50 Seasons of Women's Basketball

Posted on November 3, 2025

Feature: Kathleen FitzPatrick '70
Position: Anywhere

Photo: Miss Heinecke and the Lawrence Women's Basketball Club Team.

Welcome back to another week of celebrating 50 seasons of women's basketball at Lawrence University! Although these last 50 years have been nothing short of monumental, today, we are taking a look back at the years before women's basketball was made into an official varsity sport through the eyes of Kathleen FitzPatrick. Graduating in 1970 (four years before the official first season), Kathleen pioneered the club team that started the movement towards making the team official.

In the years before the official first team, Kathleen notes that the club was very informal, but still very ahead of the curve as far as providing the opportunity for women to play collegiate sports. Kathleen gives a lot of the credit for the club team to PE professor Miss Heinecke. She said that Miss Heinecke gathered a few athletes like Kathleen from her PE classes and scheduled local games for them to go play. Kathleen said some of her favorite memories from her time at Lawrence were hopping into Miss Heinecke's station wagon and driving off into the night to play in their games. They would go to schools like University of Wisconsin Oshkosh or University of Wisconsin Stevens Point wearing their Lawrence T- shirts. Since those schools were much larger and had PE majors, Kathleen remembers the Lawrence team struggled to find wins. Nevertheless, having the chance to play in these games was an opportunity that was not lost on Kathleen, or anyone on the team, and was something that paved the way for the varsity team in the future.

Reflecting on her time at Lawrence, Kathleen said that being a student-athlete taught her about hard work, critical thinking and research skills. Being a Biology and Chemistry double major, Kathleen knew how to put in the work on and off the court and has thought about this in the years since. She said, "As a college professor for many years and having many participants in women's sports in my classes, I am amazed at how the sport has developed and the dedication and time commitment it takes to do sports and succeed in the classroom." Kathleen not only laid the foundation for excellence on the court, but set a standard off the court and in the classroom that has persisted today.

Kathleen grew up in Evanston, IL, and now lives in Lawrence, MA, where she works as a college professor. Kathleen and the club teams before that first season truly set the stage for the success of the varsity program. Without Kathleen, her teammates and Miss Heineke, the first team may have happened much later than it did. We are so excited to have been able to celebrate her and all the women that came before the team became an officially recognized varsity sport. Although the past 50 years have truly shown how amazing this program is, Kathleen's story shows that the sisterhood of Lawrence women's basketball has existed long before the first team. Thank you Kathleen! - Story written by Josie Chose '28

Posted on October 30, 2025

Feature: Laura Sievert '78
Guard

We are ending this week with our last first team feature, Laura Sievert! A Wisconsin native, Laura majored in Spanish/ Latin American studies during her time at Lawrence, and was one of the key pieces of the puzzle of that first team.

To Laura, the thing she remembers most fondly about her time on the first Lawrence women's basketball team was how lucky she felt to have a coach, and to be on a real team with other young women. The officiality of the whole season, from its varsity sport status to the games they got to play to the teammates and coaches really served to make the season extra special for these student athletes. Today it is so easy to lose sight of how lucky we are to have access to an official team on which to play the sport we love. Back to Laura's memory, ignoring how amazing it was to be playing on a real team was impossible. Laura also spoke on the camaraderie of playing a team sport and how fun it was to play this game with her teammates. The team aspect is one of the things that makes basketball so special. To Laura, this is one of the best memories she has carried with her fifty years later.

Laura grew up playing backyard basketball. She loved getting outside and playing even in an informal setting. Laura also played basketball in gym class in high school, which was really the only option she had for athletics. However, in her gym class basketball, she said the girls were limited to three dribbles before they had to pass which completely slowed down and changed the game. There were also no girl's sports, so gym class was her only option. She said, "College basketball was the real thing and I loved it."'

Looking at her life now, Laura said that her time at Lawrence taught her about perseverance and time management, as well as how to travel and live in other cultures. This exemplifies Lawrence and a liberal arts education as a whole, which teaches how to be a person in the world and not just to get a degree. Beyond all this, being a part of the women's basketball team taught Laura about the joy of being a teammate.

