Tournament news · Region 5

Region 5 Tournament Watch: Austin Is Sold Out Twice Over, and Houston Closes Monday

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 · Bout-Buddy Editorial

Region 5 has fewer tournaments on our list than most regions, but the ones that are on it are full. We are tracking 3 Region 5 tournaments with 44 events at 80% or higher, and 40 of them are full. Both Austin USA Fencing events are wait-list only across nearly the whole card. Austin RYC & RJCC (October 3–4) has all 25 tracked events full. Austin Challenge SYC & RCC (December 18–20) has 15 of 17 tracked events full, three months before the tournament. Two more of its fields filled since our report last Friday: Youth 14 Men's Epee, which had 8 spots then, and Youth 10 Women's Saber.

The good news: there is still room in Houston and New Orleans this fall, and a long list of spring regionals is on the way.

Sold out: wait-list only

Closing soon: last spots

On the national side, registration for the October and November NACs closes today, September 23. Division I Men's Epee is wait-list only at both, and so is Junior Men's Epee at November NAC. Other November fields still have room: Cadet Men's Epee is at 259 of 336 and Junior Men's Foil at 236 of 336.

New opportunities: room right now

Battle in Space City ROC/RJCC: Houston, TX · Oct 17–18 · closes Sep 28

This is the region's last open USA Fencing regional in October, and it closes Monday. It has 341 fencers across 36 events. USA Fencing hasn't published field caps, so we can't give fill percentages, but nothing here is on a wait-list. If your fencer missed Austin, this is the closest alternative.

The Crescent City Open: New Orleans, LA · Nov 14–15 · closes Nov 1

Wide open: 89 fencers across 36 events, with no caps published yet. It's a good November option for Louisiana, Mississippi and East Texas fencers, and the only open Region 5 USA Fencing regional between Houston and Austin Challenge.

Coming later, mark the date

USA Fencing has pre-announced a full spring slate for Region 5 but has not published registration dates. For now these are calendar reminders only. Given how both Austin events went, plan to register for these the week they open.

The Junior Olympics are in Oklahoma City this year, inside Region 5, so the national event of the winter is close to home.

Also open with room (AskFRED, next six weeks)

• Warrior's Legacy (Houston, Sep 26): 31 signed up across 8 events.
• The Red Court (League City, TX, Oct 3; closes Oct 1): 33 of 68.
• Salle De Long Two Blades: October (El Paso, Oct 10): 39 signed up.
• Turkeys and Dragons (Katy, TX, Oct 10; closes Oct 1): 19 of 57.
• October-Fence (Little Rock, AR, Oct 10): 6 of 39.
• Houston Four Seasons Cup, Fall 2026 (Houston, Oct 24): Youth 8 through Veteran, 20 signed up across 16 events.
• Battle in the Borderland (El Paso, Oct 24): 30 signed up.
• October Jackpot Epee (Oklahoma City, Oct 24): 32-fencer cap, open.

Region 5 doesn't have many USA Fencing regionals, so the ones it has fill completely: Austin in October is 25 for 25, and Austin Challenge is sold out in September for a December event. If your fencer missed Austin, Houston closes Monday and New Orleans is open until November 1. When the spring schedule (Lewisville, El Paso, Dallas, Houston, Carrollton) opens, don't wait: register the week a tournament opens.

National Tournaments

October NAC

Oct 9, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026 · Orlando, FL · USAF
Deadline: Sep 23, 2026
1 (0 nearly full · 1 full / wait-list)

November NAC

Nov 20, 2026 – Nov 23, 2026 · Columbus, OH · USAF
Deadline: Sep 23, 2026
2 (0 nearly full · 2 full / wait-list)

Region 5 Tournaments

Austin RYC & RJCC

Oct 3, 2026 – Oct 4, 2026 · Round Rock, TX · USAF
Deadline: Oct 2, 2026
25 (0 nearly full · 25 full / wait-list)

The Red Court

Oct 3, 2026 · League City, TX · ASKFRED
Deadline: Oct 1, 2026
2 (2 nearly full · 0 full / wait-list)

Austin Challenge SYC and RCC

Dec 18, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026 · Round Rock, TX · USAF
Deadline: Dec 1, 2026
17 (2 nearly full · 15 full / wait-list)

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