EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - Gregg Brandrup is the recipient of the 2016 Jim Mueller Blugold Spirit Award.
The award will be presented at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Hall of Fame banquet Friday, September 30. The banquet is open to the public and tickets, which are $25, can be obtained by contacting the UWEC Alumni Office at 715 836-3266 or larsojan@uwec.edu. The awards program will begin at 6:30 p.m. preceded by a social at 4:30 p.m. and dinner at 5:30 p.m.
Brandrup has been operating the scoreclock at Blugold men's and women's basketball games since 1998 and was a member of the Blugold chain gang in football for 25 years from 1990 through the 2014 season. He has also served as a substitute on the scoreclock for some football games.
Born and raised in Eau Claire on the lower west side in Shawtown, Brandrup graduated from Eau Claire Memorial in 1965. He participated in football and baseball and was a member of the Old Abes' 1964 state championship baseball team. After attending UWEC for three semesters in 1965 and 1966, he went to work for the City of Eau Claire for 38 years, retiring in 2005. From 1969 to 1981, he worked for the Parks and Recreation, mainly doing field work at the Carson Park baseball field in spring and summer and running the scoreboard for Blugold baseball among other diamond teams.
"Gregg is extremely dependable," said retired athletic administrator Tim Petermann. "He is always there in plenty of time prior to a game and when he was unable to be there, he made sure that he had a sub who knew how to fill his position. We are extremely fortunate to have someone as dedicated to the Blugold athletics program as Gregg."
The Jim Mueller Blugold Spirit Award, named in honor of its first recipient Jim Mueller, recognizes a non-staff individual or group for long-term support of the Blugold athletics program. The recipient must have demonstrated exemplary interest in and concern for Blugold student-athletes and coaches. Their pride and spirit as a friend and ambassador of the Blugold program epitomizes the true meaning of a Blugold.
Since Mueller, the previous Blugold Spirit recipients have included Milt & Marci Siker, Bill Arnsdorf, Dave Hanson, Mike Sullivan, Ron Buckli, the Indianhead Kiwanis Club and Bob Bradovich.
