Clara Grandt Santucci is in her fifth season as the director of operations for the track and field and cross country programs.
She has 14 years of experience in various aspects track and field as a professionally sponsored distance runner for Mizuno and Saucony, winning the Pittsburgh Marathon twice in 2014-15; she was the first American finisher at the 2013 Chicago Marathon (placing fifth overall) and qualified for three U.S. Olympic Trials in the women’s marathon in 2012, 2016 and 2020.
In the meantime, Santucci worked in aquatic therapy at Healthworks Rehab and Fitness in Morgantown while also volunteering as a Mountaineer coach.
Clara served as the graduate assistant director of operations for the WVU cross country and track and field teams while earning two master’s degrees, one in sport management and the other in sport education.
The West Union native completed her undergraduate degree in exercise physiology at West Virginia University in 2010, where she was a four-time All-American performer in track and cross country for the Mountaineers. She became just the third female runner in school history to earn three All-America honors in three sports in the same season in 2010.
In 2009, Grandt was named to the USA Cross Country team and captured first-place honors at the NACAC Cross Country Championships. She also took eighth place at the 2008 United States World Cross Country Trials with a time of 28:22.
Santucci was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
She currently resides in Lawrence, Pennsylvania with her husband, Jason, and two children, Jaysie and Althea.
