Fencing Senior Yasemin Ersen Named an EWFC Woman of the Year Honorable Mention

HOBOKEN, N.J. – Wellesley fencing senior Yasemin Ersen (Newton, Mass.) has been recognized as an honorable mention for the 15th annual Eastern Women's Fencing Conference (EWFC) Woman of the Year Award. The prize -- bestowed annually upon the fencer who best combines the triple standards of success in athletics, excellence in academics, and participation in extracurricular activities -- was decided through a postseason vote by the EWFC's ten head coaches.

The 2021-22 Woman of the Year honor was awarded to dual track senior and graduate student Kiera Barnes of Stevens Institute of Technology. Barnes, a Quantitative Finance major, Finance & Economics minor, and Financial Engineering graduate degree candidate from South Jordan, Utah, wrapped up her career with EWFC First Team All-Conference honors and surpassed 200 wins in just three years and set the school record for most victories in a season.

Ersen was one of nine student-athletes garnering EWFC Woman of the Year honorable mention accolades after finishing the season with a 28-37 record in sabre this season. A 2018-19 Northeast Fencing Conference (NFC) Second Team honoree, Ersen will graduate in May with a degree in Neuroscience. Ersen is also a two-time NFC Academic All-Conference honoree after making the team in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, a 2020-21 Scholar of Distinction, and a member of the 2020-21 Scholar Team of the Year Award.

"Yasi is the embodiment of what it means to be a Wellesley College fencer. She is a fierce and vocal competitor, as well as a loving teammate who is cherished by everyone on our team." Said Head Coach Rob Charlton. "I will be eternally thankful for her steady leadership this season as we returned to competition after COVID." 

Off of the fencing mats, Ersen conducted interdisciplinary research at MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research that focuses on engineering new tools to explore neuronal function. She is also a part of Member of the Sharing Foundation, a nonprofit that helps facilitate access to education for high school students in Cambodia. Ersen also takes the time to volunteer at the New Art Center and collaborates with local artists to help with community art projects in the greater Boston area. Academically, she was given the Chemistry Award for Excellence. 

"Yasi's caring responsibility to her teammates was vital to our success this season," added Charlton. "We're truly going to miss her wry personality and lighthearted personality in the future."

The EWFC was founded ahead of the 2000-01 campaign and includes charter members City College of New York, Hunter College, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Yeshiva University. Former program Bard College was replaced by Drew University in 2002-03, while Haverford College joined in 2005-06, Johns Hopkins University entered in 2007-08, and Vassar College came on board in 2014-15. And the conference most recently expanded to a record-high 10 teams with the additions of Wellesley College and Denison University for the 2021-22 edition of its Dual Meet & Individual Championships.