Sadie Schreiner, a transgender college athlete from Rochester Institute of Technology, achieved notable victories at the Liberty League championship, a Division III track meet. Schreiner clinched the 400 meters with a time of 55.07 seconds and the 200 meters at 24.14 seconds, both of which set new records for women’s events at her school. Notably, her 200-meter time also established a new Liberty League conference record for women.
Despite her success, Schreiner’s times would have placed her last in the men’s category of the same events, highlighting the ongoing debate about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women’s sports. Schreiner, who transitioned from male to female, was previously known as Camden and competed in boys’ track events in high school in New Jersey. There, her 100-meter dash time was among the school’s top records for boys.
Earlier in the season, Schreiner set another women’s school record at the Nazareth Alumni Opener Invitational, running 300 meters in 41.80 seconds. She also played a pivotal role in her team’s victory in the 4×400 relay, where she ran the fastest anchor leg at 54.91 seconds, turning a fourth-place position into a win.
Addressing criticisms on social media regarding her participation in women’s sports, Schreiner argued against the notion that being a biological male provides her an automatic advantage. She pointed out that the only significant change affecting her performance since middle school has been her medication, related to her gender transition. Schreiner advocates for more inclusive research and dialogue that includes transgender athletes’ perspectives to inform policies on their participation in sports.
This ongoing controversy reflects broader legislative and social tensions regarding transgender athletes’ rights, as states and educational institutions navigate how to balance inclusivity with fairness in competitive sports.