Hanna Thompson

Silver Medal recipient at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Women's Saber Team

What is Hanna Thompson known for?

Hanna Thompson, a notable alumni of East High School, was born on November 1, 1983, in Rochester, New York. She is an American foil fencer who had a remarkable career both in and out of the sporting world.

Thompson's journey in the world of fencing began at the Ohio State University where she was a four-time NCAA All-America. She played a crucial role in helping the Buckeyes capture the 2004 NCAA National Championship, and also achieved third place individually at the NCAA Championships in 2002 and 2004. While at Ohio State, Hanna contributed to four consecutive Midwest Championship titles. Her immense talent also led her to compete with six national teams and two junior squads. With her team, she secured a third-place team medal at the 2003 Junior World Championships in Trapani, Italy. In 2005, Thompson achieved a Senior National Championship with the Rochester Fencing Club, also helping her team bag five senior team titles.

Her most notable achievement as an athlete was when she was part of the U.S. Women's foil team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the team was awarded the silver medal. In addition to her Olympic success, she also won a silver medal on an individual level at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Post her fencing career, Thompson shifted her focus to academics and law, graduating from Golden Gate University law school. She went on to pass the State Bar of California in 2013 and the State Bar of Hawaii in 2015, and is currently engaged in litigator work. While navigating her new career in law, she didn't completely sever ties with her fencing roots. Thompson served as a volunteer assistant coach at Ohio State from 2005-2007, and as an assistant coach at Duke from 2009-2010.

Guided by her passion for both sports and law, Hanna Thompson has led an extraordinary and accomplished life.