. ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁she ▁captured ▁her ▁third ▁NCAA ▁championship ▁by ▁defe ating ▁P enn ▁State ' s ▁Mon ica ▁A ksam it , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁three - time ▁individual ▁sab re ▁winner ▁in ▁NCAA ▁history . ▁ ▁Ward ▁graduated ▁Duke ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 7 2 – 7 ▁(. 9 7 5 ) ▁record , ▁making ▁her ▁the ▁school ' s ▁all - time ▁wins ▁leader . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Be ij ing ▁Olympics ▁ ▁Ward ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁se eds ▁for ▁the ▁individual ▁sab re ▁competition . ▁She ▁won ▁her ▁first ▁bout , ▁against ▁Spain ' s ▁A rac eli ▁Navar ro , ▁when ▁her ▁oppon ent ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁shoulder ▁injury ▁( W ard ▁was ▁winning ▁ 1 2 – 7 ▁at ▁the ▁time ). ▁She ▁then ▁defeated ▁Or sol ya ▁N agy ▁of ▁Hung ary ▁in ▁the ▁round ▁of ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 5 – 5 . ▁In ▁the ▁quarter final s , ▁she ▁beat ▁Tun is ia ' s ▁Az za ▁Bes bes , ▁ 1 5 – 1 4 , ▁in ▁a ▁match ▁decided ▁by ▁one ▁final ▁touch . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁semif inals , ▁Ward ▁faced ▁def ending ▁Olympic ▁champion ▁Mar iel ▁Zag un is , ▁with ▁whom ▁she ▁trained ▁regularly ▁at ▁the ▁Oregon ▁F encing ▁Alliance . ▁She ▁lost ▁the ▁bout ▁ 1 5 – 1 1 ▁to ▁Zag un is , ▁who ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁gold