Stephanie Caruso Biography
Wheeling Central Catholic / (Class of 2007) Wheeling, West Virginia
Classification: ‘A’ Girls
Specialty: Distance
West Virginia University / (Class of 2011) Morgantown, WV

Stephanie Ann Caruso (born April 24, 1989) grew up in Wheeling, which is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Caruso is a 2007 graduate of Wheeling Central Catholic High School. She was an individual state cross country runner-up in 2006. She was a state champion in the 3,200-meter run her sophomore, junior, and senior years. She was the 2007 state champion in the 1,600-meter run. She held the state meet record for the 1600- and 3200-meter runs. She captured high point honors her senior track season. She was also a member of the winning 2004 Ohio Valley Conference Championship (OVAC) cross country team.

Caruso got a partial scholarship to attend West Virginia University to run for Coach Sean Cleary.

She is the daughter of Michael and Cheryl Caruso. Stephanie has two siblings, an older brother named Michael and a younger sister named Claire.

Early Years:
As a youngster, Caruso participated in gymnastics, played basketball, and swam.

Middle School:
Caruso attended St. Michael Parish School, which is a private Catholic school located in Wheeling, WV that’s grades K-8. Stephanie didn’t run until high school, but she did play basketball all through middle school.

High School (2003-2007):
Stephanie Caruso attended Wheeling Central Catholic High School in Wheeling, WV from the fall of 2003 to the spring of 2007. Her high school coaches for cross country and track were Ed Sloane, Heather Wayt, Craig Schneid, and Wayne Rutter. While competing in high school, she enjoyed track a little more than cross country.

Caruso started running her freshman year in high school. The reason she started running was to get in shape for basketball season, but she ended up falling in love with the sport of running from the very start. She didn’t really know what she was getting herself into, but she really did enjoy it, especially the team aspect. Her younger sister Claire also ran for a few years while in high school.

Caruso would run around 30 to 35 miles per a week in high school. Her senior year she topped out around 40 to 45 miles per week.

Her favorite training workout for cross country was hill workouts, while her favorite for track was an 800-meter on the track, then a 3-mile tempo in the middle on some of her favorite trails, which was followed by another 800-meters, then 2x400-meters.

During her high school career, Caruso was a three-time all-state runner in cross country and a 12-time all-state runner in track. She got runner-up in the state cross country meet her senior year. She won the 3,200-meter run three years in a row. She broke the state meet record in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs her senior track season. Her Maroon Knight 4x800-meter relay team placed 1st at the state track meet her junior year and beat some really tough teams at the OVAC Championships with a 9:52 clocking.

[Freshman Year]:

At the 2003 West Virginia Class AA/A Girls State Cross Country Meet at Mineral Wells, Valerie Peer did not allow herself to coast to the finish. She plowed through the finish line still looking very strong, crossing in 18:44, while smashing the course record by 18 seconds. In the team standings, Doddridge moved up a bit in the last section of the race, while some of the Grafton girls dropped a bit, and that provided the final difference.

Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso was the fourth runner on her cross country squad and placed 24th overall, while crossing the line in 21:52. The Maroon Knights’ would place third as a team with 71 points.

Team Results: 1. Doddridge County – 51; 2. Grafton – 60; 3. Wheeling Central – 71; 4. Keyser – 97; 5. Charleston Catholic – 118; 6. Pikeview – 130; 7. Tyler Consolidated – 142; 8. Richwood – 224

Top 10 All-State Individual’s: 1. Valerie Peer, Berkley Springs (18:44); 2. Clara Grandt, Doddridge County, (19:43); 3. Laurel Thomas, Berkley Springs (19:55), 4. Kasey Jividen, Winfield (20:08), 5. Erika Rucker, Grafton (20:21), 6. Vanessa Adams, Pikeview (20:21), 7. Jamie Cokeley, Ritchie County (20:22), 8. Jennie Spencer, Doddridge County (20:22), 9. Sarah Rosier, Grafton (20:23), 10. Megan Lawless, Ravenswood (20:38)

At the 2004 West Virginia High School Class ‘A’ Girls State Track Meet at Laidley Field, Caruso placed 7th in the 1600-meter run (5:41.42) and ran leadoff leg on the Maroon Knights’ 2nd place 4x800-meter relay team (10:09.07).

