U.S. Fencing Association Announces 2008 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team Nominees Today at 2008 U.S. Fencing National Championships in Portland, Ore.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The United States Fencing Association finalized its nominees for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team today with the conclusion of the men's saber competition at the 2008 U.S. Fencing National Championships in Portland, Ore. A total of 12 fencers will represent the United States of America at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China with three replacement athletes to back them up.

Leading the U.S. squad's medal hopes in Beijing will be the women's sabre team of 2004 Olympic gold medalist Mariel Zagunis (Portland, Ore./Beaverton, Ore.) and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Sada Jacobson (Dunwoody, Ga.). Zagunis and Jacobson have been joined by phenomenal young talent in Becca Ward who won the World Championship title in 2006. Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J.) is the replacement athlete for the women's sabre team.

The final Olympic squad to be finalized for U.S. Fencing was the men's sabre squad. The final positions of which were determined earlier today in competition at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland. Earning his Olympic ticket today was Jason Rogers (Los Angeles, Calif./New York, N.Y.). James Williams (Sacramento, Calif./New York, N.Y.) will serve as the replacement athlete. Two-time U.S. Olympian Keeth Smart (Brooklyn, N.Y./2000 and 2004) and 2004 U.S. Olympic alternate Tim Morehouse (Bronx, N.Y./New York, N.Y.) had already secured their spots on the team through their international ranking. The men's saber team is looking to better the U.S. performance from the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece where the team just missed a medal in the team competition finishing fourth.

As was the case in 2000 (alternate) and 2004, Keeth Smart will be joined by his sister Erinn Smart (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who will again represent the U.S. in women's foil. Junior World Champion Emily Cross (New York, N.Y.) will be making her first Olympic appearance also in women's foil as will Hannah Thompson (Rochester, N.Y.). The replacement athlete in women's foil will be Doris Willette (Lafayette, Calif.).

Gerek Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif.) will also be making his Olympic debut in men's foil. Meinhardt has made a meteoric rise to the top of U.S. Fencing in men's foil. Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas/South Bend, N.D.) will represent the U.S. in women's epee. Returning 2004 U.S. Olympian Seth Kelsey (Brush Prairie, Wash./Colorado Springs, Colo.) will be the lone U.S. athlete competing in individual men's epee competition, as the U.S. did not qualify a team in this discipline.

The U.S. will be represented in all individual disciplines at the 2008 Olympic Games and will compete in three of the four team disciplines including women's sabre, men's sabre and women's foil.

The 2008 U.S. Paralympic Team for Fencing will consist of four men. Scott Rodgers will compete in epee and foil (category B), Benjy Williams in epee and sabre (category B), Gerard Moreno in foil and sabre (category B) and Mark Calhoun in sabre and foil (category A)

The United States Fencing Association will submit official nominations of the above named athletes to the United States Olympic Committee. The nominations must be approved they the United States Olympic Committee's Board of Directors.

Tags: Dagmara Wozniak, Doris Willette, Emily Cross, Erinn Smart, Gerek Meinhardt, James Williams, Jason Rogers, Keeth Smart, Mariel Zagunis, Sada Jacobson