History

Browse the archives of NWFC milestones, moves, and much more

History at NWFC has always been an important part of the club’s atmosphere since the club first opened its doors in 1971. Through a few changes and many accomplishments by its athletes, NWFC has managed to become quite acknowledged.

Northwest Fencing Center’s history spans nearly five decades, becoming the premier training and competition facility it is today because of the dedication and faith of many. With such deep roots, we are proud to be part of the legacy of fencing in Oregon.

Read on to learn how our story began, how we’ve grown throughout the years, and what the future could hold.

Grace Choi

Grace Choi began her fencing journey alongside her older brother Isaac in 2017, shortly after watching the 2016 Rio Olympics. Throughout her time at NWFC, she stuck with épée and competed at the regional and national level.

Steliana Strugar

Steliana Strugar is passionate about art, medical science, and fencing! She started her fencing journey at 6 years old, and after being inspired by her brother Marcus, she started competing at the age of 10. Over the years, she’s traveled all over the U.S. for competitions while making life-long memories.

Kevin Du

As Kevin leaves the nest to the University of California San Diego, we wish him continued success in fencing, future internships, and servers that never segfault at the worst possible moment. May his attacks always land, his code compiles on the first try, and his CTF challenges never require guessing.

Nikki Breiling

Nikki’s love for sword fighting began early, but it became a true passion when he started fencing in November 2021. He loves competing in epee at local, regional, and national levels; and one of his proudest accomplishments was earning his A ranking in 2025, a milestone that reflected his hard work and commitment to the sport. While he thrives on competition, what he values most is the enjoyment of fencing and the friendships he has built along the way. He is especially grateful for the coaches and teammates at NWFC, whose support and guidance have made his experience so meaningful.

Sumeru Gowda

Sumeru started fencing in 4th grade alongside his younger brother Suyog, and instantly loved the sport. He has competed in Foil at the regional and national levels. He loves travelling all over the country for competitions and spending time with his teammates at practice, camps, and tournaments. Outside of fencing, Sumeru enjoys robotics, coding, travelling, trying new food, watching sports, and hanging out with friends. Sumeru will attend the University of Maryland this fall. He will be majoring in Computer Science and his goal is to create his own tech startup.

Eric Min

Inspired by the Princess Bride and Star Wars, Eric began his fencing journey at age 7. Since then, he’s fallen in love with traveling and competing. His favorite memories have all come from his supporters, from his parents and coaches to the friends he’s made at summer camps and national events.

Wall of Champions

The Wall of Champions at Northwest Fencing Center is how we recognize and pay tribute to all our athletes’ accomplishments, past and present. Below you will find a running list of our fencers that have won National, Olympic, and other champion titles.

NWFC represents on the world stage

All of the hard work, conditioning, training and lessons with coaches, bouting with teammates and competing at home and across the United States has culminated in dreams coming true for six fencers from Northwest Fencing Center. Cadet (Will, Aryana and Megan), Junior (Gregory Mitberg), Veteran (Cristina Ford) and Wheelchair (Vikki Espinosa) fencers are either on their way or putting the finishing touches on their preparations for international tournaments in Europe.

Losing a great friend and a legend

Losing a great friend and a legend

Losing a great friend and a legend is never easy. The Northwest Fencing Center lost its founding father this week. I am sad to report that Leon Auriol passed away, but he left behind an incredible legacy for Pacific Northwest fencing.

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