Hall of Fame

Sarah (Smith)

Sara (Smith) Schierl

  • Class
  • Induction
    2025
  • Sport(s)
    UW-Eau Claire
Induction Video

(Written: July 2025)

Sara (Smith) Schierl was a member of the UW-Eau Claire women’s swimming & diving team from 1984-87. She is the only women’s diver in UW-Eau Claire history to win four national championships, capturing NAIA three-meter titles in 1984, 1985 and 1987 and the one-meter championship in 1985. She also finished as the national runner-up four times.

Schierl was an eight-time All-American and set the national scoring record on the three-meter board in 1987 when UW-Eau Claire won the NAIA championship. She claimed conference titles in both diving events in 1986 and 1987, as UW-Eau Claire won the conference championship in each of her four seasons. At the time of her graduation, Schierl owned the program records in both the one- and three-meter diving events.

After graduation, she performed as a professional high diver. Schierl dove in exhibitions at Sea World of San Diego, Sea World of Ohio, the Hawaiian Cliffs, New York, and Thailand. Schierl was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.

Schierl earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UW-Eau Claire and bachelor’s degree in special education from UW-Stevens Point. She resides in Stevens Point, Wis., with her husband Tim. They have three daughters Sam, Kali and Emmy, and three sons Fritz, Max and T.J.