Never underestimate a rookie.

The members of the men's and women's teams of the UE Red Fencers—all Manila Campus students—proved this to the hilt, capturing the overall championship in their respective tournaments at the recently concluded 68th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines—an astounding feat considering that rookies comprised the majority of both teams.

The UAAP fencing tournaments—which were held on February 11 and 12, 2006 at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym—saw each UE team winning two gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals, or a total horde of 12 medals for the University—effectively outclassing the male and female fencing teams of Ateneo, De La Salle University, Far Eastern University, the University of the Philippines and the University of Santo Tomas.

This marked the fifth UAAP championship for the Red Fencers men's team and the first ever UAAP championship for the women's team. UE's male fencers were the champions for four straight seasons, from the 2000-2001 season up to the 2003-2004 season; FEU won the men's fencing tournament in the 2004-2005 season.

In the recent UAAP women's fencing tournament, the respective women's teams of UE and Ateneo actually earned the same amount of gold, silver and bronze medals. The deadlock was resolved—by the technical committee of the Philippine Amateur Fencers Association, led by technical director Ma. Leonor Estampador — through the point system, resulting in the victory of the female Red Fencers, with a total score of 282 points, over their Ateneo counterparts, who had only 266 points.

UE's gold medals—one each in the individual foil and team saber events—in the recent UAAP men's fencing tournament were earned by Crisanto Razo, a nutrition and dietetics senior at the College of Education, in individual foil, and by team saber fencers Mark Anthony Manzalay (Master of Arts in Teaching, major in Physical Education, sophomore), Bonifacio Jacintos (BS Computer Science, sophomore), Don King Decena (BSBA Finance Management, junior) and Eric Brando (BSBA Business Management, sophomore).

Razo, who also helped earn the men's team's bronze medal in the team foil competition, has declared the Most Valuable Player of the men's tournament.

UE's gold medals—one each in the individual saber and team saber events—in the recent UAAP women's fencing tournament were won by Mary Rose Alfonso (individual saber), a Ist-year BS Information Technology student at the CCSS, and by Alfonso and her fellow team saber fencers Tatshana Joie Malinao (BSBA, 1st year), Baisah Fatima Alia Karon (AB English, junior) and Emmalyn Tulin (AB Political Science, junior).
Alfonso, who also helped earn the women fencers' silver medal in the team foil competition, was named both Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year of the women's tournament.

UE's silver medals in the men's tournament were awarded to epeeists Michel Gutierrez (BS Electronics and Communications Engineering, 4th year), Noel Manaois (BSEd junior, major in PE, junior), Alexander Co (1st year, BS Information Technology) and James Sarita (BS Computer Science, 1st year) in the team epee event and by Manaois in the individual epee.

The University's silver medals in the women's tournament were earned by veteran fencers Ever Martinez (AB Political Science, senior) and Maryllis Criselda Narido (Master of Business Administration, sophomore) and rookies Jenine Delos Santos (BS Computer Science, 1st year) and Alfonso in the team foil event, and by veterans Ma. Ellen Tuppil (Dentistry, senior) and Kathleen Baitan (BSBA Management, junior) and neophytes Michelle Bruzola (BS Information Technology, sophomore) and Kamille Dela Cruz (AB International Studies, 1st year) in the team epee competition.

UE's bronze medals in the men's tournament were earned by team foil players Razo and rookies Casmer Sandacan (BSBA Financial Management, senior), Nathaniel Fritz Gutierrez (BSIT, 1st year) and Jose Eduardo Thadeus Panes (BSEd PE, sophomore), and by Michel Gutierrez in the individual epee.

UE's bronze medals in the women's tournament were awarded to Martinez in the individual foil event and by Bruzola in the individual epee.
The UE Red Fencers' overall triumph came as a surprise even to the teams' coaching staff, which was led by the UE-based triumvirate of veteran mentor, title-holder and former national team fencer Rufelrino Endriano, foilist and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Rolando Canlas and saber-wielder and national training pool member Chester Uy.

"We didn't expect this to happen," said Coach Canlas, "considering that about 70% of these teams are rookies. We went into this competition to prepare for the 2007 season." Nevertheless, "our athletes gave it their best shot. Rigid training and discipline were the potent weapons in our success."

Both teams were harnessed by the coaching staff through daily practice, workouts and training, along with exposure via pre-UAAP tournaments. Said Coach Endriano, "Their patience to absorb what we have taught, the discipline we have instilled in them and the sacrifices we all endured really had a lot of bearing in this success."