Career Highlights
- Two-time Pac-12 Champions- Team (2023, 2024)
- Pac-12 Champion- Second Varsity Eight (2024)
- NCAA Champion- Team (2023)
- NCAA Champion- Second Varsity Eight (2024)
- NCAA Runner-Up- Team (2024)
- CRCA National Scholar Athlete (2024)
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll (2024)
As a Sophomore (2023-24) • NCAA Champion (Second Varsity Eight) • NCAA Runner-Up (Team) • Pac-12 Champion (Team, Second Varsity Eight)
- CRCA National Scholar Athlete
- Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll
- Rowed in the 2 seat of the Cardinal's Championship A boat at the prestigious Head of the Charles regatta
- Kicked off the 2024 spring season with a first-place effort in the bow seat of the second varsity eight boat at USC
- Raced in the 2 seat of Stanford's second varsity eight boat at the UVA Invite, earning top finishes over Virginia and Yale Saturday and Syracuse Sunday
- Competed in the Longhorn Invite in the 2 seat of the second varsity eight boat
- Bested California at the annual Big Row, racing in the 2 seat of the second varsity eight boat
- Aided Stanford to its third consecutive team title at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships, recording the Cardinal's first conference championship in the second varsity eight boat since 2014 as the 7 seat
- Brought home the second varsity eight national title as the 7 seat at the 2024 NCAA Championships, leading the Cardinal to its fourth consecutive top-two team finish
As a Freshman (2022-23) • NCAA Champion (Team) • Pac-12 Champion (Team)
- Rowed to a second-place finish in the 2 seat with the second varsity eight at the San Diego Crew Classic
- Helped the second varsity eight in the bow seat (Fri PM) and third varsity eight in the 2 seat (Sat AM) to two top finishes at the Big-10 Invite, also led the varsity four to a second-place finish in the 2 seat (Sat AM)
- Led the third varsity eight boat to a first-place finish over Cal in 2 bow seat
- Helped the varsity four boat top Iowa at the Pac-12 Challenge in the 2 seat
- Aided team and second varsity eight to a conference title at the Pac-12 Championships as the 2 seat
- Led team and second varsity eight boat to national championship victories, Stanford's first since 2009
International Competition
- Part of US U19 4x at 2021 U19 World Championships in Plodiv, Bulgaria that placed sixth
- Part of US U119 4x at 2022 U19 World Championships in Varese, Italy that placed fourth
- First Niskayuna female student to ever make the US national rowing team
Prior to Stanford
- Graduate of Niskayuna High School
- Three-year letterwinner and starter for the Niskayuna Varsity Basketball team
- Team co-captain for 2021-22 season
- Three-time New York State Scholastic Champion with Niskayuna High School rowing team
- Part of Niskayuna’s 4x 2019 State Champion boat
- Part of Niskayuna’s 2x 2021 State Champion boat
- Part of Niskayuna’s 4x 2022 State Champion boat
- Raced in Women’s Youth 2x boat at the 2021 Stotesbury Cup Regatta that finished in first place
- Raced in Women’s Senior 2x boat at the 2022 Stotesbury Cup Regatta that placed first
- Raced in WYouth 4x+ boat at the 2021 Head of the Charles that finished in fifth place
- Raced in W2x that earned silver at the 2021 Youth Nationals
- Raced in the W4X that earned silver at the 2022 Youth Nationals
- Holds high school team’s 2k record (broken in her sophomore year)
Personal
- Parents are Mark and Mary Schmidt
- Has a brother, James
- Mother Mary played basketball at LeMoyne College
- Dad Mark skied for Penn State
- Brother James currently rows at Drexel University
- Capital District Sports Women of the Year Class of 2022
- NHSCA (National High School Coaches Association) Academic All-American
- National Honor Society Member
Why Heather Schmidt Chose Stanford
- “I chose Stanford because of the amazing balance between athletics and academics. Doing both at such a high level is exactly what I have always wanted out of my college experience.”