Lawrence University is one of the smallest schools in the country to sponsor intercollegiate men's and women's fencing, providing its athletes with the opportunity to compete against the nation's best collegiate fencers. Because all schools compete in one NCAA division, much of the Vikings' competition is against major universities, including members of the Big Ten Conference and the University of Notre Dame. The fencing season runs from October through March, with the schedule comprising large, multi-team invitationals as well as several smaller tournaments. The Vikings compete annually in the Midwest Regional Tournament, which features some of the top fencing programs in the country. The Lawrence fencing program boasts one of the school's three national champions. Michael Gattnar won the NCAA epee championship in 1995. Jeff Peyton, Class of 2001, is the only Lawrence fencer to qualify for the NCAA Championships four times.