Ella Schmit named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week

Photo: Ella Schmit with the Golden Boot award after winning the U20 Pan-American Championships in Santiago, Chile. (Richard Immel, USA Wrestling)


Watch: Ella Schmit interview at U20 Pan-American Championships

Ella Schmit (Bettendorf, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC) has been named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week on July 12, 2023.

It was an ascendant outing for Schmit at the U20 Pan-American Championships held at Centro Nacional de Entrenamiento Olímpico in Santiago, Chile, July 7. She dominated the 65 kg women’s freestyle weight class, pinning all four of her international opponents to claim the gold medal.

In her five-woman round-robin bracket, Schmit pinned Evelyn Orta Gonzalez of Mexico in 1:14, Jaeell Llontop Vasquez of Chile in 0:55 and Natalie Vecchio of Canada in 0:46. She put up 17 points before sticking eventual silver medalist Gleymaris Beria Diaz of Venezuela at the 5:22 mark in her final match of the day.

Schmit was presented the Golden Boot at the conclusion of the event as the most outstanding wrestler of the competition in women’s freestyle. She was one of seven gold medalists for the U.S. in Chile. The American women breezed to the Pan-American team title with 222 team points, which was 106 points greater than runner-up Canada.

A native of Bettendorf, Iowa, Schmit just completed her freshman year at the University of Iowa as part of the newly minted Hawkeye women’s wrestling program. She was a runner-up at the U20 USMC Women’s Nationals this year, improving upon a third-place finish from 2022.

Schmit was a three-time Iowa (IWCOA) high school state champion, two-time All-American at the Junior Women’s Nationals held in Fargo, N.D. and was the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award recipient for Iowa in 2022.

To nominate a wrestler for this honor please email the athlete's name, wrestling program, weekly accomplishments, and career accolades to communications@usawrestling.org.