Due to the hard work of some very dedicated and progressive individuals, UW-Oshkosh has enjoyed a strong history of success in women's basketball.
Carol Anhalt, the first head women's basketball coach at UW-Oshkosh, was not only one of the pioneers of women's college basketball in the state, but also of women's athletics.
By 1971, the St. Paul, Minn. native had spent over 25 years in higher education and became one of very few women in her era to earn a bachelor's, master's and doctorate degree. By the time she earned her doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in 1971, the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment was well on its way and women began to be seen as equals to men.
Anhalt became a staff member at UW-Oshkosh in 1964 and voluntarily coached women's recreational leagues in basketball, tennis, track & field and volleyball. While coaching and serving as an educator, Anhalt also helped organize a women's intercollegiate athletic league, now known as the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).
Amidst resistance from society and administration, Anhalt's influence and the passing of the Equal Rights Amendment and Title IX, ensure that women's basketball became an intercollegiate sport. This groundbreaking event happened in 1972 when UW-Oshkosh became a member of the then-called Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WWIAC).
Although women's basketball was officially an intercollegiate sport in 1972, Anhalt continued to coach on a voluntary basis until 1976 when coaching a women's sport was considered a career for the first time. It's important to note that without the unpaid and selfless efforts of women like Anhalt, women's athletics may never have taken flight.
As head coach, Anhalt showed just as much comfort on teh court as she displayed in the classroom. In 1972, she led the UW-Oshkosh women's basketball team to a five-way tie for first play in the WWIAC. Foreshadowing her future success, Anhalt's Titans posted winning seasons every year from 1972 to 1979. She also coached three women to All-WWIAC First Team recognition from 1976-1979. Her most impressive athlete in the 1970s was
Gerty Van Lith, a three-time All-WWIAC First Team selection who is a member of the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame.
In the 1980s, UW-Oshkosh continued to dribble and shoot its way to success with Anhalt patrolling the sidelines. From 1981 to Anhalt's retirement in 1989, the Titans were a force to be reckoned with in the WWIAC and never posted a losing record. In 1985, Anhalt led the Titans to the WWIAC Championship.
During this decade, Anhalt coached eight individuals to All-WWIAC First Team honors, including former UW-Oshkosh women's basketball coach (200-12) and 1996 Hall of Fame inductee,
Terri Schumacher. Through Anhalt's guidance, Schumacher was named the 1985 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Player of the Year.
When Anhalt retired in 1989, her record stood at 288-127, with 16 winning seasons in 18 years. She currently ranks 39th in NCAA Division III history with a .694 winning percentage and 51st with 288 career victories. In all, Anhalt coached 15 All-WWIAC First Team players, one NCAA Division III All-American and one NCAA Division III Player of the Year.
Anhalt, who was a member of the UW-Oshkosh Hall of Fame committee for several years, enjoyed her retirement as an Oshkosh resident. She passed away in Oshkosh on Dec. 3, 2024 at the age of 92.
Updated February 10, 2025
