Fencing Completes Competition At October NAC With Two Medalists

Friday, October 9

Orlando, Fla.

8:00 a.m.

North Carolina

October NAC

Cristian Porras
foil
University of North Carolina Fencing
ACC Championships
Cameron Indoor Stadium
Durham, NC
Sunday, February 22, 2026

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Fencing Completes Competition At October NAC With Two Medalists

October 12, 2026 | Fencing

ORLANDO, FLA. – Carolina fencing finished competition at the 2026 October North American Cup at the Orange County Convention Center, highlighted by two Tar Heel medalists.

The weekend brought success to North Carolina fencing with ten representatives out of UNC placing within the top-50 in their respective weapons.

Junior Cristian Porras led the way, claiming gold on the last day of competition for the Tar Heels in the DI Challengers Men's Foil division. Porras topped a talented field of 142 competitors, the third most number of athletes in a DI category out of the entire weekend. In the same weapon group, Tar Heels Julian Wyman (13^th) and Sebastian Garcia (14^th) also placed within the top-15 while Aiden Song placed 39^th.

Also medaling at the October NAC, sophomore Samantha Maryash tied for third place taking home bronze in the DI Elite Women's Sabre category.

Two Tar Heels placed within the top 20 in the Women's Foil competitions with Sarah Mei placing sixth in the DI Challenger and Hannah Wojtas at 20^th in the DI Elite bouts.

In the women's epee rounds, Kaitlyn Zanga completed a top ten finish in the DI Challenger while Elizabeth Zigalo placed 16^th in the DI Elite category.

Rounding out the top-finishers out of North Carolina, reigning National Champion Youssef Shamel found himself in 20^th place in the DI Elite Men's Epee division in a pool of 125 while Heartlyn Tabangay placed 33^rd in the DI Elite Women's Sabre event.

October NAC Results

Division I Elite Men's Epee
20. Youssef Shamel
60. Levi Atkins
113. Ethan Romanov

Division I Elite Women's Sabre
33. Heartlyn Tabangay

Division I Challenger Men's Epee
99. Sebastian Glennon

Division I Challenger Women's Saber
3. Samantha Maryash

Division I Challenger Women's Foil
6. Sarah Mei

Division I Elite Men's Saber
52. Vasko Atanassov

Division I Challenger Men's Saber
131. Ahmed Elsamman

Division I Elite Women's Foil
20. Hanna Wojtas

Division I Challenger Men's Foil
1. Cristian Porras
14. Sebastian Garcia
15. Julian Wyman
39. Aiden Song
94. Yanni Tsimiklis

Division I Elite Women's Epee
16. Elizabeth Zigalo
67. Marisole Capellua

Division I Challenger Women's Epee
10. Kaitlyn Zanga

Division I Elite Men's Foil
81. Peter Bruk
83. Ivan Radoslavov