Career Highlights
- Pac-12 Champions- Team (2023)
- NCAA Champion- Team (2023)
- NCAA Champion- Second Varsity Eight (2023)
As a Freshman (2022-23) • NCAA Champion (Team, Second Varsity Eight) • 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
- Part of the second varsity eight boat that finished second at the Pac-12 Championship
- 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.”