Over the next several weeks, the University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics will be releasing its All-Decade Teams of the 2010s. For a full schedule of the teams set to be released, click here.
DETROIT (5/1/2020) -- The University of Detroit Mercy Department of Athletics is unveiling its All-Decade Teams of the 2010s, compiling the best student-athletes across the past 10 seasons (2010-19) into a First and Second Team in each intercollegiate sport. Next up is a program that saw three student-athletes qualify individually for the NCAA Championships during the decade in men's fencing.
The Titans had three different individuals qualify and compete at the NCAA Fencing Championships during the decade in Michael Purdy-Sachs (foil, 2011),
Algird Szumlas (foil, 2017) and
Wiley Dressell (sabre, 2019). Purdy-Sachs placed 20th at the 2011 championships, Szumlas was 23rd at the 2017 national finals and Dressell earned 24th in 2019.
Detroit Mercy, who was guided by head coach
Todd Dressell throughout the decade, earned its best-ever finish at the Midwest Fencing Conference Championships in 2017 when the squad placed third out of 22 teams at the conference championships. The Titans placed in the top-10 in all three weapons that season, including finishing third in sabre and fifth in foil. Szumlas also medaled in the individual portion of the event in 2017, placing third in foil to help earn a spot in the national championships that year.
Szumlas was a four-time All-Conference honoree during the decade as 16 times a Titan earned All-Conference accolades. Szumlas was a two-time First Team All-Conference recipient, placing third in both 2016 and 2017. Purdy-Sachs was a two-time Second Team All-Conference honoree, finishing fifth in both 2011 and 2012, while Carlisle and Dressell both earned All-Conference laurels in three different seasons during the decade.
The red, white and blue had many Titans fence individually at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships during the decade, 49 in all and at least three in every single season. The Titans had five or more competitors at the regional championships in seven seasons and a decade-high seven in 2011.
Four Titans fenced in all four years at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships during the decade including Yaroslav Ivanov (2011-12, 2014-15), Austin Carlisle (2014-17), Aaron Dittel (2014-17) and Szumlas (2016-19). Three others fenced in three of the four seasons at the regional championships -- Purdy-Sachs (2010-12),
Josh Blackburn (2016-17, 2019) and
Wiley Dressell (2017-19). Purdy-Sachs placed fifth in the foil in 2011, while Szumlas was sixth in foil in 2017 and Dressell and Szumlas both earned seventh in sabre in 2018 as the top finishers in the decade.
Among the top single-season win totals on the squad during the decade was Purdy-Sachs notching 77 bout victories during his senior season in 2011-12 (including a 27-0 weekend at Notre Dame), Szumlas totaling 74 bout victories in 2018-19 and Dressell recording 66 triumphs in 2018-19. Szumlas also sported a record of 50-7 (88-percent win percentage) during regular-season play in 2016-17. Szumlas (224 wins) and Purdy-Sachs (205) both were over 200 wins during the decade, while Ivanov (188), Carlisle (168), Dressell (149) and Dittel (140) were all over the 140-win mark for the Titans during the decade (2010-19).
All-League honors, award winners, standout and record-breaking performances, academic achievements and accolades as well as submissions from fans were all considered for each of the Detroit Mercy All-Decade Teams of the 2010s.
Detroit Mercy Men's Fencing All-Decade Team of 2010s
First Team
Tahj Butler, Epee (2016-18)
Aaron Dittel, Epee (2013-17)
Michael Purdy-Sachs, Foil (2008-12, NCAA Championship qualifier -- 2011)
Algird Szumlas, Foil (2015-19, NCAA Championship qualifier -- 2017)
Austin Carlisle, Sabre (2013-17)
Wiley Dressell, Sabre (2016-Present, NCAA Championship qualifier -- 2019)
Second Team
Christopher Morrison, Epee (2017-20)
Tim Nelson, Epee (2009-11)
Brad Coon, Foil (2007-11)
Yaroslav Ivanov, Foil (2010-15)
Jaydon Alojipan, Sabre (2018-Present)
Tom Lorenzo, Sabre (2007-11)
Take a full look at our other All-Decade Teams:
April 13 --
Women's Soccer
April 15 --
Men's Soccer
