Scholarship Decision and Impact on Women’s Sports

Caroline Hill made the choice to turn down a Multi-Division I women’s track and field scholarship, instead opting to compete at the Division III level with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Her early success included setting records in the 200 and 300 meters, but soon, those records were surpassed by her transgender teammate, Sadie Schreiner.

Although the NCAA updated its transgender policy on February 6th, Hill claims that Schreiner continued to use the women’s locker room and train with the team afterward. RIT has not commented on these allegations.

Hill is now speaking out as the first of Schreiner’s former teammates to share her experience. Initially, she had participated anonymously in a lawsuit with Riley Gaines against the NCAA in 2023, but has since decided to reveal her identity.

According to Hill, her introduction to Schreiner occurred in 2022, although Schreiner didn’t officially compete until 2023. “He was practicing with us a bit during the preseason,” Hill mentioned, while noting that Fox News Digital was unable to confirm why Schreiner didn’t compete officially in 2022.

When competitions began, Hill stated that the coach paired them together for training. “We were just expected to train as equals, but it felt very unfair,” she reflected. “The coaches made it seem like everything was equal.” This situation left her grappling with feelings of injustice.

Hill expressed her concerns to both her coach and the RIT management, but found little support. She recalls that Jacqueline Nicholson of RIT’s Intercollegiate Athletics indicated that Schreiner had “lower testosterone” than some of the women on the team. “I had discussions with her, and it felt like we were being told to accept this situation,” Hill shared.

Conversations with her sprint coach were similarly frustrating to Hill, who felt dismissed: “I was vulnerable sharing my feelings, but he didn’t really empathize. It felt like he was deflecting.” Despite her discomfort, many of her teammates supported the presence of Schreiner on the team.

By 2024, Schreiner made headlines by breaking Hill’s previously set record in the 300 meters by a significant margin. Following this, in early 2025, Schreiner broke another program record in the 200 meters, ranking just below Schreiner in overall program history.

However, the competition wasn’t just about records; it extended to the locker room dynamics as well. Hill described feeling uneasy about changing with Schreiner around. “One day, I was struck by how uncomfortable it felt to have a man in the locker room,” she recounted. Despite Schreiner not officially changing in the women’s locker room, Hill often found herself anxiously waiting to change when Schreiner was nearby.

After the Trump administration’s executive order on February 5, 2025, the NCAA aimed to implement changes, but Hill noted that such changes didn’t immediately impact their day-to-day interactions. “Schreiner was still in the locker room and practicing with us,” she stated, expressing her confusion about the persistence of the situation despite new rules.

Schreiner subsequently participated in non-NCAA events, winning titles in both the 400 and 200-meter dash at the American Athletics Open Masters Championship in March 2025.

In the following weeks, Schreiner indicated in an Instagram post that she might be wrapping up her competitive career in the United States due to the policy changes affecting transgender athletes. In addition, a lawsuit was filed against Princeton University for alleged discriminatory actions that prevented her from competing in a women’s race.

Amidst her experiences at RIT, Hill graduated with a degree in graphic design and has become a vocal part of the ongoing legal battle regarding women’s sports. While earlier concerns prevented her from speaking out, she now feels compelled to advocate for fairness in women’s athletics. “There are many girls out there who feel voiceless,” Hill said. “I want to show that women are being harmed in these situations.”

Hill has called on RIT to apologize and recognize her achievements as the rightful record holder in the 200 and 300 meters.