by: Zach Gephart

Stepping onto the strip, Natalie Adams-Kim was up against the odds.

Across from her stood her newest challenge: Ohio State’s Dasha Myroniuk –– a former Ukrainian national team foilist–– who had already rattled off two consecutive wins against fellow Owls earlier in the meet. Known for her aggressive fencing style, Myroniuk posed a strong challenge for Adams-Kim, who now had to juggle matching this intensity with the fatigue of a two-day meet.

For Adams-Kim, however, this was merely another chapter in a career marked by adversity.

Long before her bouts on the collegiate level, Adams-Kim found her first fencing community alongside her sister, Madeline, at a local club. Every Saturday morning, the two made their way to their local gym in West Philadelphia for team-building activities. Some days, fencing wasn’t even part of the equation. Instead, the group filled the gym with games of handball, ultimate frisbee, and the like. Over time, those playful outings helped spark Adams-Kim’s connection to a sport she would pursue for over a decade.

“My coach would always be like, ‘Oh, just join the game, you can play with us,’” Adams-Kim said. “…We would have a bunch of random kids from the neighborhood playing with us, and it’s pretty cool because I feel like fencing isn’t that accessible as a sport.”

As she grew, Adams-Kim practiced at the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia, the same institution her older sister attended. The training bolstered her skills on the strip, eventually taking those same talents to Julia R. Masterman High School. There, she was gifted with a team that emphasized unity.

“Fencing [in high school] is very much more individual, just the way that fencing is organized,” Adams-Kim said. “…I think something really special about that group was that we were really, really team focused, which I feel like a lot of clubs are not in high school fencing.”

Across her pre-collegiate career, Adams-Kim quickly built a decorated resume. Among her accomplishments were two selections to the USA Fencing High School All-American First Team, a recognition set aside for the nation’s top high school prospects. As her senior year concluded and these years fell behind her, Adams-Kim sought to continue her career at Temple University.

However, the process did not play out as she had originally hoped.

At the time, Temple’s fencing program was undergoing a leadership change. When Nikki Franke retired in August of 2022 after 50 years of leading the program, the Owls shifted head coaching responsibilities to Jennie Salmon. Adams-Kim reached out to Salmon, hoping to earn a roster spot, but was told the recruiting class had already been set. Instead, Salmon encouraged her to join the school’s club team, where Adams-Kim began her collegiate career volunteering and keeping in touch with Salmon.

“Not being on the team and not being able to fence as much just enforced how much I wanted to continue doing it,” Adams-Kim said. “And just how much I love this sport, and how I was going to do it regardless.”

For Salmon, this dedication was a sign of Adams-Kim’s character.

“When she took that opportunity to join the club team, I will never forget stopping by a few weeks later and seeing her still there,” Salmon said. “It impressed me so much, she just wanted to be around the sport and bring it to others.”

That same year, Adams-Kim’s dedication paid off when she officially joined the team during its postseason run. While most recruits arrive at the start of the season, Salmon wanted to get her involved right away.

“I really feel that she needed to be part of our program, and our program needed her,” Salmon said. “And I’m happy to say, it has been a decision I stand by wholeheartedly.”

Months later, Salmon’s decision brought Adams-Kim to a new moment of adversity – standing face to face with Myroniuk. Running on fumes, the two approached each other as Salmon uttered a final comment.

“I remember hearing Jennie [Salmon] on the side of the strip, and she said, ‘If anyone could beat this girl, it’s Natalie,” said Adams-Kim. “And then I thought, ‘You know what? She’s right.”

As the bout roared on, the two dueled with aggressive, physical attacks. When the final touch landed, Adams-Kim proved Salmon’s belief right–– defeating Myroniuk handily. The win quickly became one of her favorite moments as an Owl, and a reminder of the traits Salmon had seen all along: a fencer who meets adversity with contagious joy and determination.

“Fencing should have those pieces that make it joyful, and, for me, that defines Natalie.”

Head Coach Jennie Salmon