(Written: June 2012)
Tim Petermann has been recording Blugold and conference athletics history since he stepped onto the UW-Eau Claire campus as a freshman in 1967.
Petermann became the school’s first fulltime sports information director when he graduated in 1971 and remained in that position until his retirement in 2007. In 1977, he became assistant to the athletics director with administrative duties including compliance, event management, fund-raising and the Blugold Hall of Fame. He even spent two years as the interim athletics director (2002-04) and continues to serve as a department consultant.
He organized the state SIDs in 1977 and served as an officer in the NAIA SID organization from 1979-89, including a term as president. He spent 10 years as the NAIA District 14 information director, promoting WIAC schools that dominated district competition.
Petermann has been involved in hosting 168 post-season events over the past 45 years, including 11 national championships, 81 conference, district, regional, sectional or area tournaments and 76 conference or district playoff games. He was part of the SID evolution from utilizing slide rules, ditto machines and typewriters to computers, the internet and live stats. He has served as a mentor to many in the SID profession and been inducted into a number of halls of fame.
Petermann earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from UW-Eau Claire. He resides in Eau Claire, Wis.