EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Alums from the UW-Eau Claire volleyball/track & field, women’s basketball, and softball teams will be the first recognized as Sandy Schumacher Courage Award winners at the 2012 Blugold Hall of Fame banquet Saturday, October 13.

The Sandy Schumacher Courage Award was established this fall to honor a long-time coach, teacher, and pioneer at UW Eau Claire.  Sandy was a co-founder of the WWIAC – the Wisconsin Women’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in – 1971.  She conducted the first volleyball and basketball camps for girls at Eau Claire and was the school’s first volleyball, basketball, and softball coach. Sandy was inducted into the Blugold Hall of Fame on October 15, 1995.  Sandy has battled multiple forms of cancer over the last several years, but you can still find her on the sidelines watching intently.

The Sandy Schumacher Courage Award is presented to a female Blugold student-athlete or alumnus who, when confronted with a life-altering situation, used perseverance, dedication and determination to overcome the event. Just as Sandy has inspired generations of women, so may the honoree serve as a role model to give hope and inspiration to others in similar situations.

The inaugural recipients include Reece (Krings) Fullerton, former softball player who overcame open heart surgery after her freshman year, to lead the team in ERA, a school-record 40 wins, and an NCAA Tournament berth in her senior season.

Callie Halama, a women’s basketball alum, was told she should never play again after a series of knee injuries.  After being strictly a role player her first three seasons, she became an All-Conference player in her senior year and was second in the nation in field goal percentage at 60 percent (the leader shot 61 percent).

Liz Amici, who excelled on the volleyball court and the track, lost her father after a 14-year battle with cancer, in the spring of her junior year.  Inspired by her father’s strength and courage, Liz went on to become an All-American in both volleyball and track & field in her senior seasons.

-LH-