From NYU Athletics
New York University fencer Grant Williams won the Division 1 Men's Sabre Championship at the North American Cup on Sunday, December 10, in Portland, OR.
Williams, who finished sixth at the NCAA National Championships in 2017 and earned All-America honors, went 6-0 in the first round on Sunday and was the #1 seed heading into the Round of 128.
Following a first-round bye, Williams won five consecutive bouts before facing Ziad Elsissy of Wayne State University in the final. In a classic match-up, Williams defeated the 2017 NCAA National Championship runner-up by a score of 15-14, clinching the match "on a beautiful attack," according to NYU Head Coach Steve Mormando.
"It was a back-and forth final. Just a sensational performance from our All-American," Mormando continued. "He faced top-level competition and never flinched. The sky is the limit for this young man."
Williams also notched a victory again the two-time All-American Jonathan Fitzgerald of the University of Notre Dame in the semifinals.
"Winning this event is a very big deal," Mormando concluded.