Carol Menken-Schaudt played college basketball at Oregon State, graduating in 1981. She was All-Conference for her last three years, making All-America in her senior year. Menken-Schaudt played for the US at the 1983 Universiade, winning a gold medal, and then helped the US to the gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Menken-Schaudt is a member of the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
Menken-Schaudt worked from 1989-2007 as an account executive with Comcast Spotlight. She later became a sales manager for a radio station, KHPE, better known as Hope 107.9 FM, a contemporary Christian music station in Albany, Oregon.