Laura now lives in Kenai, Alaska, with her husband and two daughters and is a high school Spanish teacher. Laura's perspective on the first team is one that truly encapsulates how special that team and era was. We are so happy to have been able to include her as our last feature from the first team. Thank you Laura! - Story written by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 27, 2025

Feature: Mary Reed Spencer '78
Center/ Forward

Entering into our last stretch of first team features, we are so excited to kick off the week with Mary Reed Spencer! Mary grew up in many different places, but found her way to Appleton in the fall of 1974. Beyond her contributions on the court, Mary majored in Spanish during her time as a student-athlete.

Like many others, Mary said her favorite memories of her time on the Lawrence women's basketball team were simply being with her teammates. She remembers one trip when the team had the opportunity to travel to Milwaukee to play Marquette. This game was held at the MECCA where the Milwaukee Bucks played, and is absolutely one of the coolest things any Lawrence women's basketball team has gotten to be a part of. Beyond just all the great memories with her teammates, Mary said one of her favorite parts about being on the team was "working to make women's basketball legitimate." Not only were these women tasked with laying a foundation for an entire sport and program, but also to establish the reputation of the women's basketball team at this university and beyond as one of hard work, commitment and togetherness. While this is a daunting assignment, by hearing from people like Mary we know that this group was certainly up for the task.

Mary wanted to join the new varsity team after one year of playing club. She knew enough of how to play, and wanted to be a part of something that was bigger than herself. Part of the reason Mary decided to join the new women's basketball team was to help the group establish a varsity sport, and to head on all the challenges that come with creating a new team. Mary also talked about how sports were an outlet for her and to be able to continue in college and take a break from the stress of the classroom was essential not only for her, but for many others to have come through this program since.

When asked about what Lawrence prepared her for adult life, Mary spoke about two things: resilience and positivity. No athlete has come through this basketball program without learning how to be resilient, whether that comes on the court or off. Resiliency is something that translates to every aspect of life, and people like Mary exemplify the longevity of this skill. Positivity goes hand in hand with this, and is also one of the best things sports and even college as a whole can teach. Mary and others like her continue to inspire student-athletes who have come after her to lean into these skills, no matter how hard it may be.

Mary now lives in Greensboro, NC, with her husband and keeps in touch with her three grown up children. She has spent her career working in education, from teaching to administration to, of course, coaching. Mary was an essential piece of the first team and her legacy has echoed throughout the last fifty years. Thank you Mary! - Story written by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 24, 2025

Feature: Amy Bell '78
Center/ Forward

We are so excited to be finishing off this week featuring another member of the first team, Amy Bell! Amy grew up in St. Joseph, Missouri, and studied Geology during her time at Lawrence. She was an extremely valuable member of the first team, and really highlighted the culture of family that has continued through fifty seasons of women's basketball at Lawrence.

Amy began playing basketball like many other first team members in the driveway with her family. The only option to play basketball in high school was on an intramural team that played with two in each half court who weren't allowed to cross the midline, and a rover. Amy recalled everyone wanting to be the rover because it felt so limiting to be in the half court. But in her driveway, Amy battled with her two older brothers, and since she was usually on the younger end of the people competing, she learned how to get knocked down, and get back up. When Amy arrived at Lawrence, she took full advantage of the athletic opportunities, joining the tennis team in its inaugural season in 1974. That winter, she joined the basketball team and never looked back.

Amy's favorite memories from her time on the team stemmed from the joy of playing the game, and the connection to her teammates that comes from being together and playing for a whole season. She did note that it was some of her teammates' first time playing basketball, which she said must have been a challenge for their coaches (something Coach Gallus may have brought up in his interview). Skills challenges aside, being together as a team and playing the sport we love will always be the cornerstone of Lawrence women's basketball, from the 70s to now. Amy also shouted out her teammate Marion Magee for always making them laugh.

