No one is sure exactly how old the fencing club is; because of its obscure part in UNT's 100 plus year history, records of fencing at UNT are sparse and lacking in detail. The fencing club is one of the oldest still-running clubs on campus.

However, the earliest clear documentation we have found of a fencing club on campus is from the 1941 yearbook. Fencing at UNT may date back even further: The 1909 yearbook showed members of the Olympian Athletic Club crossing foils, but after that there were no details for several decades, although the OAC continued for a few more years. In the 40's, fencing showed up again as an activity offered by the Women's Recreation Association. Over next several decades, pictures of UNT students frequently show up in the WRA section of the yearbook. The 1964 yearbook again features fencing under the WRA, but also mentions the NTSU Fencing Club, which hosted an annual tournament in February.

According to a 1945 article in the Campus Chat, the NT physical education department offered a fencing class taught by French Army Captain Charles Vical. A professor of the Academy of Arms in Paris, Capt. Vical also founded a fencing school in St. Louis, and taught Hollywood stars such as Douglas Fairbanks Sr. and Richard Barhelmy. Vical's father, according to the article, served as master of arms to Napoleon II.

During the late 50's and early 60's, the student newspaper featured several articles on NT fencers, who, according to those articles, enjoyed a vibrant competitive schedule. Some of our members competed qualified for sectional and national tournaments.

The Rec Sports Department has records of the Fencing Club going back to 1974, making it one of the oldest members of the sport club program. In the last few years, our club has enjoyed robust participation, high enrollment numbers, and greater competitive success.

The University of North Texas Fencing Club will be meeting Mondays and Wednesdays 8:15pm - 11:15 pm at the Ken Bahnsen Gym.