Harper Schmitt’s dedication to both fencing and academics is unmatched, and she excels exceptionally in both. She is a USA Fencing All American First Team member, which requires her to earn either an “A” or “B” rating during competition, and she is an All Academic Team member as well, which requires a GPA of 3.85 or higher. She also is a two time National Medal winner, and is currently nationally ranked in both the Cadet and Junior fencing categories. On top of all of this, she also competed in the 2025 Junior Olympics her freshman year.
When I asked about her favorite thing about fencing, she said, “I think I like just how competitive it is, and how you can use different tactics, and just everyone is different in their own way. Like physically, but also mentally playing.” She then continued, saying that, “Most people compare [fencing] to chess, which I think is interesting.”
However, she also explained the challenges and obstacles that also come with winning big. She explained that she often feels lots of pressure, and said, “I’m hyper mobile in all my joints, so I’ve had a shoulder injury, and that’s been a really painful thing to deal with. And just mental blocks in general [are challenging in fencing].”
In spite of her challenges, Harper continues to put in the work needed to achieve her goals, and is very driven. Fencing is filled with mental and physical challenges and trials, and Harper has had to learn how to overcome them.
When I asked Harper to walk me through what a normal day looks like for her, and what it usually consists of, she explained, “I have school, then during the fall I had cross country from 3:45 to 5:40. Then I go to fencing [practice] from 6:00 to 8:00. Then I would go home and do homework.” When I asked her about how she manages to balance school, fencing, cross country, and her personal life with such a busy schedule, she stated, “It’s kind of a struggle, to be honest.”
Harper also explained to me her rigorous competition schedule as well, and she said that she competes at a national tournament once a month, in addition to competing in regional tournaments every other weekend. She said that her regional tournaments usually take place in Indiana, Wisconsin, or Michigan. Harper also explained her pre competition rituals as well, saying, “I always eat a bagel with plain butter, and I listen to music, [and for music before competitions] I listen to Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.”
Last week, she competed in the October Nac in Salt Lake City, Utah, which is a huge national fencing tournament. After placing 27th out of 176, she experienced some troubles on the way back home. “So, I got back from the tournament, it was a four day tournament, so I…fenced Friday, Saturday, and Monday. Then we flew back to Chicago, and we arrived at the [airport] parking lot, and we had a flat tire. So we had to wait five hours for a tow truck… and then by the time it was done, it was like 4:00 a.m., and then we drove back [and got home by] like 6 a.m., and then I came to school.” Harper’s prioritization and focus on school and fencing continues to make her a more disciplined student, fencer, and person.
Furthermore, Harper explained where she gets her inspiration from, and stated, “My coaches are definitely very inspirational. They’re very successful fencers, so that, and also being so close to Notre Dame. It’s very inspirational [because of] how many Olympians come out of their fencing program.” She also explained that her dream school to continue her fencing career at is Notre Dame, as well.
Finally, Harper’s advice for other athletes or fencers who wish to compete at such a high level like herself, “Just keep going, keep practicing, everyday counts. I think in fencing, losing happens a lot, because it’s one on one and you could just completely destroy a person one day, then get destroyed by them the next. It’s not a very consistent sport, so I think it’s hard to not give up, but just don’t give up.”
