Induction Video(Written: June 2015)Sandy Schumacher was a pioneer of women’s athletics at UW-Eau Claire after arriving at the university in 1968, and was one of the founding members of the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 1971.
She had a part in starting numerous Blugold athletics programs, conducting the first volleyball and basketball camps for girls at Eau Claire. Schumacher was the school’s first volleyball coach from 1970-75.
She was also the first Blugold women’s basketball coach, directing the program from 1969-87. At the time she started coaching, women’s basketball was played with three offensive and three defensive players.
She coached softball when it was a club sport at UW-Eau Claire from 1980-84 and produced five winning seasons before the program became a varsity sport in 1985. Schumacher served as varsity softball coach in 1993 and 1994. She was also instrumental in organizing synchronized swimming and field hockey programs at UW-Eau Claire.
After her retirement in 1994, she continued to coach, serving as assistant coach for women’s golf which became a varsity sport in 1995. Schumacher was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Hall of Fame in 1995.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from UW-La Crosse and master’s degree in physical education from the University of Northern Colorado. Schumacher passed away in November 2012.