Bio

Marty Petersen earns a rightful place in UW-Oshkosh’s Athletic Hall of Fame after pacing the sidelines as the school’s head women’s volleyball for nearly a quarter-century.

Petersen retired from coaching in 2004 after a distinguished 22-year career that included 630 wins, five WIAC championships and three NCAA Division III Final Four appearances.

Petersen replaced Betty Ralston as the head women's volleyball coach at UW-Oshkosh in 1983. Since then, the 1975 UW-Oshkosh graduate guided her alma mater to a 630-368 record (.631 winning percentage), including 12 30-plus-win seasons. The Titans reached 40 wins six times under Petersen's guidance, going 42-21 in 1984, 41-20 in 1988, 44-5 in 1990, 42-8 in 1991, 41-5 in 1995 and 40-5 in 1996.

UW-Oshkosh qualified for NCAA Division III postseason play nine times during Petersen's tenure, highlighted by a second-place finish in 1994 and fourth-place finishes in 1991 and 1996. The Titans also participated in NCAA Division III postseason action in 1990, 1993, 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2001 and NAIA postseason competition in 1988 and 1989.

In the WIAC, Petersen ranks as the league’s second-winningest coach. She led UW-Oshkosh to WIAC titles in 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995 and 2001. The Titans also finished second in the league in 1993.

Petersen is a four-time Coach of the Year award winner. She was named NCAA Division III Coach of the Year by Asics in 1994 and 1996 and WIAC Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1996.

Members of the UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball program combined to receive 14 NCAA Division III All-America, one NAIA All-America and 38 All-WIAC selections under Petersen's leadership. Among the honorees were Amy Ward, who was named the NCAA Division III Player of the Year in 1996, and three-time All-Americans Amy Cayemberg (1989-91) and Christina Southward (1999-2001).

Petersen has inspired several former players and assistant coaches to pursue volleyball in many different areas, including current head coaches Dave Boos at Ball State University (Ind.), Jim Boos at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Chad Schreiber at Lakeland College, Brian Schaefer at UW-Oshkosh and Kelly Witte at Ripon College.

Petersen participated in volleyball at UW-Oshkosh from 1972-74. She also competed for the Titans in basketball from 1972-74, field hockey from 1973-74 and track & field from 1973-74.

Petersen lives in Oshkosh, where she serves as the director of intramurals at UW-Oshkosh. In her spare time, the Fond du Lac High School graduate donates countless hours to the Oshkosh Area Humane Society.