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Nicole Vaiani Crowned 2014 NJSIAA State Fencing Champion

On March 1, Sophomore Nicole Vaiani (Wall) won gold at the NJSIAA State Foil Fencing Championship. Nicole needed to finish in the top four at the District Tournament to qualify, and after some tough competition, finished in second place. The State Tournament consisted of competitors from the top 16 schools in the state and featured some of New Jersey’s most talented fencers.

“Everyone had to fence each other, so it was a long day,” said Nicole. “Staying mentally focused was key in order to make sure my mind was in the game. When I went out to fence that day, I was keeping in mind that I was not only fencing for myself, but also my teammates at Ranney … that was my motivation to win.”

Nicole’s older brother, John, who is a senior at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, also won the State Championship that day, marking the first time in NJSIAA history that siblings have both won state championships at the same event and in the same year. “Having my brother win on the same day was so exciting for my mom and dad,” said Nicole. “Seeing their faces made all of our hard work worth it at the end of the day.”

In the preliminary rounds, 21 foil fencers started out the competition in a round-robin style. Fourteen girls advanced to the semifinals and, eventually, the competition was narrowed down to 9 girls who advanced to the foil final. Nicole fenced 20 bouts that day. In the final bout, she was unstoppable, finishing the day with an undefeated record and a gold medal, naming her the 2014 NJSIAA Girls Foil Fencing State Champion.

Ranney’s Head Fencing Coach Agota Balot described Nicole’s performance the day of the championship as both physically and mentally strong. “Nicole loves fencing and trains year-round. Her experiences from a variety of different competitions are beneficial to her and the Ranney School team.”

Last year at the 2013 State Championship, Nicole finished in second place, marking the first NJSIAA podium for a female Ranney fencer. She was also a member of Ranney’s winning girls’ foil squad that won gold at Prep States in both 2013 and 2014. Outside of Ranney, Nicole has built an impressive list of accomplishments, including a third-place finish at the Cadet World Cup Fencing Competition held in Pisa, Italy (January 2014); an 11th place finish at the Division I Senior North American Cup (November 2013); 23rd at the Cadet World Cup in Tauberbischofsheim, Germany (November 2013); first place at the 2014 Junior Olympic Qualifier for the New Jersey Division; 16th place at the Cadet North American Cup (November 2013); 9th place at the Cadet 2013 Summer Nationals’ and first place at the Y12 2010 Summer Nationals.

“Being a State Champion makes me feel extremely lucky, but sharing the experience with my brother is more than I could have ever hoped for.”
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Ranney School

235 Hope Road
Tinton Falls, NJ 07724
Tel. 732.542.4777
Our mission is to know and value every child, nurturing intellectual curiosity and confidence, and inspiring students to lead honorably, think creatively, and contribute meaningfully to society. 

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