CLEVELAND, Ohio (3/21/2019) -- University of Detroit Mercy junior
Wiley Dressell (Royal Oak, Mich.) opened competition Thursday at the 2019 NCAA Men's Fencing Championship, fencing in his first three rounds of bouts in sabre for the Titans. The championships are being hosted by Cleveland State and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland.
Dressell, the son of Titan head coach
Todd Dressell, is in 24th place in men's sabre after day one. He is making his first NCAA Championship appearance in his Titan career and the first for a Detroit Mercy fencer since 2017.
Dressell went 0-15 in round one, but earned two or more touches in nine of his 15 bouts, with only two 5-0 setbacks, one coming against Penn State's Karol Metryka, who is currently in the lead in the men's sabre standings after the first day of competition. Dressell had 25 touches scored against 75 touches received in his 15 bouts.
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As a team, Detroit Mercy is in 22nd place overall. The Titans are the lone Division I fencing program from the state of Michigan at the NCAA Championships and just one of two teams from the state overall, with Division II Wayne State also represented at the national finals.
The Titans have a rich history in fencing, with the 1972 men's fencing squad being the only team in school history to
capture a national title. Under head coach
Todd Dressell, the Titans have reached the national finals in six seasons (2005-07, 2011, 2017, 2019).
Wiley Dressell closes competition at the NCAA Men's Fencing Championship on Friday morning, fencing in his final eight bouts for the Titans. Bouts begin at 9 a.m. ET from the Wolstein Center. Stay tuned to full coverage of the NCAA Championship via DetroitTitans.com or follow Titan fencing on its Twitter page at
@UDM_Fencing.
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