Schumacher Steps Down As Women's Basketball Coach

Terri Schumacher, who led the Titans to a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championship in 2006, stepped down Friday (March 30) as the head women's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

Schumacher will remain as a member of the UW-Oshkosh athletics staff until her movement into a full-time position with the UW-Oshkosh Student Recreation & Wellness Center in July.

Schumacher made a name for herself in Oshkosh with success as a student-athlete, high school coach and collegiate coach. The 1985 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-American took over as UW-Oshkosh's head coach in 2006. During her first season, the Titans posted a 19-8 record that included a 12-4 league mark for a share of the WIAC title.

The 2006 season featured a 7-1 start. UW-Oshkosh then recorded five straight victories in January to climb up the league standings. In the regular-season finale, the Titans rallied for a 61-58 overtime win over UW-Platteville to clinch the co-championship. UW-Oshkosh then went 1-1 in the WIAC Tournament, including a 68-58 loss to UW-Stevens Point in the semifinal round.

"I have enjoyed my coaching time at UW-Oshkosh," Schumacher said. "I was blessed to work with some talented athletes during my tenure. I leave knowing that I have left a group of talented athletes with a sound base to build on."

Schumacher's second-best season was 2011. UW-Oshkosh finished fifth in the WIAC with a 7-9 record (12-14 overall). The Titans ranked first in the nation, ahead of 423 other teams, with 78.6-percent accuracy on free throws. Schumacher also coached the best three-point shooting team (43.8 percent) in the NCAA Division III during 2006.

Six players under Schumacher earned All-WIAC first team accolades, including Whitney Tyriver who was a selection in both 2007 and 2008. Other women receiving All-WIAC status were Shelby Churchill (2011), Shannon Eggers (2006), Brittany Herrick (2006), Becky Knapp (2007) and Kelly O'Keefe (2006).

"Terri has served UW-Oshkosh with the utmost pride, integrity and professionalism during the past seven years," said UW-Oshkosh Director of Athletics Darryl Sims. "Most important has been Terri's commitment to the student-athletes that she coached. She always conducted her program with the player's best interest in mind, academically, athletically and personally."

Schumacher not only strived for excellence on the court, but in the classroom as well. From 2007 to 2011, Schumacher's team improved its cumulative grade-point average from 2.93 to 3.31.

Schumacher's collegiate coaching record of 71-107 (.399) includes a 59-42 upset over 10th-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 26, 2008.

Prior to taking over at UW-Oshkosh, Schumacher coached the girls basketball team at Oshkosh West High School for 13 years. Her final six seasons with the Wildcats were highlighted by a 131-35 record and Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Division 1 state titles in 2003 and 2004. Schumacher remains one of four female coaches to win a Division 1 championship in the past 30 years.

Schumacher also coached girls basketball at Plymouth High School from 1987-92, compiling a record of 69-44.

Following graduation from Plymouth High School in 1981, Schumacher attended UW-La Crosse and played basketball for the Eagles during the 1982 and 1983 campaigns. She then transferred to UW-Oshkosh and played for the Titans the next two years.

At UW-Oshkosh, Schumacher immediately became one of the dominant players in the WIAC and the NCAA Division III. In 1984, she received All-WIAC first team honors after averaging a league-leading 23.8 points per game. In an 82-70 loss to UW-Green Bay, Schumacher scored 41 points and made 19 field goals to establish a pair of school records.

In 1985, Schumacher led the Titans to an 18-8 record and their first WIAC championship. Schumacher received NCAA Division III All-America first team honors and was selected National Player of the Year by the American Women's Sports Federation. She gained all-league accolades while averaging WIAC-highs of 27.3 points and 5.1 steals. Schumacher concluded her UW-Oshkosh career by scoring 40 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in an 85-69 victory over UW-Whitewater.

Schumacher scored 1,209 points during her 47 games with the Titans. Her scoring output is the eighth-best in school history. The 1986 UW-Oshkosh graduate was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996.