After graduation, Schoenfield, along with her swim coach Ray Woods, began a one-year regimen of serious training in an effort to make the U.S. team for the
1972 Summer Olympics. At the 1972 U.S. Olympic Trials, she qualified first in the 200-meter breaststroke, with a personal best time of 2:43.7. At the 1972 Olympics in Munich, she was not expected to contend for a medal as she had just the fourth fastest time and ranking for 1972. She placed fourth in the qualifying heats, and was in lane 6 for the Munich final. With her swim idol,
Galina Prozumenschikova of the Soviet Union, swimming in lane 3, she out-touched Prozumenschikova with a time of 2:42.03, another personal best. Australian
Beverley Whitfield, on the outside No. 7 lane, beat Schoenfield for the gold medal at 2:41.7. ==College career==