EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) - Julie (Bobbe) Stodola, who played for the UW-Eau Claire women's volleyball team from 1999-2002, is the recipient of the 2017 Sandy Schumacher Courage Award.
The award will be presented at the UW-Eau Claire Blugold Hall of Fame banquet Friday, September 29. 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.
The Sandy Schumacher Courage Award was established in the fall of 2012 to honor the long-time Blugold coach, teacher and pioneer. Schumacher was an advocate for young girls and women in athletics and had a role in starting numerous athletics programs for women on the UWEC campus. She also conducted the first volleyball and basketball camps for girls.
Schumacher, who was inducted into the Blugold Hall of Fame in 1995, battled cancer for more than two decades but lost her battle in 2011. Even in the months prior to her death, Schumacher could be found on the Blugold sidelines, intently watching the action.
The Sandy Schumacher Courage Award is presented to a female Blugold student-athlete or alumna who, when confronted with a life-altering situation, used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome the event.
Stodola, who prepped at Lakeland High School in Minocqua, was a defensive specialist for Blugold Hall of Fame coach Lisa Herb. During her sophomore season, Julie's mother died after a battle with breast cancer. The process was magnified by her father's struggle with alcoholism. During her grief journey, Julie continued to excel in school and on the court. She changed positions to left side hitter and earned a starting spot, playing all around. According to Herb, Julie provided a strong force on the left side despite her small stature. By her senior year, Julie was team captain, led the team in digs for the season and earned honorable mention in the All-Conference balloting.
After graduation, Julie went on to get her master's degree in health psychology. She married a volleyball friend's brother, Jed Stodola, and the couple have two children. She works fulltime as a Health Educator for the Anoka County Child and Teen Checkups Program in the Twin Cities. She also runs marathons, including the Boston Marathon, and ultra-marathons.
The previous Schumacher award winners were Liz Amici, Callie Halama, Reece Krings, Renee Cook Smith, Nicole Christianson, Nancy Tietz Lovaas and Megan Hanson.
