Lawrence University has lost one of its legends. Hall of Fame coach Mary Heinecke Poulson died Aug. 7 in Appleton. She was 94.
A member of the faculty at Milwaukee-Downer College and then Lawrence, Poulson's presence was felt in many ways. She mentored generations of students, continuing long after her retirement in 1993. She was instrumental in the building of women's athletics at Lawrence, and her impact in the Fox Valley community was deep and lasting.
“We want to express our condolences to the Poulson family,” Director of Athletics Jason Imperati said. “Mary was a fixture in the Department of Athletics for decades and a pioneer in establishing women's varsity athletics at the university. Her influence on Lawrence athletics was vast, and she will be missed.”
Current Lawrence men's and women's tennis coach Eric Schacht, a 1990 Lawrence graduate, was a star player for Poulson and maintained a close relationship with his former coach.
“Coach Poulson was one of the most influential figures in my life,” Schacht said. “She has had a lasting impact, not just upon me as a tennis player, but upon me as a coach, as a parent and, most importantly, as a person.”
Poulson's obituary details a life filled with athletic excellence, intellectual pursuits, and service to community. Poulson's memorial service is set for Aug. 15, at First English Lutheran Church, 326 E. North Street, Appleton, at 11:30 a.m. Visitation will be from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the church. Following the service, a luncheon will be held 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Warch Campus Center.
Lawrence will celebrate Poulson's legacy at a future date to be determined. Stay tuned for details.
“The fundamental tenet of Coach P's coaching was to put primary focus on the well-being and happiness of the student-athlete, secondarily upon the cohesion and collaboration of the team, and lastly about the outcome of the matches, tournaments, and meets,” Schacht said. “In my 30 years of coaching at the high school level, and now in my coaching at LU, I have carried Coach P's wisdom, knowledge, philosophies, kindness, and caring in my heart and mind. I will forever strive to make the impact on others that she made upon me.”
Poulson is a charter member of the Lawrence Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame and served as the head coach of five teams during her time at Lawrence. Poulson had been teaching and coaching at Milwaukee-Downer College but came to Lawrence in the fall of 1964 as part of the college's consolidation with Downer. Poulson, who had been the chair of physical education and health department at Downer, didn't think she would be at Lawrence for very long.
“I’d come up for a year, see how things went, and then look for something else,” Poulson told former Sports Information Director and fellow Hall of Famer Rick Peterson in 1996. That one year turned into 29 at Lawrence.
When women's tennis went varsity in 1974, Poulson was there to lead the Vikings, and she coached the team through the fall of 1992. The Lawrence women would capture seven conference titles, winning five straight in the Wisconsin Independent Colleges-Women's Athletic Conference from 1975-79. Poulson's Vikings also won Midwest Conference crowns in 1985 and 1986. During Poulson's tenure, the Vikings compiled a dual record of 86-73 and won 46 singles and doubles conference titles.
Poulson took over guidance of the men's tennis program in 1972 and coached that team for 21 seasons. Lawrence posted a record of 94-95 under Poulson and won seven Midwest Conference titles in singles and doubles.
An accomplished fencer, Poulson was the driving force behind Lawrence's fencing programs. She oversaw the elevation of the men's and women's fencing teams from club status to varsity in 1985. She coached both fencing teams until her retirement in 1993. Poulson also coached the women's basketball team for two seasons from 1979-81. Lawrence compiled a 19-14 record under Poulson.
Poulson and former Lawrence head football coach and Director of Athletics Ron Roberts were instrumental in creating the Wisconsin Independent Colleges-Women's Athletic Conference in 1975. It was the first collegiate women's conference of its kind in Wisconsin and included fellow Midwest Conference members Beloit College and Ripon College. The WIC-WAC paved the way for the Midwest Conference to adopt women's athletics and for the formation of the Lake Michigan Conference (now the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference).
Inducted into Lawrence's Hall of Fame in 1996, Poulson was recognized by the United States Fencing Coaches Association with its Coach of the Year honor and was inducted into the Fox Valley Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.
“Without Mary's guidance and influence during the infancy of Lawrence women's athletics, we would not have the robust women's athletic program that we have now. We owe her a debt of gratitude for all she contributed,” Imperati said.
Born in 1930 in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Poulson met her future husband at Lawrence. John Poulson had come to Lawrence in 1968 and served as the head men's basketball coach and assistant football coach on Roberts' staff. They married in 1977 and had 16 years together before John's death in 1993.
An extremely active member of the Lawrence community, Poulson was honored multiple times for her service and mentoring. Mary and John Poulson helped found the Noonhour Philosophers in 1980. The Noonhour Philosophers had weekly community speakers featuring area experts and scholars designed to stimulate thought and spirited discussion. For nearly 45 years, she organized the schedule and arranged for the speakers. She spent more than three decades volunteering with the local Meals on Wheels program and was active for many years as a volunteer with LEAVEN, the Fox Valley Girl Scout Council and the Appleton Ecumenical Network. Starting in 2000, Mary served as coordinator for the annual Fox Cities Crop Walk.
Also an accomplished athlete, Poulson was a standout fencer and tennis and badminton player. She was a five-time Wisconsin state open fencing champion and six-time closed state champion. Poulson was ranked as high as 13th nationally and competed in six national championship tournaments. She also was a 10-time state badminton champion and won the Midwest senior title three times. She was nationally ranked from 1972-76 and competed in a pair of national badminton championships. As a teenage tennis player, she was ranked as high as fourth in the state.
A graduate of Valparaiso University, Poulson earned a bachelor's degree in English. She went on to earn a Master of Education from Miami (Ohio) University.
