UW-Whitewater’s John Boie named 2026 Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
May 07, 2026
Written by Abigail Dotzler | Photos by Joe Kusumoto/USOPC, Craig Schreiner
With a supportive community at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater behind him, John Boie has achieved his dreams.
Boie — a UW-Whitewater alum, academic advisor at the Academic Advising and Exploration Center and two-time Paralympic gold medalist — shares his success with the friends, family and teammates that have spurred him to achieve.
On July 8, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame will welcome Boie into its ranks during a ceremony at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee. Because of his monumental achievements in wheelchair basketball, Boie will be the first Paralympic athlete to be inducted.
Boie was first introduced to wheelchair basketball at a camp held by UW-Whitewater when he was 11 years old. He played through a season the next fall and fell in love with the sport. Boie still returns to that camp every summer — now as a camp coach.
Boie felt the love as soon as he arrived at UW-Whitewater as a college student.
“[Wheelchair basketball provided] a big community [for me] to have coming into college and friends that I still have today,” Boie said.
In 2014, following an illustrious career on the Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team, he graduated from UW-Whitewater with a bachelor’s degree in human resource management. He continued his education at UW-Whitewater with a master’s degree in human resource management and a master’s degree in accounting.
Boie has remained on campus as an academic advisor, working with students during their academic journey to ease their path to a degree and their intended profession.
Incoming students register for classes with academic advising staff including John Boie, front, in aisle. New students and families visited campus for one of many SOAR orientation sessions to start the summer, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)
“UW-Whitewater has such a strong tradition of wheelchair basketball, and we’re really excited to have someone who is a continuous and long-time member of our community just really excel at a state level, and national level, and global level,” said Marissa Gruel Hainstock, director of Academic Advising and Success and Boie’s supervisor.
Boie continued in his basketball journey, competing in the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, earning his first gold medal and recognition at the White House. He tried out for Team USA for nine years before finally making the cut for the 2020 Paralympics.
Boie almost never left the court at his first Paralympics.
“[It felt] like I’d finally reached the goal I set when I was 11 years old,” he said.
Alumni Cheryl Matti '88, left, and Lori Heckendorf '89 touch the Paralympics gold medals of Team USA men's wheelchair basketball team member John Boie in the parking lot of Perkins Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 22, 2024. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)
The time, effort and dedication Boie puts into his sport give him the skills to achieve his dreams. He won gold again at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
Boie credits part of his success to Jeremy “Opie” Lade, his long-time friend, coach and fellow Warhawk. Lade, who led the UW-Whitewater men’s wheelchair basketball team to six national championships, coached Boie during his time on the UW-Whitewater wheelchair basketball team and has encouraged Boie through his entire basketball career.
“He’s kinda always been in my corner since I was little. He gave me my first basketball chair when I was a little kid,” Boie said. “Opie was a heck of a coach. [He] prepared me for Team USA… and we even play on different club teams in the U.S., so he and I get the opportunity to play against each other.”
Paralympian and world champion Team USA member John Boie, an academic advisor at UW-Whitewater, talks with campers on June 28, 2023, at wheelchair basketball camp at the Williams Center on the UW-Whitewater campus. (UW-Whitewater photo/Craig Schreiner)
Boie continues to pour himself into the wheelchair basketball community — both on and off campus. He officiates tournaments, scrimmages with the Warhawk men’s wheelchair basketball team, and serves as a role model to all student-athletes. Preparing the next generation of gold medalists and Hall of Fame inductees, Boie inspires students to compete, to work hard and to succeed.
“I can still connect with students — especially student athletes,” Boie said about his role as an academic advisor. “Because I know what it takes to compete at a college level and beyond.”
While this latest recognition from the Wisconsin Hall of Fame is “still pretty surreal” for Boie, he’s incredibly excited.
“I’m thankful for all the people that have helped me get there: family, friends, and community — and that includes the Warhawk community of our campus.”
He’ll represent Team USA again this September at the 2026 International Wheelchair Basketball Federation World Championships in Ottawa.
