Seven Northwestern fencers will bask in the balmier temperatures of South Carolina this weekend.

And at the North American Cup, the Wildcats hope their play heats up as well.

Run by the United States Fencing Association Friday through Monday in Greenville, S.C., the cup is an individual event open to any fencer with enough USFA points.

Sophomore Eva Mendelsohn and juniors Kristen Dorf and Maggie Kebrdle will compete in the foil division; senior captain Carly Wells and junior Kate Frambach will fence in the sabre category; and sophomore Kate Rudkin and junior Jennifer Greenebaum will participate in the épée category.

In addition to fencing in the open division, Rudkin and Mendelsohn also will fence in the juniors division (ages 20 and younger).

NU is looking to use the tournament as a springboard into collegiate competition later this month, when the Cats host the NU Duals Jan. 19-21 and Jan. 27. The Cats, who haven’t fenced since November, also will be using this weekend to dust off their weapons.

“We want them to get that week of competition,” coach Laurie Schiller said. “This is an opportunity for them to face top competitors.”

NU certainly faces a challenge, as most of the USFA’s top-rated fencers are participating in the tournament.

The Cats also must find the will to win in a meet that is little more than a tune-up.

“Some of our kids won’t do as well in the open,” Schiller said. “The motivation isn’t as strong in the individual events.”

That won’t be a problem for Rudkin. This is the last year she’s eligible for the juniors division.

“I would really like to place in the top four,” Rudkin said.

For the NU fencers, winning will require endurance — the open division has more matches than a meeting of pyromaniacs.

First the fencers are divided into pools, where they play five or six matches. After that, the competitors play in single-elimination matches until 32 remain. That is, 32 in addition to the top 16 fencers who have an automatic bye to the round of 48.

The 48 fencers who are left are divided into pools two more times.

The final 16 then compete in a double-elimination playoff until only one is crowned champion.

Sound difficult?

Not for Rudkin, who was able to finish third in a similar event held in Ontario, Calif., during Winter Break.

Schiller hopes the rest of the NU fencers will follow her lead.

“Everybody in our group has a good chance to do well,” he said.