Colleges with fencing programs (all 45 NCAA teams)
Fencing is a real path to college. Just 45 schools field NCAA
fencing teams across 16 states, and unlike most sports they all compete for a single combined National Collegiate
title — Division I, II and III fence each other. Here's every program, plus how recruiting and scholarships work.
Texas families: the only NCAA fencing program in Texas is
University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio). If your fencer wants to compete in college, most varsity
programs are in the Northeast and Midwest — worth knowing early, because recruiting starts junior year.
How college fencing recruiting works
- Ratings + national results matter most. Coaches recruit off your USA Fencing rating and national tournament results, not just club wins.
- Scholarships are limited. A few Division I programs offer athletic money; most fencers get in on academics + recruited-athlete support. Ivy League and D3 give no athletic scholarships but heavily support recruited fencers in admissions.
- Club fencing is huge too. Beyond the 45 varsity teams, hundreds of colleges have club teams (USACFC) — a great way to keep fencing without the varsity commitment.
- Start the conversation junior year. Email coaches with your resume, ratings and results, and fence the summer national events where they scout.
Division I (29 programs)
| School | State | Team |
|---|
| Barnard College | NY | Women |
| Boston College | MA | Both |
| Brown University | RI | Both |
| Cleveland State University | OH | Both |
| Columbia University | NY | Both |
| Cornell University | NY | Women |
| Duke University | NC | Both |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University | NJ | Women |
| Harvard University | MA | Both |
| Lafayette College | PA | Both |
| Long Island University | NY | Both |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology | NJ | Both |
| Northwestern University | IL | Women |
| Ohio State University | OH | Both |
| Pennsylvania State University | PA | Both |
| Princeton University | NJ | Both |
| Sacred Heart University | CT | Both |
| St. John's University | NY | Both |
| Stanford University | CA | Both |
| Temple University | PA | Women |
| United States Air Force Academy | CO | Both |
| UC San Diego | CA | Both |
| University of Detroit Mercy | MI | Both |
| UNC Chapel Hill | NC | Both |
| University of Notre Dame | IN | Both |
| University of Pennsylvania | PA | Both |
| University of the Incarnate Word | TX | Both |
| Wagner College | NY | Women |
| Yale University | CT | Both |
Division II
| School | State | Team |
|---|
| Wayne State University | MI | Both |
Division III (15 programs)
| School | State | Team |
|---|
| Brandeis University | MA | Both |
| City College of New York | NY | Women |
| Denison University | OH | Women |
| Drew University | NJ | Both |
| Haverford College | PA | Both |
| Hunter College | NY | Both |
| Johns Hopkins University | MD | Both |
| Lawrence University | WI | Both |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | Both |
| New York University | NY | Both |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | NJ | Both |
| Tufts University | MA | Women |
| Vassar College | NY | Both |
| Wellesley College | MA | Women |
| Yeshiva University | NY | Both |
Texas college club teams (where most college fencing actually happens)
Beyond the 45 varsity programs, hundreds of colleges field club teams —
student-run, competitive, and a great way to keep fencing without a varsity commitment. In Texas these compete in
SWIFA (the Southwest circuit) and at USACFC nationals — and several Texas teams have won national titles.
Many have thin or outdated websites, so they're hard to find; here's the list.
🤺
University of Texas at Austin —
team page →Multiple USACFC national championships
🤺
Texas A&M University —
team page →USACFC foil national champions
🤺
University of Texas at DallasSWIFA club team
🤺
University of Texas at San AntonioSWIFA club team
🤺
Texas State UniversitySWIFA club team
🤺
Baylor UniversitySWIFA club team
🤺
University of North TexasSWIFA club team
Know a Texas college team we're missing, or a working link?
Send it here — we'll add it.
Fenced for a school not on this list? Most colleges have (or once had) a club; if yours does, tell us.