Pictured: Meredith Stuber (C’19). Photo courtesy of sewaneetigers.com.
By Richard Pryor, III
Executive Staff
Members of Sewanee’s track and field team have five different specializations that they can focus on – from distance to mid-distance, and from sprints to jumps, and even throws. However, only one person on the women’s team specializes in three of those five areas, the most on the team including both men and women, and that is Stuttgart, Germany native Meredith Stuber (C’19).
By the end of last season, the Biology and German double major had set the school record for the outdoor 200 meter dash, set five personal outdoor bests, and set the school record for the outdoor 4x400m relay alongside Tricia Murphy (C’18), Kelsie Schiavone (C’19), and Elizabeth Shackelford (C’21), which also earned them an SAA honorable mention. Additionally, she set a personal best finish in the indoor high jump.
At the season’s first event, the Tiger Indoor Invitational on February 2, Stuber not only won the long jump event, but also came close to a new personal best in the 200 meter dash. While her new 4×400 relay team only made fourth place (with Reagan Leverett (C’22) replacing Murphy), the four runners showed potential as a team.
Stuber’s best strength for the Tigers, though, is her versatility. Who else on the team can do as many events as she does? One meet, she might be running and doing the long jump. Another meet, she might be doing jumps and the javelin throw. As such, head coach Jeff Heitzenrater can use Stuber in whatever way he deems best for each meet depending on other athletes health and performances, as well as her own. And what kind of coach wouldn’t want someone like that?