Described unanimously as a “fierce competitor” by her
former coaches at The College of Wooster, Stephanie Kazmierski
Scott utilized that spirit, especially at conference meets, to
blaze her way to one of the best track careers in program
history.
Kaz, as she was known, came to Wooster, following an all-state
hurdles career at Cheltenham H.S. in the Philadelphia, Pa., area,
because of former head coach “Craig Penney’s
unrelenting recruiting, strong academics, and the beautiful
campus,” and her impact for the Scotties (nickname
for women’s teams
at that time) was immediate.
At her very first North Coast Athletic Conference Championships
meet, Kazmierski won the 440-yard dash (1:00.9) and was part of the
first-place mile relay team (4:18.4). Just a couple of months
later, she was named the NCAC’s Most Valuable Track Performer
after sprinting to top honors in both the 400 meters (59.38) and
the 400 hurdles (1:07.58) as well as helping two relays to
victories at the 1985 outdoor meet. In the process, she qualified
for the NCAA Div. III Championships and went on to compete there,
finishing in 13th individually in the 400 hurdles and 15th as part
of the 1600-meter relay team (4:00.49).
Kazmierski continued to pile up the accomplishments her sophomore
and junior seasons, adding four NCAC championships as an individual
– 1986 indoor 440 yards (1:02.35), 1986 outdoor 400 meters
(59.8), 1987 indoor 600 yards (1:34.47), and 1987 outdoor 400
hurdles (1:04.76) – as well as four relay titles. She also
made another appearance in the 400 hurdles at a national meet.
With all that said, the defining year of Kazmierski’s career
at Wooster came when she was a senior. Individually at the
conference outdoor meet, Kazmierski won the 400 meters and 400
hurdles, both in NCAC record times of 58.02 and 1:04.27,
respectively. She also sprinted the third leg of the first-place
400-meter relay team, which crossed the line in 48.44, the oldest
conference record in women’s track that still stands today.
Kazmierski was awarded the NCAC Most Valuable Track Performer
again, an appropriate bookend to her career after earning it as a
freshman.
Kazmierski went on to the 1988 NCAA Div. III Championships, where
she was in contention for a national championship. She finished as
the runner-up in the 400 hurdles to earn All-American honors with a
time of 1:00.22, which remains a school record. Her 58.02 in the
400 meters also is still a Wooster best.
Having totaled 19 NCAC championships (10 individual, nine relays)
for her career, Kazmierski is equally proud of the six conference
championships the Scotties won as a team, including every outdoor
season from 1985-88. Those are the only women’s track
championships in College history.
“Although not very vocal, Kaz was one of the best leaders I
have ever coached,” stated Penney recently. “She was
truly a silent leader who led by example and whenever you asked her
to do something, she never asked questions and went out there and
… got it done.”
Today, Kazmierski, who received a bachelor’s degree in
biology at Wooster, works as a self-employed clinical
psychotherapist in Lake Mary, Fla., part of the Orlando metro area.
She completed both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in human services, and
teaches part-time at two local universities.
At the urging of her daughter, Taylor (12), who is also a track
enthusiast, Kazmierski began competing again in the masters
division after being in her words “retired” for 17
years. She was awarded the Outstanding Female Masters Track Athlete
in Florida last summer after setting two state records.
