The Holy Cross Fencing Club’s members come from across the tri-campus partnership.
Holy Cross College is the proud home of the tri-campus’ new Fencing Club, thanks to student leaders from Notre Dame and Holy Cross.
To get the developing club to debut took a significant amount of work.
When Carolina Dille arrived at the University of Notre Dame, she believed the fencing chapter of her life had closed since there was no club team on campus.
Rather than walking away from fencing, she decided to help create something new. Less than two years later, that effort has grown into a student-led tri-campus fencing club based at Holy Cross College, bringing together students from Notre Dame and Holy Cross while laying groundwork to welcome Saint Mary’s College participants in the future.
“We really are super excited to make it accessible to everyone, like all three schools,” said Dille, a rising Notre Dame senior studying pre-med and studio art. “Hopefully from there we’ll be able to grow membership.”
The club officially began practicing this academic year inside the Pfeil Center at Holy Cross after months of organizing constitutions, budgets, recruitment efforts, and conversations across campuses.
Its growth accelerated through an unexpected connection with Isabela “Isa” Oseguera, a Holy Cross College rising junior and Visual Arts Major. Oseguera ‘s experience as an armorer in fencing helped shape the organization’s early direction. Together, students worked with Holy Cross staff to establish practices and begin building infrastructure for future members.
For Dille, involvement with the club created relationships beyond her own campus.
“I feel like it’s opened up another world for me,” she said. “The people are incredible. It is exciting to meet new people and get a totally different perspective.”
Before helping launch the club, Dille said she had spent little time at Holy Cross beyond occasionally using the campus track. Through fencing, she has built friendships, participated in student leadership meetings, and gained a deeper understanding of the broader tri-campus community.
Holy Cross student Isa Oseguera is one of the leaders of the Fencing Club.
The experience reflects one of the partnership’s lesser-seen dimensions: opportunities are not only shared across campuses but sometimes built together through student initiative.
The club remains small, with a core group of regular participants and additional students expressing interest ahead of next year. Leaders hope expanded outreach and beginner workshops will help membership grow across all three campuses.
Accessibility has remained central from the beginning.
Because fencing requires specialized equipment and can be expensive, student leaders wanted beginners to explore the sport before investing in their own gear.
“We wanted to make sure that we had gear for beginners to use so they wouldn’t have to buy all this stuff and then realize maybe they don’t like the sport,” Dille said.
That vision found support through Holy Cross Day, the College’s annual giving initiative connecting donor generosity with student opportunities and emerging needs.
For the fencing club, Holy Cross Day became a chance to share the story of a new student-led organization centered on accessibility and tri-campus engagement.
Supporters responded.
The club raised $2,676, surpassing its goal of $2,200 and providing resources to welcome future members and strengthen its foundation.
Holy Cross student Isa Oseguera is one of the leaders of the Fencing Club.
“I was honestly shocked by how many people were willing to donate to a club that had just started,” Dille said. “People were willing to reach out and help out, and I really appreciated that.”
The support demonstrated how donor investment can directly expand opportunities students themselves are creating.
Then came another surprise.
Dille’s longtime coach, Alan “Blake” Blakeborough, who coached her for a decade in South Carolina at Knights of Siena, offered to donate retired club equipment, including scoring machines, jackets, and weapons that could dramatically expand participation opportunities.
“He shared, ‘I have four scoring machines … all of the club gear,’” Dille said. “It makes it a lot easier to see the growth now.”
Blakeborough has already contributed saber equipment to help launch the club. His latest gift, including dozens of jackets and multiple weapons, could help equip beginners and accelerate growth in the years ahead.
Blakesborough’s gift has created a foundation the provides stability as the club grows. His generosity supports the opportunity to introduce newcomers to a sport they may be curious about but would not otherwise have the means to try.
“My only request is to enjoy sharing the sport with others and help them become the best version of themselves they can be.”
That is what Dille looks to deliver.
“I love how it’s both an individual and a team sport,” she said. “You build confidence on your own, but you also know your teammates and coaches are there supporting you.”
As membership grows and beginner workshops are planned for next year, student leaders hope the club will continue expanding across the tri-campus community. Competitive aspirations may come later.
For now, creating shared opportunities matters most.
“As long as I get to fence, I don’t care if we’re traveling and doing crazy tournaments,” Dille said. “I’m glad to be able to do the sport that I like so much.”