While the 2020-2021 school year will look different for all universities across the nation, it holds special meaning for women's athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as they celebrate 50 years of women's athletics in the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC) and later the WIAC.
Though there were Blugold teams prior to 1971, this was the first time that women's athletics had a governing body and started the organizational model that led to what we know today. Throughout the fall semester, the UW-Eau Claire Athletics Department will take a look at the history of Blugold Women's Athletics and share the stories of our women's programs and the people who made it all possible.
Each week will feature a Blugold women's sport as part of "Memorable Mondays" with the first week giving the overall history of women's athletics and note some of the key pioneers that led the way for future Blugolds. Follow the journey of the Blugold women through articles, photos and videos on Blugold Athletics social media.
The women's gymnastics program is one of the first sports that was offered to women at the varsity level at UW-Eau Claire. The program began in 1969 and was led by Blugold Pioneer, Mary Mero, who would guide the Blugolds for 21 seasons.
At its inception an organized conference for gymnastics did not exist. However, the Blugolds and other collegiate programs competed at a state meet each year for the first four seasons. Mero led the Blugolds to state championships in their first two years and were the runner-up in the next two before joining the WWIAC.
The WWIAC officially added women's gymnastics in 1973-74. With few schools sponsoring gymnastics the conference has included many affiliated members for the sport, such as the University of Wisconsin and UW-Milwaukee in the early years and later added Gustavus Adolphus College, Hamline University and Winona State University. Through the years the number of teams in the conference has changed as some schools left or joined, making the total number of teams as low as five or as many as 10. Currently there are eight members in the WIAC.
In the early years, there were typically 9-10 teams in the conference, and Mero's squads routinely finished in the upper half while finishing second in the league six times.
Watch Mary Mero talk about the early years
Mero coached many elite student-athletes, including Annette (Lostetter) Schlewitz (1970-74), Sue (Guerin) Tracy (1976-81) and Julie (Hardtke) Sugden (1981-85). Schlewitz was the all-around champion all four years in the state meet and was team captain her junior and senior seasons. She led her team to the state championship all four years, winning in 1970 and '71 and placing second in '72 and '73. Schlewitz was inducted in to the Blugold Hall of Fame in 2004.
Tracy was a two-time conference champion on beam and was in the first class of women to be inducted in to the Blugold Hall of Fame in 1988.
"Coach Mero made fun of her lack of height and depended on taller and stronger assistants to spot us," said Tracy. "She'd joke that she was so small she could play tennis against a street curb. But her voice was strong, and her bark was loud, and we never heard enough of 'Hey, get back to practicing, we've got our work cut out for us.' She loved us like family and disciplined us more than I care to mention. The forever friends and teammates I have from Eau Claire are the best thing that came out of my four years. I bet that hasn't changed in 50 years. My success as a gymnast couldn't have happened without Mary Mero, the athletic department staff, the community and the praise and encouragement received from the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram that wrote of our successes every week."
Sugden was the conference champion on the vault in 1981-82, helping her team place second in the conference and fifth in the nation. In 1985 she was the national champion on the beam, earning All-American honors and was inducted in to the Blugold Hall of Fame in 1994.
In 1990 Mero retired from coaching, and the Blugolds were led by three different coaches in the next six years; Karen Rein from 1990-92, Heather Kinne from 1992-94 and Heidi Schmidt from 1994-96. In 1996 Lisa McIntyre took the helm, and in her last season brought the team back to conference runner-up standing and placed fifth at nationals. Jean DeLisle took over in 2003 and coached for 15 seasons, earning WIAC Coach of the Year honors three times.
McIntyre and DeLisle coached standout gymnast Alison (Eagles) Anderson from 2001-05. Anderson was a five-time conference champion and All-American on vault, floor and all-around. With her leading the way, the Blugolds placed second in the conference and in the top five in the nation her sophomore and senior seasons.
"My teammates and I like to say, 'Once a UWEC gymnast, always a UWEC gymnast,'" said Anderson. "My team was like a family away from home. We spent a lot of time together, and it only brought us closer. We are still friends to this day and always will be. Our teammates were our best friends. Trips to competitions together were always a blast. We had so many laughs and would motivate each other along the way. We developed traditions that are still done to this day! Our cheers (which were always very loud) and team dances on floor while we warmed up brought attention, motivation, and confidence. We had fun while striving to be the best and always went for gold."
Anderson is one of only two Blugold gymnasts who have qualified for the NCAA Division I regional based on her scores throughout her senior season of 2004-05. In that meet, she scored a 37.275 to place 16th in the all-around. In the NCGA meet (the national organization for non-Division I schools), Eagles took third in the all-around and vault as a sophomore and third in floor exercise and fourth in vault as a senior.
As a senior, Anderson helped the Blugolds achieve their highest finish ever at a national meet with fourth place.
Her scores still rank among the top 10 in Blugold gymnastics history in vault, floor exercise and all-around. Anderson still holds the record for top floor exercise score. She was inducted into the Blugold Hall of Fame this fall.
"I will always be grateful for my time as a Blugold gymnast," said Anderson. "I feel everything I learned in my four years on the team I still use today in my daily life. Being a college athlete is not easy. Its takes a lot of time and dedication, especially for gymnasts, there is no 'off-season'. Hardwork pays off, and that shows with all our teams and team member's accomplishments. With our great coaches as leaders we knew anything was possible, and I am still proud of all we were able to achieve."
Another standout gymnast for DeLisle was Theresa Lynch who competed from 2004-09. Lynch was a three-time All-American on floor, beam and all-around and a national champion on floor in 2006.
"My time as a Blugold was more than I could have asked for," said Lynch. "I walked in my freshman year not knowing anyone and after the first day of practice had 16 new best friends! These connections have maintained throughout the years and have grown so much more. I learned about teamwork and leadership. Freshman and sophomore years were all about team, learning from the upperclassmen about teamwork and unity to build success. Junior and senior years I was able to take what I learned and lead the team as captain. My favorite quote from the gym was 'Surround yourself with people who believe in you.' That is what happened with this team. A group of gymnasts from different training backgrounds came together to make a 'Flipping Amazing Team.'"
In 2017 DeLisle retired and handed the reigns to former standout gymnast and assistant coach, Danielle Schulzetenberg Van Krevelen, who is in her fourth season leading the Blugolds. She was a two-time conference champion and seven-time All-American. Together these coaches have produced 12 conference champions, 46 All-Americans, four national champions, six scholar-athletes, 61 NCGA All-Academic award winners, one Super Six recipient, and six gymnasts including Mero have been inducted in to the Blugold Hall of Fame.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of women's athletics competing in the conference, Marcia Van Beek ('73), Amanda Kaiser ('81) and Michele Olson ('99) have teamed up and will match the first $2,000 donated to the program. To contribute to the Women's Gymnastics Fund or to Women's Athletics in general, visit the UWEC Foundation website.
