MADISON, WI – The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its 2018 Hall of Fame class on Thursday (Dec. 14) and among the inductees will be three outstanding UW-Stevens Point Pointers. Former Director of Athletics Frank O’Brien along with coaching greats Lynn “Red” Blair and Sheila Miech are headed to the WIAC Hall of Fame.
O’Brien is the longest serving Director of Athletics in the history of Pointers athletics – assuming the role for 22 years. During his tenure, the Pointers won 82 conference championships, seven NCAA Division III team titles, the WIAC Men’s All-Sports Award nine times, the WIAC Combined All-Sports Award four times, and in 2005, they secured their first WIAC Women’s All-Sports Award. UW-Stevens Point finished in the Top 10 of the Directors’ Cup Standings eight of the first 16 years, including a pair of fifth-place finishes. He also served as the President/Commissioner of the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association for six years and the WIAC Women’s Ice Hockey Championship trophy is named in his honor – “O’Brien Cup”.
Blair served as UW-Stevens Point’s swimming & diving coach from 1965-97 when he coached 477 first team and honorable mention All-Americans. He was selected the NAIA Coach of the Year in 1990 and the NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1997. Blair was chosen the conference Coach of the Year three times. He led the men’s team to 14 top-10 national finishes and the women’s team to three top-10 finishes. Blair coached 13 individual national champions and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame in 1985. He was the recipient of the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Master Coach Award and Distinguished Coach Award.
Miech served as UW-Stevens Point’s women’s soccer coach from 1987-2011 and compiled a 365-117-31 record (.742 winning percentage). The 365 wins are the most in conference history and ranked 12th on the NCAA all-time list for any division upon her retirement. Her teams captured 14 WIAC regular-season championships and 15 tournament titles. From 1997-2003, UW-Stevens Point established a NCAA Division III record by winning 70 straight conference matches – a mark that currently ranks third all-time. The Pointers made 15 NCAA appearances during her tenure. In 2012, she was selected the WIAC Women’s Soccer All-Time Team Coach in conjunction with the conference’s Centennial Celebration.
The 27-member class for 2018 will be inducted at the WIAC Hall of Fame Banquet to be held on July 28, 2018, at UW-Eau Claire. For more information on the Hall of Fame class, please visit www.wiacsports.com.
