Hall Of Fame Inductee: Tammy (Milz) Baugnet-Heesacker
This is the fifth in a 14-part series that introduces the 14 members of the 2024 UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Class. Their inductions will take place Friday, August 2 (3:30 p.m.) at the Culver Family Welcome Center (625 Pearl Avenue) on the UW-Oshkosh campus. Tickets ($45 each, aged five and older) for this event are open to the public and will be on sale through July 1. Tickets are required to attend and will not be available for purchase at the event. All purchased tickets will be available for pick up at the event. Click here to purchase tickets.
UW-Oshkosh then celebrates 50 years of inductions into its Athletics Hall of Fame during a special event held Saturday, August 3 (3:30 p.m.) at the Oshkosh Convention Center (2 North Main Street). Hall of fame members in attendance will be recognized and receive a variety of commemorative items. The keynote speaker is Iowa State University Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard, a 1999 UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame inductee. Tickets ($45 each, aged five and older) for this event are open to the public and will be on sale through July 1. Tickets are required to attend and will not be available for purchase at the event. All purchased tickets will be available for pick up at the event. Click here to purchase tickets.
A member of two national and seven conference championship teams, Tammy (Milz) Baugnet-Heesacker helped usher in a dominate era for the UW-Oshkosh women's cross country and track & field programs.
Baugnet-Heesacker ran cross country from 1985-88 and was a part of the first conference, regional and national championship teams in school history. The Titans won NCAA Division III titles in 1987 and 1988 and both the Division III Midwest Regional and WIAC championships in 1986, 1987 and 1988. UW-Oshkosh also finished third nationally in 1986.
Baugnet-Heesacker competed at the WIAC Championship all four cross country seasons. She finished 41st at the conference meet in 1985, 25th in 1986, 46th in 1987 and 19th in 1988. Baugnet-Heesacker also placed 59th at the 1985 Division III Midwest Regional and 102nd at the 1986 NAIA Championship.
Baugnet-Heesacker's greatest individual achievements came in track & field, where she was a three-time All-American and eight-time conference champion from 1986-89. The 1985 Monroe High School graduate also helped UW-Oshkosh to WIAC indoor and outdoor titles in both 1988 and 1989. The 1988 conference championships were the first in program history.
Indoors, Baugnet-Heesacker earned All-America recognition with her fifth-place 1,500-meter run finishes at both the 1988 and 1989 Division III championships. Her performance helped the Titans finish sixth in the team standings in 1988 and seventh in 1989.
Running at the WIAC Championship, Baugnet-Heesacker compiled an impressive resume by winning the 880-yard run in 1987, 800-meter run in 1988 and 1989 and 1,500-meter run in 1987, 1988 and 1989. She also finished second in both the 880-yard run and distance medley relay at the 1986 conference meet.
Named the Outstanding Track Performer at the 1988 WIAC Championship, Baugnet-Heesacker established a meet record in 1987 when she ran to a winning time of 4:47.97 in the 1,500-meter run.
Outdoors, Baugnet-Heesacker achieved All-America status with her sixth-place finish in the 1,500-meter at the 1988 Division III Championship. Her result helped UW-Oshkosh to a third-place finish in the team competition.
At the WIAC Championship, Baugnet-Heesacker won races in both the 800- and 1,500-meter events in 1988. She additionally finished second in the two-mile relay and sixth in the 800-meter run at the 1986 conference meet and sixth in the 1,500-meter run in 1989.
Named to the WIAC Scholastic Honor Roll during each year of her attendance at UW-Oshkosh, Baugnet-Heesacker was selected to the WIAC Women's Track & Field All-Centennial Team in 2012.
Baugnet-Heesacker graduated from UW-Oshkosh in 1989 and began a career as a registered nurse at St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay.
In 2001, Baugnet-Heesacker became a sales representative for Wyeth Pharmaceutical Company and held that position until 2008. She received the regional top sales award from the Pennsylvania-based company all eight years and was named the winner of its Presidential Circle Award in 2007.
Baugnet-Heesacker is the founder of Wisconsin Early Autism in Green Bay. She has also volunteered in the De Pere area with Special Olympics, Outreach for Elderly Safety and Dementia, Wisconsin International School, and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.
Baugnet-Heesacker and husband Darren live in De Pere with their family. Baugnet-Heesacker is the mother of sons Zachary, Luke and Mark Baugnet; daughter Alaina Heesacker; stepdaughters Annah and Ashley Heesacker; and stepson Bryce Heesacker.
2024 UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Announcements
Wednesday, April 24: Danielle (Rankin) Salm, Whitney (Tyriver) Stenbroten
Thursday, April 25: Leah (Rosenbaum) Cisler, Jordan Timm
Friday, April 26: Tammy (Milz) Baugnet-Heesacker, 2 p.m. • TBA
Monday, April 29: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
Tuesday, April 30: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
Wednesday, May 1: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
Thursday, May 2: 10 a.m. • TBA, 2 p.m. • TBA
The UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 1974 to enhance school tradition and give lasting recognition to those student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and friends of the university who distinguished themself at an exemplary level.
Each hall of fame member represents greatness, with their accomplishments built on campus, after graduation or through meritorious efforts that benefit the UW-Oshkosh athletics program.
The first UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held April 28, 1974, at The Pioneer Inn & Marina. The five inductees were Edward Boguski, Edward Hall, Burton Karges, Robert Kolf and Robert Williams.
Four venues have hosted the UW-Oshkosh Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony – The Pioneer Inn & Marina (1974-2001), Hilton Garden Inn Oshkosh (2002), UW-Oshkosh's Reeve Memorial Union (2003-13) and UW-Oshkosh's Culver Family Welcome Center (2014-19, 2021-Present).