Warhawk softball complex dedicated to women's athletics pioneer Marty van Steenderen

May 03, 2015

Nothing shows off the fresh green of a softball field and the gleam of aluminum stadium seating like a bright, sunny day.

On April 26, with a cloudless sky overhead, Marty van Steenderen - who served as the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's first women's athletic director from 1971 to 1986 - had the perfect day to see one of her dreams fulfilled.

A beaming van Steenderen toured the new softball building behind home plate that was formally dedicated in her honor. The two-story building, which broke ground in mid-September, will eventually house a full press box, coaches' office, restrooms and the UW-Whitewater locker room. The addition to the complex is an important step toward completing a project begun almost 20 years ago.

Van Steenderen traveled from her home in Bonita Springs, Florida, for the dedication, which also drew friends, family members, hall of famers and former colleagues, many of whom were key allies in her campaign to elevate women's athletics on campus.

"I want the very best for all athletes," said van Steenderen, "But especially women's athletics, because I fought so long and hard with the old guard - the ones who taught a full schedule and then volunteered their time on top of that to coach.

"There was no money for (women's) coaches in those days, but (former chancellor) Jim Connor, God love him, was always able to find some money for the programs."

Adding luster to the day was Nancy Nelson, a 1970 graduate who received her bachelor's degree in education and played numerous sports in the athletic program, earning a total of 13 letters in basketball, golf, softball, tennis and volleyball. Nelson, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest female student-athletes in UW-Whitewater history, was the number one draft choice of the International Women's Professional Softball Association in 1979.

"Nancy was my first candidate for the Hall of Fame," said van Steenderen, who was inducted herself in 1987.

Athletic Director Amy Edmonds introduced van Steenderen, lauding her for having "laid down the blueprint for all of us to achieve what we wanted to achieve, not only in athletics but in administration."

During her speech, van Steenderen praised UW-Whitewater for the "remarkable job it has done with athletics" and emphasized the importance of academics.

"Education was my dearest love," she said. "I was a teacher first."

Van Steenderen joined the UW-Whitewater faculty in 1961 as an assistant director of physical education with the special assignment of directing the Women's Recreation Association. It was that opportunity that she used to create and expand athletic opportunities for women on campus.

Van Steenderen later served as president of the Wisconsin Division for Girls and Women's Sports and for the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as well as nationally with the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women.

After she retired, she kept coming back to campus, working diligently to see that progress was made on the softball complex over the years, the new building being the latest improvement.

"I'm so proud to have my name on it," van Steenderen said, adding that, when she first served as athletic director, "We didn't have fences - we were lucky to have bases!"