ANTALYA, TURKEY – Columbia senior Kurt Getz reached the top eight at the 2009 World Championships this weekend in Turkey, upsetting the world's third-ranked fencer, Richard Kruse of Great Britain, in the round of 16.

In the past 70 years, United States Fencing has never had two men's foil fencers in the top 16 at the World Championships and Getz and Notre Dame's Gerek Meinhardt pulled off the feat at this year's competition.

Getz ultimately fell to Zhu Fei of China in the round of eight in a match that lasted nearly an hour, thanks to two injury timeouts, a strip change, several equipment stoppages and an intermission while the opening ceremonies took place.

In her first appearance at the World Championships, fellow Columbia senior Daria Schneider reached the round of 16 in women's sabre action.  Schneider defeated Poland's Alexandra Socha in the round of 64, then knocked off U.S. teammate Monica Aksamit in the round of 32.

Schneider then fell to the eventual World Champion, Mariel Zagunis, a two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist in women's foil.

The 2009 World Championships continue until Thursday, October 8 in Turkey.