Katie Gretter, our beloved Her Campus President, took to the ring at St. Andrews Fight Night last Tuesday, and she was incredible. Fighting as Katie ‘The Regretter’, she stepped into the ring with a fierce competitive edge, bundled in the unmistakable warmth and charm that makes her such a force of nature. But, this fight wasn’t just about throwing punches- it was about saying ‘yes!’, challenging expectations, and the quiet revolution of women taking up space.
Katie’s decision to fight was completely unplanned. ‘It was one of those things where you just say yes to everything and hope for the best,’ Katie told me. It’s the decision you laugh about over coffee, never expecting it to materialise. When she discovered she’d been accepted (opening her acceptance email at a Her Campus event nonetheless), it was a moment of disbelief followed by excitement. ‘I think it’s kind of cool when you say yes to everything, and it works out, and you get to do some really cool things’.
The irony of Katie stepping into the ring wasn’t lost on her; she’s known around St Andrews for her infectious smile and welcoming exuberance- not the woman you’d expect to see shadowboxing in the gym. “It was a joke that I would never fight in Fight Night because it’s not in my personality to be aggressive,” she admitted. She detailed the awakening she had through the training process- her latent competitive nature from her athletic past coupled with her desire to release her emotions through controlled violence. “I have this smiley Her Campus background, which doesn’t quite fit the persona of a boxer, but it’s been so much fun to tap back into that competitive side of myself.”
Training was intense but rewarding. In the beginning, when the coaches told everyone to shadow box, Katie was beyond confused, having no idea what to do. Fast-forward to her last training session, and she was rattling off combos in her head, knowing exactly what to do. Katie expressed her pride in her progress and her excitement to be engrossed in the nostalgic competitiveness she experienced in high school.
Beyond physical preparation, Katie discovered something even more empowering- how thrilling it is to be aggressive, competitive, and physically powerful, especially as a woman. “It’s fun to be aggressive and competitive in a respectful way, where you have this mutual understanding of ‘let’s try and win.’ It’s physically empowering to be violent in a way that’s controlled.”
That’s where the feminist undertones of Katies fight come in. Fight Night at St. Andrews has been making waves for female inclusion- something that’s still shockingly rare at university-level fight nights. “At other unis, there are maybe two girls fighting out of fifteen fighters. It’s surprising because it’s so exciting to see the commitment and inclusion of women [in St. Andrews’ Fight Night]” Katie said. Notably, the coaches have taken the female fighters seriously; they’ve continuously encouraged aggression, technique, and competition to ensure equality at training and the ring.
Katie fully embraces her fighting persona- right down to her signature red outfit emblazoned with The Regretter—a nod to her school colours and competitive spirit. ‘Red is my colour. I wore red in school, and it’s the colour that makes me feel powerful’, and she proved that red really is her colour with her exceptional performance in the ring on Tuesday.
Katie’s time in the ring was an incredible display of her competitive drive and powerful spirit. She showcased her talents and proved something bigger: that women belong in every space—including the ring. So, when Katie stepped into that ring in her bedazzled red shorts, a walk-out song echoing in her head, and her personality oozing out of her, she had already won the fight for women. She wasn’t just fighting for her win; she was fighting for women’s wins. She was fighting for herself, the women before her, and the women who will sign up next year (could it be you?), knowing that the ring belongs to them too. Katie had one final request for her post-fight activities: “Buy me drinks after!”