CLEVELAND, Ohio (3/10/2018) -- Five University of Detroit Mercy men's fencers competed Saturday at the 2018 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship, held at Cleveland State University. It was the fifth-straight season that the Titan men's fencing program has sent five or more fencers to the regional championship.

Sophomore sabreur Wiley Dressell (Royal Oak, Mich.) earned three victories on the day in his second regional championship and placed seventh out of 10 men's sabre fencers at the regional. Dressell was 3-6 overall on the day, earning 22 touches scored against 36 touches received (-14 indicator), earning a pair of 5-1 victories and also topping Cleveland State's Delcan Forth by a 5-4 margin to help him clinch seventh.

Junior foilist Algird Szumlas (Glendora, Calif.), making his third-straight appearance at the regional championship, placed sixth out of seven competitors in men's foil. Szumlas earned at least one touch scored against each opponent, topping Wayne State's Brendan Johnson, 5-1, for his bout victory. He was 1-5 overall on the day with a -13 indicator (13 touches scored, 26 touches received).

Sophomore Tahj Butler (Harrisburg, N.C.) earned a 5-4 victory over Wayne State's Henry Kisthardt and placed eighth overall out of nine in epee. Butler was 1-7 overall on the day, but performed well, tallying three or more touches scored against six of his eight opponents, including falling 5-3 to silver medalist Oliver Shindler of Ohio State. Butler, making his second-straight regional championship appearance, had a -14 indicator overall (24 touches scored, 38 touches received).

Junior sabreuer Joshua Sexton (Utica, Mich.), competing at his first NCAA regional, went 1-8 overall and had an indicator of -26 (15 touches scored, 41 touches received). He was just edged for a second bout win, falling just 5-4 to Forth of CSU and placed ninth in sabre.

Senior John Engelman (Lapeer, Mich. / Lapeer West) fenced in his first regional championship as well, placing 10th for Detroit Mercy in sabre as the squad were one of just two Midwest teams to send three sabre members to the regional. Engelman tallied nine touches scored with 45 touches received.

Butler, Dressell and Szumlas are all candidates for at-large spots into the NCAA Tournament in their respective weapons.