2020-21 Fencing Roster

Stefani Deschner 2019-20 Fencing Roster

Foil


Height 5-4
Class Junior
Hometown Versailles, KY
High School George Washington U. OHS
Stefani Deschner - Fencing - Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Bio

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • 2021 NCAA Women’s Foil Champion
  • 2021 NCAA Team Champion
  • 2021 NCAA Women of the Year Nominee
  • 2021 ACC Fencing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • 2020 ACC Fencing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • 2020 ACC Fencer of the Year (Women’s Foil)
  • 2020 ACC Champion (Women’s Foil)
  • 2020 NCAA Qualifier
  • 2020 Third Place Finish at Midwest Regionals

AS A SENIOR

  • Closed out her Notre Dame career with another stellar season with the Irish
  • She defeated Lodovica Bicego to claim the NCAA Women’s Foil Championship at the 2021 NCAA Championship
  • Helped the Irish claim their 11th National Championship at the 2021 NCAA Championship
  • She was one of the ACC’s nominees for NCAA Woman of the Year
  • Claimed her second consecutive ACC Fencing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • During the regular season, she competed at the Ohio State Invitational and finished with a perfect 17-0 record.
  • Deschner was named ACC Women’s Fencer of the Week following her performance at Ohio State
  • Finished her Irish career with a 109-30 record

AS A JUNIOR

  • Had a breakout season in her third year at Notre Dame and finished the regular season with a 36-13 record
  • Went undefeated in her final three regular season meets (6-0 @ DeCicco, 8-0 @ Northwestern and 3-0 @Duke)
  • Defeated teammate Morgan Partridge in the Foil Championship to claim her first career ACC individual title
  • Went 5-0 during the team competition and help the Irish claim the team championship at ACC’s
  • Finished in third place at the Midwest Regionals and earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Championship, the first of her career
  • Following the season, Deschner was named ACC Fencing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
  • Improved her career record to 87-29

AS A SOPHOMORE

  • Went 21-3 on the year in dual competition
  • Opened the season with an 8-1 showing at the Elite Invitational
  • Went 7-2 at the Northwestern Duals
  • Helped the Irish to the ACC title with a 6-0 mark
  • Finished fifth individually at ACCs
  • Named to the All-ACC Academic Team
  • One of five winners of the team’s Yves Auriol Award, given to the most improved fencers
  • Earned a monogram

AS A FRESHMAN

  • Competed in all but one meet in her rookie campaign, finishing with a record of 27-13
  • Opened the season with a 5-5 record at the Elite Invitational
  • Posted a 3-0 record aat the St. John’s Invitational
  • Finished the season at the ACC Championships, completing a 6-0 record at the meet

HIGH SCHOOL & CLUB HIGHLIGHTS

  • Currently the No. 5-ranked junior and No. 15-ranked senior in the United States
  • Won team bronze at the 2016 Cadet World Championships
  • Made 2014 and 2015 Cadet World Championship teams
  • 2016 U-17 World Championships Bronze Medalist
  • 2016 Pisa Cadet European Cup Silver Medalist
  • 2015 Montecatini Terme European Cup Gold Medalist
  • 2015 Cadet July Challenge Gold Medalist
  • 2015 Tauberbischofsheim Cadet European Cup Silver Medalist
  • 2015 USA Fencing Junior Olympics Bronze Medalist
  • 2015 Cadet World Championships – Fifth Place
  • 2013 Tauberbischofsheim Cadet European Cup Gold Medalist
  • Four-time gold medalist in junior and cadet North American Cup events
  • Three-time bronze medalist in junior and cadet NACs

PREP & PERSONAL

  • Graduated from George Washington University Online High School in June 2017
  • Competes as part of the same fencing club as Irish fencers Lee Kiefer, Axel Kiefer, Hazem Khazbak and Nicholas Sloan
  • Originally from Mechanicsville, Virginia; moved to Kentucky to compete with Bluegrass Fencers’ Club
  • Member of the National Honor Society
  • National Merit Scholar Semi-Finalist
  • Active with Southland Christian Church youth and outreach
  • Volunteer at Woodland County Public Schools
  • Daughter of Steven and Bonnie Deschner
  • Full name is Stefani Kaylyn Deschner
  • Majoring in Pre-Professional Studies and Theology