Five UW-L alumni will be inducted into UW-L's Athletic Wall of Fame
Sunday, Oct. 7.
The 2012 inductees are:
- John E. Mielke Jr., '83, Basketball
- Julie (Waterhouse) Regan, '99, Swimming
- Norris Thomas, '93, Football & Track
- Jennifer (Tischaefer) Ignacio, '01, Soccer
- Larry Terry, '77, Coach
The event includes a reception beginning at
10 a.m., a brunch at
10:30 and the induction ceremony at
11 in Valhalla, Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.
Cost is $25 each to attend. Register by
Friday, Sept. 28, online at
https://www.uwlalumni.org/event_registration.php?event_id=794 or by calling 785.8489.
The event is sponsored by UW-L's Department of Athletics and the UW-L Alumni Association.
More on the 2012 inductees:
John E. Mielke, Jr.
Athlete: 1977-81
John Mielke says being part of the UW-L basketball team that went 20-5 after being picked to finish in the bottom half of the conference standings was extra special his senior year. And so was being named Conference Player of the Year in 1980-81. Mielke lettered the final three seasons at La Crosse from 1977-81. He also took honorable mention for all-conference for the ’79-80 season. Mielke, who graduated in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, serves as Dean of Students and head boys’ basketball coach at Appleton East High School, where he has been on staff since October 2000. He and his wife, Kris, live in Appleton. They have two grown children.
Julie Regan
Athlete: 1994-98
Julie (Waterhouse) Regan brought her success in the pool from Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wis., to UW-La Crosse. Regan lettered all four years in swimming at Arrowhead and continued that success with the Eagles from 1994-98. Regan says her biggest athletic accomplishment was uniting the team for a WIAC conference championship. “It took all of us working together and supporting each other to make it happen,” she notes. Ragan, who graduated in 1999 with a major in elementary education, is a third grade teacher at Bangor (Wis.) Elementary School. She lives in Tomah with her husband, Matt, and their two children, Harrison (5) and Elle (2).
Norris M. Thomas
Athlete: 1987-88; 1991-93
Scoring on the 1992 NCAA III Football championship squad and the 1993 NCAA III Indoor Track and Field championship team capped a successful athletic career for Norris Thomas. “To be a part of the tradition and contribute in a lasting way proves nothing replaces hard work and faith,” he says. The Milwaukee South Division graduate played football during the ’87, ’88, ’91 and ’92 seasons, and ran on the ’93 indoor track team, lettering each season. Thomas graduated with a bachelor’s in mass communications in 1993. He currently works at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., where he lives with his wife, Stacie (West), ’93, and their three children, Brittany (17), Tatum (8) and Braxton (6).
Jennifer Ignacio
Athlete: 1996-2000
Most goals in a game. Most goals in a season. Most goals in a career. Most assists in a game. Most assists in a season. Most assists in a career. Jennifer (Tischaefer) Ignacio set all those records in soccer from 1996-2000, and they still stand. “This is an accomplishment because they haven’t been broken,” she notes. One of them was matched, but not broken.” Ignacio also played on the basketball team during the 1999-2000 season. She graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s in elementary and middle school education. Ignacio is a third grade teacher in the Kyrene School District in Tempe, Ariz. She lives in Gilbert, Ariz., with her husband, Brian.
Larry Terry
Coach: 1988-2010
Athlete: 1973-76
Larry Terry was a successful student athlete in the mid-’70s who returned in the late ’80s to successfully coach for more than two decades. Terry lettered in football in ’75 and ’76, as well as track and field in ’75-76. He graduated with a physical education major in 1977. After earning a master’s at Bowling Green State University and a doctorate at the University of New Mexico, Terry returned to his alma mater as offensive line coordinator under Head Coach Roger Harring. When Harring retired in 1998, Terry took over. During his 11 seasons as head coach, Terry won three conference titles and earned four NCAA III playoff berths. When he retired in 2010, Terry had compiled 65-48 (.575) overall and 47-30 (.610) conference records. He was named WIAC Coach of the Year in 2002, ’03 and ’04. He ranks third in school history with 65 wins, behind Harring (261) and Bill Vickroy (86). Terry attributes coaching in NCAA III national titles in 1992 and 1995 as his biggest athletic accomplishment. Following retirement, Terry became executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Sparta, Wis. He and his wife, Lori, live in La Crosse. They have two children, Kathryn (19) and Devin (18).