Coming from a tight knit family of seven, Amy arrived at Lawrence knowing no one and feeling intimidated. However, she said the team and other people on campus made her feel welcomed and soon she gained a new home with them. Academically, Lawrence taught her how to critically analyze situations, consider all options, and overall learn in a well rounded, disciplined way. On the basketball and tennis courts, she learned how to work hard and be a good teammate. All in all Amy said, "I feel lucky to have been on the ground floor of women's varsity sports at Lawrence. Lawrence made a big difference in my life."

After Lawrence, Amy got her masters in Public Policy/Administration with an emphasis on energy technologies. She spent time working for the Washington State Legislature, Senate Energy and Utilities Committee working with energy conservation and renewable energy legislation. She then moved on to work for 3 different state natural resource agencies, mainly overseeing their legislative programs. In her final state agency position, she was responsible for several programs at the Department of Natural Resources, including wildfire prevention and suppression and, in a full circle moment, the state's geology program.

Now in retirement, Amy volunteers at an arts and culture center in Oregon, a nonprofit that serving a rural beach area and is proud of helping to start a free art program for youth in rural communities. She splits time in Washington and Oregon with her husband Mike and two Welsh corgis. Amy was a central piece of the first team and the family they made, and we are so excited to have been able to highlight her story. Thank you Amy! - Story written by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 20, 2025

Feature: Elizabeth Aldrich MacKenzie '77
Forward

Welcome back to another exciting week of celebrating the first women's basketball team at Lawrence! Today we are featuring Elizabeth Aldrich MacKenzie, a 1977 graduate from Shorewood, Wisconsin. Elizabeth graduated with a degree in Chemistry and Math, and helped to establish a culture on the court that still exists with our team today.

On the court, Elizabeth prided herself on defense, and was considered the team's top defender. In the past 50 years, women's basketball as a whole has changed to beco me more offensively minded, with a lot of developmental focus being poured into shooting and getting to the rim, but a strong defensive presence remains absolutely crucial to the success of a team. In an era where so much kudos is given to those who score the most points, it is so exciting to hear about a player who was known for being assigned to guard their opponent's best player, and consistently limiting them to well below their average. While a team does have to score points to win, Elizabeth's legacy is closer aligned with the old saying "offense wins games, but defense wins champions."

Elizabeth had also played basketball in high school, and said that she wanted to play college to get some exercise between studying, which, being a chemistry and math double major, she did quite a bit. Of course, she also mentioned loving having the opportunity to connect with her teammates and play basketball at a more competitive level than she had previously in high school. College basketball allowed Elizabeth to become a very well rounded student-athlete, and get out of the lab every once in a while for some much needed time with her teammates.

When asked about what Lawrence prepared her for her adult life, Elizabeth spoke to lessons learned on the basketball court and being part of the team. She said she learned how to work hard and push herself in order to improve at something she was very passionate about. She also learned what I believe is one of the hardest things to grasp as an athlete: "although it is fun to win, how you play, being a good team player and having good sportsmanship is more important than winning." I'm sure every member of this basketball program over the last 50 years has been at least a little competitive by nature, but being able to let go and be a good teammate is ultimately the most important part of being in this program, and something that will continue to be important even when our days on the court are over.

Elizabeth now lives in Middleton, Wisconsin, near her four sons and nine grandchildren. She worked in a lab at Schlitz for many years until she transitioned to helping in her son's classrooms with reading and science, and now being a substitute teacher at her grandson's school. We are so excited to connect with Elizabeth and continue her defensive legacy. Thank you Elizabeth! - Article written by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 16, 2025

Feature: Carrie Van Groll Schmidt '08
Lawrence Athletics Hall of Fame '25, Guard

For today's feature, we are taking a break from our celebration of the first team to highlight Carrie Van Groll Schmidt, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame tomorrow! This honor could not be more well deserved, as Carrie has had a huge impact on Lawrence athletics as a whole, both in and out of competition. Carrie is from Little Chute, Wisconsin, and majored in Biology, as well as being both a softball player and, of course, a basketball player.

