Northwest Wayne News

The Wayne State University fencing program is set to host the annual Danosi Open on Saturday, January 11. The event will commence at 8:30 AM in the Matthaei building.

This open event will feature no team competition, allowing all members of the Wayne State squads to participate individually. Seven male student-athletes from WSU are scheduled to compete. Eyad Marouf from Alexandria, Egypt, will take part in the Mixed Sabre category. The Mixed Foil event will include Ethan Leung from Hong Kong, Bobbie Hirsch from Huntington Woods, Michigan, Sam Gneuhs from Mason, Ohio, Jakub Oronowicz from Clarkston, Michigan, and Carlos Santos from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Cameron King from Laurel, Maryland will compete in Mixed Epee.

On the women's side, Vika Shevchenko from Troy, Michigan and Mehreen Siddiqui from Canton, Michigan are slated to participate. Shevchenko will compete in the Mixed Epee while Siddiqui is entered in the Mixed Sabre.

The Danosi Open honors Istvan Danosi, a long-time coach who joined Wayne State's fencing program in 1957 after fleeing Hungary. During his tenure as coach at WSU, he led the team to five NCAA Fencing Championships and coached numerous All-Americans and National Champions. Danosi retired after the 1982 season with an impressive record of 283-59 and was inducted into the Wayne State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1983.

Danosi also contributed significantly outside of WSU by serving as chairman of the U.S. Academy of Arms (National Fencing Coaches Association) and accrediting Muriel Bower as the first female fencing master in the United States.

Event Schedule:

- Gym Opens: 7:30 AM

- Registration and Equipment Check (mask and glove): 7:45 AM

- Mixed Epee: 8:30 AM

- Women's Foil: 10:00 AM

- Mixed Sabre: 12:00 PM

- Mixed Foil: 3:00 PM