From Brandeis University Athletics
Brandeis University senior Len Grazian earned a bronze medal at the 2016 New England Fall Collegiate Invitational.
Grazian, a two-time quarterfinalist in previous years, earned the second seed in the direct elimination bracket after allowing only three touches in six bouts in pool play. He continued to dominate in the first round of direct elimination with a 15-1 win over a foe from BU. In the second round and Round of 16, he knocked off foes from New England rival Sacred Heart, 15-10 and 15-9. In the quarterfinals, he met junior teammate Guillermo Narvaez (Metepec, Mexico / Technologico de Monterrey) and prevailed 15-13. In the semis, he fell to co-2nd seed and eventual champion Umar Mahood of Brown 15-7.
In addition to Grazian and Narvaez in the men's foil, the Judges had two other quarterfinalists. Junior Eli Litle (Haifa, Israel / Reali - Beit Beram) and rookie Ian Quin (Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey) also posted perfect 6-0 records in pool play. Litle steamrolled his first two direct elimination competitors from Tufts and Dartmouth, 15-3 and 15-2, respectively. He edged Jack Holmes of Vassar, 15-13, in the round of 16 before falling to top-seeded Tyler Endee of Sacred Heart, 15-4, in the quarters. Quin bounced foes from Tufts and Umass, 15-2 and 15-8, before defeating fellow Brandeis freshman Sam Chestna(Middleborough, Mass./Homeschool) in the round of 16, 15-6. Quin ended up losing to Masood, 15-8, in the quarters.
Sophomore Nick Clancey (Lexington, Kent./Dupont Manual) reached the final eight in epee. He went 5-1 in pool play and earned the 17th seed. His matches in the direct elimination were the most competitive of any of Brandeis's final eight finishers. He topped Brian Gong of BC, 15-12, in the opener, and Sheel Patel of MIT, 15-11, in the second round. Against top-seeded Samuel Judd of MIT, Clancey pulled a 15-13 upset to reach the quarterfinals, where he dropped a 15-6 decision to Sam Koch of Brown, who went on to earn the gold medal.