[Sophomore Year]:

At the 2004 West Virginia Class AA/A Girls State Cross Country Meet at Mineral Wells, the gun sounded and the rains came. The threatening weather that was a meager sprinkle just seconds before became a downpour as the girl’s race started. Fortunately, the hard rain last only a couple minutes before fading back into a light drizzle. Berkeley Springs Freshman Rachel Buser carved a whopping 25 seconds off the course record in running an exceptional 18:19.

Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso captured 6th place overall with a time of 20:24, while earning all-state honors. The Maroon Knights’ would place third as a team with 76 points.

Team Results: 1. Ritchie County – 54, 2. Doddridge County – 57, 3. Wheeling Central – 76, 4. Berkeley Springs – 102, 5. Charleston Catholic – 112, 6. Grafton – 122, 7. Pikeview – 171, 8. Richwood - 196

Top 10 All-State Individual’s: 1. Rachel Buser, Berkeley Springs (18:19), 2. Valerie Peer, Berkeley Springs (19:03), 3. Clara Grandt, Doddridge County (19:33), 4. Holly Rooper, Winfield (20:16), 5. Jamie Cokeley, Ritchie County (20:220, 6. Stephanie Caruso, Wheeling Central (20:24), 7. Jennie Spencer, Doddridge County (20:26), 8. Melanie Manning, Ritchie County (20:28), 9. Kerry Davis, Philip Barbour (20:37), 10. Nicole Tingler, Grafton (20:41)

At the 2005 West Virginia High School Class ‘A’ Girls State Track Meet at Laidley Field, Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso won the 3200-meter run (11:39.58), was runner-up in the 1600-meter run (5:30.13), placed 7th in the 800-meter run (2:30.77), and ran leadoff leg on the Maroon Knights’ 2nd place 4x800-meter relay team (9:52.70). Caruso placed 3rd in the high point standings with 20 points.

[Junior Year]:

At the 2005 West Virginia Class AA/A Girls State Cross Country Meet at Mineral Wells, Berkeley Springs' Valerie Peer was added to the race even though she had an injury. All of the Berkeley Springs girls ran strong races as they blew away the field. Individually, Rachel Buser won by over 90 seconds but just missed beating her own course record of 18:19, as she crossed in 18:22. The injured Peer would finish runner-up in 19:54.

Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso was the Maroon Knights’ top finisher in the 5-kilometer race with a time of 20:07. She easily captured 3rd place, while earning her all-state honors for the second year in a row. The Maroon Knights’ would place sixth as a team with 115 points.

Team Results: 1. Berkeley Springs – 40, 2. Charleston Catholic – 89, 3. Winfield – 93, 4. Grafton – 101, 4. Ritchie County – 101, 6. Wheeling Central – 115, 7. Doddridge County – 136, 8. Pikeview – 195, 9. Shady Spring - 236

Top 10 All-State Individual’s: 1. Rachel Buser, Berkeley Springs (18:22), 2. Valerie Peer, Berkeley Springs (19:54), 3. Stephanie Caruso, Wheeling Central (20:07), 4. Sarah Rosier, Grafton (20:28), 5. Megan Truelove, Winfield (20:32), 6. Lauren Bauer, Wheeling Central (20:33), 7. Darby Mullen, Logan (20:33), 8. Melanie Manning, Ritchie County (20:34), 9. Kari Mundey, Berkeley Springs (20:38), 10. Maggie McCort, Frankfort (20:50)

At the 2006 West Virginia High School Class ‘A’ Girls State Track Meet at Laidley Field, Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso won the 3200-meter run (11:50.20), was runner-up in the 1600-meter run (5:32.89), placed 6th in the 800-meter run (2:32.59), and ran leadoff leg on the Maroon Knights’ winning 4x800-meter relay team (9:53.88). Caruso placed 4th in the high point standings with 21.5 points.

[Senior Year:]

At the 2006 West Virginia Class AA/A Girls State Cross Country Meet at Cabell Midland, the wind had started to increase in strength by the time the girl’s race got underway, while the course was wet and sloppy. Individually, Rachel Buser easily ran away with her 3rd title. Buser crossed the line before anyone else made it onto the track, taking the win by a massive 59 seconds in 20:06.

Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso maintained her solid control of 2nd, while crossing in 21:05 and earning all-state honors for the third year in a row. The Maroon Knights’ would place fifth as a team with 122 points.

Team Results: 1. Doddridge County - 51, 2. Berkeley Springs - 66, 3. Grafton - 87, 4. Charleston Catholic - 103, 5. Wheeling Central Catholic - 122, 6. Ritchie County - 126, 7. Winfield - 148, 8. Pikeview - 177, 9. Shady Spring - 188

Top 10 All-State Individual’s: 1. Rachel Buser, Berkeley Springs (20:05.40), 2. Stephanie Caruso, Wheeling Central (21:04.10), 3. Maria Saunders, Doddridge County (21:23.40), 4. Naomi Hyde, Doddridge County (21:34.50), 5. Kari Mundey, Berkeley Springs (21:37.60), 6. Megan Truelove, Winfield (21:37.90), 7. Emily Coffman, Doddridge County (21:50.10), 8. Nici Rea, Williamstown (21:56.70), 9. Lauren Bauer, Wheeling Central (21:59.90), 10. Melanie Manning, Ritchie County (22:07.40)

At the 2007 West Virginia High School Class ‘A’ Girls State Track Meet at Laidley Field, Wheeling Central High’s Stephanie Caruso was a double winner and new state meet record holder in both the 1600m (5:16.65) and 3200m (11:16.77). She was also runner-up in the 800m (2:28.36) and ran anchor leg on the Maroon Knights’ 3rd place 4x800-meter relay team (10:21.78). Caruso captured high point honors with 29.5 points.

High School Personal Best:

Outdoor:

● 800 Meter Run: 2:28.36, 2007

● 1,600 Meter Run: 5:16.65, 2007

● 3,200 Meter Run: 11:16.77, 2007

Cross Country:

● 5,000 Meter Run: 19:01.76, 2005

College:

Stephanie Caruso got a partial scholarship to run for West Virginia University. She attended WVU from the fall of 2007 to the spring of 2011, where she ran under the direction of Coach Sean Cleary. Caruso was team captain her senior.

Some of her accomplishments in college: She ran a personal record of 21:44 for 6,000-meters. She ran 35:05.60 for 10,000-meters at the Stanford Invitational at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, which qualified her for the NCAA regionals. She ran 37:37.23 for 10,000-meters at the NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round at the University of North Florida

In Jacksonville, while placing 41st. She ran 3:03.00 in the 1000-meter run at the Big East Conference Indoor Championships at Stile Athletic Field House in Akron (OH), while placing 10th.

“I went to the Stanford Invitational every year and ran either the 5k or 10k. It was always such an amazing meet to go to and witness such amazing talent. I was team captain my senior year as well, which I really enjoyed,” said Caruso.

College Bests:

Indoor:

● 1,000 Meter Run - 3:03.00, 2011

● 1,600 Meter Run - 5:16.89, 2008

● One Mile Run - 5:01.91, 2010

● 3,000 Meter Run - 10:02.77, 2010

● 5,000 Meter Run - 17:25.23, 2012

Outdoor:

● 1,500 Meter Run - 4:33.44, 2011

● 2,000 Meter Steeplechase - 7:39.90, 2008

● 3,000 Meter Run - 10:04.75, 2012

● 5,000 Meter Run - 17:26.28, 2010

● 10,000 Meter Run - 35:05.60, 2012

Cross Country:

● 4,000 Meter Run - 15:27.01, 2009

● 5,000 Meter Run - 18:45.40, 2009

● 6,000 Meter Run - 21:44.00, 2009

Post-Collegiate:

After college, Caruso ran for a little while under Sean Cleary, but then she stopped. She still runs quite a bit, but she hasn’t competed seriously in a while.

Personal:

Stephanie Caruso is currently living in Durham, North Carolina. She majored in Exercise Physiology with a minor in Aquatic Therapy. She then went on and got a nursing degree. Her occupation is now a nurse. She works mainly in the oncology setting, while working with bone marrow transplant patients. She spent the last five years working as a travel nurse. She has worked all over the country and traveled all over the world doing nursing.

Submitted by Coach Mike McMillion (04/30/19)