Like many alumni from the program, Carrie said she had a difficult time narrowing down her favorite memories from her time on the women's basketball team. She said very simply that "My best times were with my teammates and coaches." Whether it was practice, games or long bus rides, it was times with the team that truly made Carrie's experience and made the hard times just a little easier. Carrie also mentioned dinner at Chuck and Cinny's house as some of her favorite memories. Chuck and Cinny have been Lawrence athletics biggest fans for many decades, and have touched the lives of so many women that have come through the program, from cheering the loudest at every game, to these famous team dinners at their house.

While so much of being a women's basketball player here is about what happens off the court, Carrie certainly made her mark on the floor and her Hall of Fame induction is proof of that profound impact. She had 868 career points, which is 13th all time, as well as 231 career free throws, sitting at 4th all time. She is also 7th all time in games played with 94 including 45 starts, and was selected to the Midwest All Conference Second team 2007. Beyond all this, Carrie also left a massive impact during her career as a softball player, and spent her four years here setting new standards of excellence on the court and the field.

When asked about why she wanted to play college basketball, she didn't mention anything about her skills however, she just said that she wasn't ready to be done playing after high school. Call it unfinished business or a still burning passion for the game, but Carrie said "After being involved in athletics all my life when the opportunity came to play college basketball I had to try." Try she did, and this passion for athletics led to one of the most impactful careers in Lawrence history: on both the basketball court and the softball field.

Reflecting on her time at Lawrence, Carrie brought up three things that most prepared her for life after college. First, she said that being a two-sport athlete, as well as a student taught her how to balance every aspect of her life, and create time for the things that are the most important. Second, she said she learned how important it is to be surrounded by supportive people who lift you up every day, whether it be coaches, teammates, professors or anyone important to you. Finally, Carrie mentioned the lessons of hard work, resilience and connection being what has stuck with her since college and truly shaped the way she approaches her adult life.

Carrie graduated in 2008 with a degree in Biology, and she now works as a high school science teacher in De Pere, Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband and two children. We are so excited to have the opportunity to celebrate Carrie and truly honor everything she's done not only for women's basketball at Lawrence, but for athletics as a whole. Thank you Carrie, and congratulations! - Article written by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 13, 2025

Feature: Maggy Young '76
Forward

Starting off this week we are highlighting another pioneer of Lawrence women's basketball, Maggy Young! Maggy grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and studied French and Art during her time at Lawrence. Like so many of her teammates and so many of our alumni, proving you can study and graduate from LU while discovering and following multiple interests and passions, something that continues today amongst our team today.

Maggy's journey to joining the Lawrence women's basketball team is one of the more unique stories from this group, since it includes her passion for three sports, not just basketball. Maggy said that growing up she loved basketball and lacrosse the most, and had some small opportunities to play both. However, her freshmen year at LU Maggy followed another passion and helped start a swim team at Lawrence! She swam throughout her freshmen year, and then studied abroad in France to start her sophomore year. She said when she returned from France, the varsity women's basketball team had been formed and she knew she had to jump ship (good thing she could swim). Maggy said "good-bye to swimming and hello to basketball."

Everything Maggy said when asked about her favorite LU women's basketball memories had to do with special team moments and away trips. She talked about how singing on the bus during road trips were some of her favorite times, and made the long bus rides feel much shorter. Maggy also recalled driving to Milwaukee for a game right after an ice storm, and how the trees were covered in snow and ice, making everything look like it was made out of glass. Overall, Maggy shared that the camaraderie among the team was so cool, and that it was her teammates that made the experience so great.

Maggy said her time at Lawrence taught her how to think critically and expansively about people and the world. She learned how to have an open mind, something that has continued to serve her throughout her whole life, both in and out of her career. Basketball and athletics as a whole gave her the opportunity to learn about what it means to be a part of something bigger and acknowledge the benefits and challenges of being on a team.

