Kruz Schembri is an anomaly.
After finishing with a silver medal in epee at NCAA Nationals, the Irish freshman left no doubt that he is one of the brightest young talents in the sport.
Before arriving in South Bend, Schembri had already established himself on the global scene. At 17 years old, he became the first fencer from the U.S. Virgin Islands to compete at the Olympics in 40 years; he was even given the honor of serving as the nation’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony.
Just three weeks before Nationals, Schembri won gold at the Pan American Cadet and Junior Championships. A year prior, he won a historic gold medal for the U.S. Virgin Islands at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
All of the great success Schembri has garnered is made even more impressive when considering he’s one of the few fencers who specialize in two weapons.
You see, Schembri achieved all of these previous accolades in foil. When the prodigy arrived on campus in the fall, legendary head coach Gia Kvaratskhelia needed a fencer to step up in epee. There was no man better suited for the job than the freshman Olympian.
Throughout the season, Schembri improved each day in epee. While foil rewards speed and precision, which Schembri possesses tenfold, epee is slower and more deliberate. “The reason I focused on epee is because the team needed me for epee. So building with the epee guys and bonding with them, working together, has helped me so much,” Schembri said. “This is why I am standing here with second place and a team title. I love these guys.”
Winning silver as a freshman in a specialty that was never his primary focus was no easy feat. Teams can only bring two fencers per weapon to nationals. From there, the tournament’s long format provides both a physical and a mental hill for fencers to climb.
“NCAA Championships is a very unique format. You have to face everyone in the round-robin,” said Schembri. “By the time you get to the semi-finals, you already have 23 bouts under your feet, so it’s just about trusting the process. That’s really what you have to do in these situations.”
The round-robin bouts are to five touches with a three-minute clock. The semifinals and finals are set to 15 with three five-minute periods.
Schembri won 17 of his round-robin bouts, registering 100 touches to only 71 received.
In the semi-finals, Schembri got past Soma Somody of Long Island University 15-10. In the finals, he went down early to Youssef Shamel of the University of North Carolina before pulling back in. Shamel ultimately came out on top, 15-7.
A fierce competitor, Schembri’s rapid rise through the ranks of collegiate epee, despite it not being his primary specialty, is a testament to his wizardly talent.
For Schembri, it’s all made true by the culture instilled within Kvaratskhelia’s team.
“I love these guys. They’re my best friends, they’re my family,” said Schembri. “Working with them every single day gives us the confidence to compete against the other top schools in the nation.” He continued, “[Coach] Cedric and Gia are amazing. The culture here really brings us up, and that’s what makes it so special at Notre Dame.”
The culture Schembri highlighted is undoubtedly elite. The Irish’s triumph in women’s and men’s team competitions gives them their 15th and 16th national championships.
The freshman phenom isn’t done yet, either. With three more years left competing for Notre Dame, Schembri has his eyes set on extending Notre Dame’s dynasty and going for gold.
But beyond the medals and accolades, Schembri is driven by something even bigger: growing the sport he loves in the place he loves.
“I go back every break and every summer to teach fencing in the Virgin Islands and help develop the sport,” said Schembri. “That’s my end goal when I’m done and put down the blades, so I’m really looking forward to going back this summer.”
Already an Olympian, NCAA silver medalist and role model off the strip at just 19 years old, Schembri has accomplished more than most do in a lifetime.
And he’s just getting started.
