Women's Track & Field | 4/3/2016 2:37:00 PM

Shippensburg University track & field alumna Caitlin Stuetz '13 is the most decorated hurdler in school history. She is now a member of Team USA, competing in an event that was completely foreign to her just two years ago, while also making a big impact in the lives of many – including her own grandmother.
 
So where does the story start? At Shippensburg, All-American Stuetz is a seven-time PSAC champion who holds all three school records in the hurdles: 60-meter indoors (8.61), 100-meter outdoors (14.07) and 400-meter outdoors (1:00.11).
 
After graduating in 2013 with a degree in exercise science, the Glenside, Pa. native moved on to East Stroudsburg University where she received her master's degree in exercise science.
 
While at East Stroudsburg, Stuetz wanted to continue competing in a sport at a high level. After interactions and encounters with some individuals at ESU, Stuetz found that bobsled was a logical transition as it incorporated many of her strengths from track & field.
 
She took the USA Bobsled combine test in August 2013, and by February 2014 – Stuetz was making history as a part of the first four-woman bobsled team to ever represent the United States in a North American Cup competition.
 
Stuetz has now made the transition to the sport of skeleton, but was in the news again recently after being profiled on Team USA's website for her work as a coach. Her student? None other than her grandmother, 85-year-old Betty Leander.
 
One year ago, Leander became the first woman to ever run in the 75-plus age group in the 100-meter dash at the prestigious Penn Relays. It was the latest example of a member of the Stuetz family setting a new national standard for female athletes.
 
The incredible story is profiled on Team USA's website, and we encourage you to check out the full feature at http://www.teamusa.org/USA-Bobsled-Skeleton-Federation/Features/2016/April/01/Breaking-New-Ground-Caitlin-Stuetz-trains-her-grandmother-to-race-against-men.

An incredible video feature is also linked above by clicking the play button in the picture at the top of the page. "Going the Distance" is a production of filmmaker Jessie Beers-Altman that profiles many of the stories behind the 2015 master's races at Penn Relays. In addition to a segment on Stuetz and Leander -- there's also a cameo by SU Hall of Famer Richard Ocker '59/'64M/'73M, who has qualified for the Master's 100-meter dash at the Penn Relays for 22 consecutive years and ran last year in the Masters 75-and-older division shown in the film.