Maggy has worn many hats since graduating in 1976, working as a chef, educator and photographer. She lives in Enosburg, VT, with her husband and two sons. We are so excited to hear from her! Thank you Maggy! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28
- Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 9, 2025

Feature: Lauren Brown '76
Forward

To finish up this week, we are continuing to highlight the first team as we hear from Lauren Brown! Lauren grew up in Chicago, and studied Psychology and Economics as well as getting a minor in French during her time as a student-athlete at Lawrence.

Like many others on the first team, Lauren played basketball in high school, and wanted the opportunity to continue to play in college. She said she wanted to continue to sharpen her skills and be an athlete outside of studying and school. Graduating with a double major and a minor, she spent plenty of time learning, so basketball practice and team events were welcome study breaks. Lauren also had close friends that played on the basketball team, giving her all the more reason to go out and play.

Lauren mentioned that her favorite memory of being a Lawrence women's basketball player was the camaraderie shared by the team! She specifically mentioned a sense of togetherness shared by herself and the team, and a unity she felt due to playing basketball with a group of women who all had very different interests outside of the court. She said "We were all achievers in our major fields and came together as one when playing on the team." This truly describes one of the coolest things about sports as a whole, which is how it has the ability to bring together people who may otherwise have little else in common. Lauren specifically recalled the feeling she and the team had after they won their first away game, and the excitement they all shared. She said that the game really established the tone for the rest of the season and started to really pull together this special group of women.

All in all, Lauren said that the biggest thing she learned from being a student-athlete at Lawrence was resiliency. She mentioned that she learned to be resilient as Appleton was not very welcoming for her as an African American female at that particular time. On and off the court, resiliency is something she had to master and was able to turn some difficult experiences into something greater, and into a skill that many people never truly develop. Through these struggles, Lauren pressed on and graduated with a law degree and pursued a legal career.

Lauren graduated in 1976 and now works as a lawyer and business consultant in Memphis, TN. She not only helped grow the game of basketball here at Lawrence, but she also paved the way for other women of color on and off the court. Lauren's resiliency, perseverance and achievement is inspiring to us all. Thank you Lauren! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 6, 2025

Feature: Anne Wolfe King '76
Point Guard

This week, we are starting off with another member of the first team, Anne Wolfe King! Anne grew up in Milwaukee, and was a psychology major as well as a basketball player during her time at Lawrence.

Anne has been an athlete her whole life. She began athletics at age 5 and played basketball throughout high school. In her experience, she played another version of high school women's basketball that still had the majority of players playing on either the offensive or defensive side of the floor without the ability to cross half court, but did feature two rover players that were permitted to play full court. The ability to have everyone play full court was a big reason Anne wanted to play collegiate basketball, since she describes full court as "the only way to play."

Anne's favorite LU women's basketball memory was the road trips to play the other schools, which is a pretty unique answer when compared to other responses. The bus rides are long, and it's challenging to be the visiting team, especially after a couple hours on the bus. But Anne said the reason she enjoyed these bus rides were because they were a great way to spend time with her teammates. While these rides are boring and draining, they are also a few hours of uninterrupted time with your teammates, something that in many cases makes the hot bus, small locker rooms and the whole experience completely worth it.

Finally, when asked about what she learned from Lawrence, Anne spoke on the value of a liberal arts education as a whole. She mentioned how the liberal arts structure of learning more than one field of study prepares you to think outside the box as a grown up. Anne attributes this education to her being a more well rounded person in general, and having an overall more open mind. She also brought up the Freshmen Studies class, which every first year student at LU has taken, as something that she remembers even 50 years later that prepared her for the future after college.

Anne now lives in Tempe, AZ with her husband, near her grown up children. She graduated with a degree in Psychology and now works as a meeting planner. We are so excited to have heard a piece of her story, and been able to continue to highlight this monumental first team. Thank you, Anne! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted October 2, 2025

Feature: Irene Ang Strohbeen '78
Point Guard

Once again, we are excited to share a feature story from a player of the first team at Lawrence University, Irene Ang Strohbeen. Irene grew up in Urbana, IL, and majored in chemistry and math. Like so many of her teammates, Irene's journey at Lawrence truly exemplifies what it means to be a student- athlete.

