Looking at the accomplishments of Lauren Schmidt, it’s no wonder she’s the Carnegie Mellon student-athlete to earn the NCAA Pennsylvania Woman of the Year award. The honor, one of the most prestigious that the NCAA bestows, recognizes academic and athletic excellence, community service and leadership.
A fifth-year architecture major, her impressive achievements include a 3.83 GPA and Dean’s List recognition every year. Schmidt is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She was also a founding member of FEMA, a female student-athlete support group, and is a member of the American Institute of Architecture Students.
Outside the classroom, the 5’9” outside hitter left her mark on the volleyball court as a two-time All-American. A four-time All-University Athletic Association selection and the conference’s Player of the Year in 2001, Schmidt helped guide Carnegie Mellon to three East Coast Athletic Conference Championships and its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
To succeed as she has, Schmidt had to combine talent and devotion, two traits that come quite naturally to her. In high school, Schmidt recalls making the journey of more than 100 miles from her hometown of Wellsville, N.Y., to Rochester to attend club volleyball practice twice a week. Carnegie Mellon Head Volleyball Coach Julie Webb immediately realized how special she was when they first met at a summer volleyball camp in 1996.
“Everyone always told me not to recruit architects because it’s too difficult for them to participate in a varsity sport, but I knew then she was an incredible player,” Webb recalled. “And now after being around her for four years, I realize how exceptional a human being she is as well.”
For Schmidt, academics and athletics provided great balance.
“Volleyball is my outlet for forgetting about architecture and the stress of school,” Schmidt said. “As hard as it was at times, I know I’m better because all the hard work gave me a broader understanding of myself and what I can accomplish. I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of things but it’s been worth it.”
“I have the utmost respect for Lauren because she knew her goals and worked harder than anyone I’ve ever known to accomplish them,” said Webb. “Everyone on the team respected her so much that they strived to keep up with her. Lauren was more than an inspiration to her teammates. She was their hero . . . and mine as well.”
