time. The time away just showed me how much I love the sport.

Q: What did you do this season to set you up to qualify for the NCAA Championships?
A: I just reminded myself to do my best every day. To stay positive, to have fun, and remember why I love this sport. It was hard to get back into it and balance academics. I wanted to make sure I always had a positive outlook to help me face the challenge and overcome it. Moments in competition where my body was really feeling it, I just told myself to do my best. You can rest after the event. This is an individual sport so it's all about the self. Sure, you have your teammates and coaches, but you are the one that has to bring yourself back. Of course, the support is still important, but you just have to make sure you are staying positive.

Q: What are you looking forward to this weekend?
A: I'm just really excited. I remember qualifying my first year, but then the NCAA Championships were canceled because of COVID. To compete the whole season, qualify, and then not have the opportunity to go was kind of a bummer. It will be my first time being there, so I'm looking forward to seeing what it's like to compete at this level where all of the athletes have worked hard to get there.

Q: How has the team and the coaching staff helped you reach this point?
A: Our team communicates well with each other. When I ask my coaches for anything, they give me advice and fully believe in me. That really helps me stay confident. The way they help push me in training is amazing, but they also check in to make sure I'm ok. I appreciate them so much because they are so sympathetic and empathetic. They understand being a student-athlete is a challenge, so they really do consider how you feel when you communicate with them.

I wouldn't want any other team. This team is my family. I feel like I created a family here. You just appreciate them more and more as time goes on and how they support you through these challenging moments.

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