Irene grew up playing basketball with her dad in their driveway. Since Title IX hadn't yet hit her high school, she didn't have any opportunities to play on a team, but she said she had practiced how to dribble, pass and shoot with her family, and watched her younger brother play on their high school basketball team. So, when Irene arrived at LU and was required to take a Physical Education class her first term, club basketball seemed like the most fun option. Irene's first year of women's basketball was as a club sport and by her sophomore year it became a varsity sport. She ended up playing through her remaining time at Lawrence and said "the team gave me a place and a group where I could belong as well as take a break from my studies."

Besides the opportunity to play basketball on a real varsity team, Irene said some of her favorite memories on the team were the away trips and getting to travel around Wisconsin as a team. One time they traveled to the MECCA Arena, home of the Milwaukee Bucks, to play Marquette. They were able to watch the end of a Bucks practice and take the floor right after. Irene said she still laughs at the image of a 7ft Bucks player standing next to her teammate, 5ft tall Marion Magee, and still cannot get over how tall he was!

To Irene, the biggest thing she learned at Lawrence and through the women's basketball program was how to be a team player. Being able to work with and lead others was and is something she uses every day, and gave her a huge advantage not only in the workforce as a whole but also in her smaller corporate teams and in the office. Irene said she used a lot of communication and writing skills in her job, as well as problem solving, which were all things she gained from LU, but the majority of her work in product development and leadership at Kimberly-Clark was in teams. She said "I vividly remember realizing how fortunate I was to have been a part of the WBB team to gain those team and leadership experiences as point guard: so many of my co-workers did not have that same advantage." While Lawrence is an amazing university, it's clear there is something special about being a part of the women's basketball program, and something about athletics that prepares student-athletes for the real world in so many ways. Irene said her experiences as a point guard gave her an "advantage", and I think that sums it up pretty nicely.

Irene now lives just outside of Appleton in Harrison, WI, with her husband and cat, Mini. She has two grown up sons, and works as an independent consultant to inventors. Irene helped to lay the foundation of what now is a standard of academic excellence for the student-athletes in the women's basketball program and a huge component of what our culture both on and off the court is today. Thank you Irene! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted September 29, 2025

Feature: Sally March '77
Forward

As we continue our celebration of the 50 seasons of women's basketball at Lawrence, we are so excited to have Sally March, a member of the first team, as our next alumni feature! Sally grew up in Wisconsin, graduating in 1977. Her passion for basketball was one of the engines that drove the beginnings of women's basketball at Lawrence.

Connecting with Sally and the other members of the First Team has provided the opportunity to picture what women's basketball looked like in the 70s, and especially realize how much the sport has grown and changed. Sally remembered that there were so few colleges with women's basketball teams, and so little money for travel that they played a lot of high school teams and religious colleges in the area during those first years. The lack of competition for the first team was definitely unfortunate, but this was a group of women who loved to play basketball against whomever they could, something that has continued in the program even now.

Beyond this lack of competition, Sally mentioned that a big reason why she wanted to continue playing basketball was because the college rules were largely the same for the men's and women's teams. A brief history lesson: for many years women's basketball was played in a 6 on 6 format, with three defenders on one half of the court and three forwards on the other. In this setup, the defenders and forwards weren't allowed to cross half court, and only the forwards were allowed to shoot. Essentially, women's basketball was played only in the half court, and while Sally played this way in high school, collegiate basketball provided the opportunity to play full court just like the men. She had played basketball her whole life, starting against boys on the playground and continuing through high school. Simply put, Sally said "I loved sports and I loved being part of a team."

Finally, when asked what she learned at LU that prepared her for her adult life, Sally said "I learned how to learn." This wise answer extends beyond the classroom and the basketball court, and speaks to the larger college experience that is about learning how to be a grown up in the world, and how to have an open mind. The smartest people continue to learn their whole lives, and Sally (like so many Lawrence graduates) clearly falls into this category.

