As Connie Carrucio she was one of the youngest women gymnasts at the Berlin Olympics, but she continued to compete and, despite having two children in the interim, made the 1948 Olympic team as Connie Lenz. Her best years, however, were before the war, when she won eight national titles – two in the all-around (1933-34), three in floor exercises, and one each on beam, uneven bars, and the vault. Caruccio started out in track & field but turned to gymnastics after she competed at a 1933 national track meet at Madison Square Garden. She was also a tap dancer as a child.
After her competitive days ended, Lenz served on the US Olympic Gymnastic Committee from 1952 until 1960 and served as a judge at all levels of competition. She was an assistant coach with the 1952 US Olympic women’s team. Caruccio-Lenz was inducted into the US Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1980.
United States