This year UW-Eau Claire Women’s Athletics celebrates the 50th Anniversary of competing in a conference, first the WWIAC, then the WIAC. From the humble beginnings in 1971 to the 13 sports offered for women today, the Blugolds celebrate all those who have played a role in moving Women’s Athletics forward. Throughout the next few months we will honor the pioneers who fought fiercely to give women the chance to play at UW-Eau Claire. We will also highlight a different sport each week and give the history of how that sport began, talk about some of the glory years and mention a few of the notable women who put UW-Eau Claire Athletics on the map. It will be a fun journey, and we hope you will join us for a new article each week on Memorable Mondays.
We invite you to consider giving a financial donation to women’s athletics in general, or you can designate your gift to a specific sport. Your contribution will help continue the incredible legacy UW-Eau Claire Women’s Athletics has established and benefit our current and future athletes. We thank you for your support in the stands, online and financially. We are grateful for every student athlete, coach, athletic trainer, administrator and fan of Blugold Women’s Athletics and can’t wait to see what our future has in store for us. Go Blugolds!
Most students are thrilled to graduate with honors and maybe even be lucky enough to have a job lined up. Blugold alumna Carolyn Sheild, a biology graduate, had an even longer list of accolades behind her name by the time she graduated summa cum laude from UW-Eau Claire in December 1984.
Sheild was the first Blugold to receive All-American honors in four sports: Swimming, Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track. Her two seasons of swimming competition took her to the National Championships in both 1981 and 1982. In 1981 her team placed third in the 400 free relay. In both 1981 and 1982 her team took second in the 800 free relay. The 1982 relay team members Laura Ladwig, Mary Robertson, Sheild, and Stephanie Thompson set a school record of 7:58.839 at the National Championships.
Sheild was also named Eau Claire's Leader-Telegram Female Athlete of the Year in 1983, First Team College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American in 1984, and was inducted into the UW-Eau Claire Women's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. She also found a place in the NAIA District 14 Hall of Fame, where she was inducted in 1994.
Second place 800m freestyle relay team. Pictured from left to right are Laura Ladwig, Jenny Eberlin, Carolyn Sheild, and Holly Hanson.