Sally graduated from LU with a degree in Sociology and now works in law and ethics in London, England, where she lives with her wife. We are so grateful to connect with her, and to have the opportunity to continue to hear from the first team. Thank you Sally! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted: September 25, 2025

Feature: Beth Pollnow Fietzer '02
Lawrence Athletics Hall of Fame '18, Point Guard

For our second feature, we are highlighting an Alexander Gym household name, Beth Pollnow! As an Appleton resident, Beth has been a familiar face for all of us on the team, and it has become routine to see her and her family in the stands at Alex gym.

Beth's profound impact on Lawrence women's basketball began during her time as a player from 1998-2002, during which she became our all time leader in both career assists (395) and career steals (294), records that still stand today! She mentioned that one of her favorite memories from her time as a player was when she broke the assist record and Jackie Huss, the former record holder, came to watch and passed her "the torch".

As a point guard, Beth clearly left an impact on the offensive end, but in her player bio from her senior year she is described as a "true all around player [with the] ability to score, play defense, rebound and handle the ball." While her place in the record book speaks for itself, this description of her role on the floor as a whole is something every player strives for, and is one of the highest compliments that can be given to any athlete. Winning a conference championship in 1999 as a freshman, cutting down the nets and all the celebration that comes with that will also always be an irreplaceable part of her career.

Of course, so much happens outside of the stat sheets. When asked about her favorite memories from her time at Lawrence, almost everything Beth mentioned was a memory from off the court, and a bonding experience with her teammates. She brought up team trips to San Antonio and Portland, weeks of working basketball camps in the summer, and playing video games in hotel rooms before being reminded by Coach Proctor that they weren't the only ones staying in the hotel (something Coach Woldt definitely knows nothing about).

Beyond the fun, little moments with the team, Beth also brought up a lot of memories that speak volumes about the Lawrence women's basketball community as a whole. Her sophomore year the team suffered a lot of injuries, but Beth noted this with pride, saying "we overcame a lot and stuck together as a team," which is not only something that the 1999-00 team can be proud of, but also something that has established a culture of resilience in all the teams since then. Of course, dinners with Chuck and Cinny were a highlight for Beth, as I'm sure can be said about almost every player that has been lucky enough to call the Reff's teammates.

Beth graduated with a degree in Economics, but she said that being a student at Lawrence prepared her best for her adult life by teaching her how to write. She said professors at LU taught them how to write efficiently and communicate effectively. She also said that Lawrence taught her how to work with others and get along with different personalities, and while I have no doubt that being a student at Lawrence does prepare you to work with others, I also know that being an athlete and being on a team is one of the best ways to prepare you for other collaboration done as an adult.

As far as why she chose to play college basketball Beth just said "I wasn't ready for basketball to no longer be a major part of my life. I wanted to go to a school where I would be able to have fun playing the game I love." Although we have many more alumni to hear from, I think this sentiment truly sums up what it means to be a D3 athlete and a member of the women's basketball culture at LU. This school and community have provided the opportunity for 50 teams of young women to continue playing this game — something we are so excited to celebrate.

Beth Pollnow lives in Appleton with her husband, two daughters and two dogs. She works as a sales manager in the area and has continued to be an active member of Lawrence basketball since her graduation. We are so grateful to have her in our corner, and especially grateful to have her as our very first feature. Thank you Beth! - Article written by by Josie Chose '28

Posted: September 22, 2025

Interview with Coach Mike Gallus, First Coach of the First Team
Conducted by Josie Chose '28 (September 2025)

To kick off this celebration of the first team, I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with the coach of that first team, Mike Gallus. Coach Gallus led the team from 1975-1979, and was instrumental in starting up other programs at Lawrence, as well as laying the foundation for the new conference. He ended his career with an overall winning record 46-21, ending that first season 9-5. He also led the team to a WIC-WAC Division Championship in the 1975-1976 season, and finished second in the division in 1978-1979. We are so thankful for all the stories shared by Coach Mike and are so excited for this upcoming journey through the last 50 seasons!

