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Wellesley College Athletics

2024-25 Fencing Roster

Photos by Frank Poulin
Photos by Frank Poulin

Makana Burch

  • Height 5-6
  • Year 2025
  • Hometown Portland, Ore.
  • High School Oregon Episcopal School
  • Position Sabre
  • Major Data Science
  • Pronunciation MUH-kaw-nuh BIRCH

Biography

Collegiate Career Honors:
  • 4x USFCA All-Academic Team (2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25)
  • 2025 CSC Academic All-District
  • 3x Northeast Fencing Conference Academic All-Conference (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25)
2024-25:
  • Earned 33 victories in dual matches as a senior
  • Opened the season with seven wins at the Shark Tank Challenge on Oct. 20
  • Went 10-4 at the Vassar Invitational on Nov. 10
  • Scored against Division I opponents Cornell, Penn State and Yale at the Brandeis Invitational on Dec. 8
  • Collected nine wins at the EWFC Championships
  • Finished 47th in sabre at the NCAA Northeast Regional
2023-24:
  • Won 53 dual meet matches as a junior
  • Opened the season with eight wins at the LIU Shark Tank Challenge
  • Picked up nine conference wins at NFC Conference Meet No. 1
  • Went 10-2 at the Eric Sollee Invitational
  • Earned 13 wins at the EWFC Championships and made the EWFC Second Team All-Conference
  • Finished 39th in sabre at the NCAA Northeast Regional
2022-23:
  • Earned 37 wins in dual meets as a sophomore
  • Helped Blue earn seven team wins at Vassar Invitational with 10 victories
  • Won seven matches at NFC Conference Meet No. 1
  • Grabbed three wins at NFC Conference Meet No. 3
  • Picked up eight wins at the EWFC Championship
  • Placed 49th in sabre at the NCAA Northeast Regional
2021-22:
  • Made collegiate debut at the LIU Invitational on Oct. 24 and posted a 6-9 record
  • Compiled an overall record of 49-45 as a first year
  • Had a winning 9-5 day at the Vassar Invitational on Nov. 14
  • Recorded a season best 16-4 record at the EWFC Championship
  • Went 8-3 with a +23 touch ratio in Pool C at the NEIFC Championships
Before Wellesley:
  • Attended Oregon Episcopal School, graduated in 2021
  • Was a fencer for seven years
  • Placed third at a national competition in the Division II category in October of 2018
  • Placed top-eight in many regional tournaments
Personal:
  • Daughter of Jin Zhang and Jerry Burch
  • Born in San Diego, Calif.
  • Has a younger sister, Keona
Why Wellesley:
  • Chose to attend Wellesley because of the fencing program and the academic excellence

Historical Player Information

  • 2021-22First-year

    Sabre
    5'6"
  • 2022-23Sophomore

    Sabre
    5'6"
  • 2023-24First-year

    Sabre
    5'6"
  • C

    2024-25Senior

    Sabre
    5'6"
    C
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