The University of Detroit Mercy men's and women's fencing teams will see their first action since mid-November this weekend as the Titans head across town to Wayne State University to compete at the Istan Danosi/Michigan Open on Saturday, Dec. 5.

Detroit's full fencing squad will be competing as individuals at the Istan Danosi competition.

Several Titan returners experienced success at the meet last year, as four Titans managed top-three finishes. Senior Ashlee McLemore (Detroit, MI/Dominican) won the women's sabre competition in 2008, sophomore Michael Purdy-Sachs (Port Huron, MI/Home School) took second in the men's foil competition, and the Titans got a pair of third-place finishes out of senior Doug Sollman (Sterling Hts., MI/Stevenson) and junior Brad Coon (Jenison, MI/Hudsonville) in the sabre and foil, respectively.

Senior Ashley Colbert (Washington, MI/Romeo) was ninth in the foil event last year, sophomore Allison Diven (Lake Orion, MI/Lake Orion) was 10th in the sabre, junior Tom Lorenzo (Avon, OH/St. Ignatius) was 12th in the sabre and sophomore Brittany Cook (Burton, MI/Owosso) was 13th in the epee.

But the weekend won't be over for all the Titan fencers at the conclusion of Saturday's action. Coon, Purdy-Sachs and current Titans assistant coach Craig Budzysnki, a member of last year's UDM squad, will travel to Pittsburgh, PA following the Istan Danosi meet to compete at the USFA North American “C” Cup Div. I competition on Sunday.