Josie: How did you become the first coach of the first team?

Coach: When Coach Roberts decided to start women's basketball at Lawrence—that was the year before the 50th anniversary team, and it was a club team. When it came time to switch to a varsity sport. I just happened to be here, doing a two-year internship as an assistant to the athletic director while getting my master's at UW-Superior.

I always wanted to coach basketball. I loved basketball. So I talked with Ron, and he said, "Want to start this team?" I said, "I'm your man. I'll be happy to start this. I want to coach it." And that's what happened for four years.

Josie: When you got the job, what were some of the first things you did?

Coach: The first thing I needed to do was find players. Some had already played on the club team, and then I went to admissions. They had this filing cabinet of all incoming students—men and women—who had paid their deposits. I sat on the floor, pulled out the women's applications, and looked for anything showing athletic ability. If someone wrote, "I like to play tennis" or "I like water-skiing," I thought, okay, you're an athlete, I can teach you basketball.

Once we had the team, I had to figure out what to do. I read manuals from clinics that big-time coaches had given. I wanted something good but simple. We had a 30-second clock even then, so it couldn't be too complicated. I came up with an offense that worked against man or zone. Then we brought the girls over and started practicing.

Josie: What were some of the biggest challenges that first season?

Coach: Honestly, everything. Teaching fundamentals. Teaching them how to make a layup. I even had a chart—during layup lines, after each attempt they had to mark whether they made it or not.

Nobody could really do anything wrong, because nobody knew how to do anything right yet. But it was such a labor of love. Nobody was saying, "If you don't win this many games, that's a problem," or "If you don't recruit enough people, that's a problem." It was just fun every day.

Irene and Mary always say they remember our team concept. I don't think I ever consciously thought, "I'm going to build team culture." It was more like, this feels right—let's do it. Let's have a free throw contest. Afterwards, let's all go to Dairy Queen. It was just about doing what seemed right in the moment.

Josie: What were your favorite memories or biggest successes of that year?

Coach: Every day was memorable, but a couple of games do stand out.

We played Ripon here—maybe the second or third year. They had a good team with some strong athletes. Their coach had been there forever. Two things really irritated me that night: one, she didn't know how to tape, so I ended up taping their girls' ankles before the game. And then, two, they beat us. On top of that, their van broke down in the snow, so after losing I had to drive their coach to the airport for a rental van.

Another story: one of the only two speeding tickets I've gotten in my life was with the women's basketball team. We were coming back from playing Edgewood in a blizzard. The roads were terrible. On the short stretches of divided highway, I tried to make up time—and got pulled over. The girls even gave me some money to help pay the ticket.

Josie: Looking back on your career as women's basketball coach, what are you most proud of?

Coach: That I got to start the program. How often do you get to do that? I was right there at the beginning.

I was proud to work with Coach Roberts to start programs. I was really happy to work with Coach Roberts when he was responsible for putting a conference together. I was in summer school at the time writing my thesis on the history of women in sports. My fourth chapter was a chapter about the code of conduct that our conference was going to use with things like rules, amount of games played, recruiting rules, all-conference rules. I wrote it, and the conference adopted it. I didn't invent the wheel. I took things from the men's conference, Coach Roberts and I conversations and talking with other coaches. That became our Bible. I'm really proud of that.

Josie: What's something you'd want me and the current team to know?

Coach: That I'm happy I was there at the start. And that Coach Roberts really started everything—not because of Title IX, we never even talked about that, but because it was time.

Josie: That's so special. Thank you so much. I can speak for myself and say I'm so proud to be a women's basketball player, and to continue this legacy.

Posted: September 18, 2025

Celebrating 50 Seasons of Lawrence Women's Basketball

Video: Tip-Off to 50 Seasons Celebration!
(click the link above to watch the intro video and turn on sound)

This year we celebrate the 50th season of Women's Basketball at Lawrence — honoring the teams who built our foundation, the players who carried the torch, and the future we continue to create together.

Stay tuned for a season like no other as we honor 50 years of Viking Women's Basketball!