Kimberlee Montoya Class: Junior Hometown: Las Vegas, NV High School: Cheyenne Height: 5-4 Event: Epee Birthdate: 07/01/1987 Club: Fencing Academy of Nevada

Women's Epee Team Co-Captain

Veteran epeeist who could be poised for best season of career, after making significant strides in 2007 fall-semester training ... has become more confident on the strip while making noticeable improvements in her timing, actions, speed and co-ordination ... makes up for small frame with patient bouting and excellent reaction time ... a smart fencer who has proven capable of upsetting top opponents ... could show further strides as she gains tactical and situational experience ... had pre-existing connection to Notre Dame fencing, as product of the Fencing Academy of Nevada, coached by former ND fencing coach Yves Auriol ('86-'02) ... utilizes style that is blend of epee and foil ... a quiet, defensive fencer who makes good use of technique ... entered sophomore season listed 23rd in the USFA women's epee rankings for junior-level fencers (under-20), as of Dec. 11, 2006 ... placed seventh at the the annual Penn State Open, in the fall of 2007.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Competed in nearly 70 regular-season bouts (43-24) before helping Irish women's epee team win conference title and posting 8th-place individual finish at NCAA Midwest Regional ... had pair of wins to help Irish women edge Ohio State at ND Duals (14-13), with early 5-2 bout vs. Elyse Gurnowski before shutting out Alexandra Obrazcova (leaving OSU with 11-10 lead) ... went 13-7 at ND Duals and 11-6 at NYU Duals, with timely mid-match win (5-4) over Northwestern's Courtney DuBois (an NCAA Tournament veteran), as the Irish women won another 14-13 thriller ... posted other top wins at NYU vs. Columbia's Rachel Rowe (5-2) and St. John's All-American Joanna Guy (5-4) ... added 4-0 record at Midwest Duals (at ND) and 5-6 at Duke Duals (2-1 win over Brynne Thoreson helped ND rally past Air Force) before closing with 12-1 mark at Northwestern Duals - highlighted by 5-3 win over Penn State's Katherine Cook and two wins over fencers from home team (5-3 vs. Kayley French; 4-3 vs. Joanna Niklinska) ... her 3-2 bout with Leslie Lampman helped Irish women's epeeists top Ohio State for Midwest Fencing Conference title (5-3) ... earlier had 5-2 win over Wayne State's Alice Schneider in team semifinals (5-4) ... entered Midwest Regional (at ND) as #10 seed but improved to #4 after pool bouts ... used 15-9 win over OSU's Elyse Gurnowski to earn spot in Regional final-8, followed by losses to Lampman (11-15) and Northwestern twins Kayley (12-15) and Christa (9-15) French ... placed 25th at Penn State Open (#14 seed) in fall of '06, with 5-4 win over #6 seed Kristin Howell of Temple ... finished 13th at North American Cup in Albuquerque, N.M. (Nov. '06), and 40th at N.A.C. in Richmond, Va. (Dec.).

AS A FRESHMAN: Went 36-7 in regular season before placing ninth at MFCs and Regional ... her 7-1 record at Northwestern Duals included win over NU's Sharon Sullivan (5-4/OT), a former fencer in NCAAs ... beat several top fencers in 5-2 day at NYU Duals (5-3 vs. Columbia's Rowe and NYU's Lauren Willock; 5-1 vs. OSU's Kaela Brendler) ... topped NU's Sullivan (5-1) and Duke All-American Anne Kercsmar (5-4) at ND Duals (12-2) ... closed 12-2 at UCSD Duals, with 5-1 win over Air Force's Eliza Enyart (an NCAA Tournament veteran) ... finished ninth at MFCs (11-13 loss to Lampman in round-of-16) ... avenged loss with 4-1 win over Lampman in MFC epee team final (OSU won, 5-2) ... had impressive runner-up finish at Penn State Open in fall of '05, besting ND teammates Becca Chimahusky (quarterfinals) and Amy Orlando (semifinals) before losing 10-15 final vs. NCAA champ Anna Garina of Wayne State (she took Garina to OT in earlier bout) ... her USFA competitions in '05-'06 included: 18th at '05 Summer Nationals (Sacramento), 16th at Albuquerque N.A.C. (Nov.), 37th at N.A.C.'s in Pittsburgh (Dec.) and Houston (Jan.; 15th in Houston U-20 bouts), 33rd at Jr. Olympics in Hartford, Conn. (Feb.), 53rd at Sacramento N.A.C. (April) and 17th at '06 Summer Nationals (Atlanta).

PREP & PERSONAL: Earned three letters as varsity swimmer at Cheyenne High School while training with Auriol at Fencing Academy of Nevada ... first female fencer from Nevada ever to attain "A" rating ... four-time fencing state champion in prep career (team captain as a senior) ... Nevada division epee champion for 2004-05 ... placed third in '03 junior epee competition ... helped CHS swimming team post undefeated season ... won 2004 Pacific Coast Championship ... daughter of Ben and Amy Montoya ... full name is Kimberlee Carmen Montoya ... born July 1, 1987, in Las Vegas ... carried a 3.00 cumulative GPA into 2007 fall semester ... a Program of Liberal Studies major, in the College of Arts and Letters.