Eastern Michigan Athletics
E-Club Hall of Fame Member Claudia Wasik Passes Away
5/6/2022 10:54:00 AM | Tennis, General, E-Club
Wasik served EMU as a student-athlete, coach, and professor for more than 30 years
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University E-Club Hall of Famer Claudia Wasik passed away Wednesday, May 4, at the age of 81. Wasik, who was inducted into the E-Club Hall of Fame in 1997, served EMU as a student-athlete, coach, and professor for more than 30 years.
A pioneer in the world of women's athletics at Eastern Michigan University, Wasik was the head volleyball coach from 1968-79, the women's tennis head coach from 1979-91, and an associate professor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Department (HPERD) from 1965-96.
Wasik recorded a 162-108 overall dual match record while leading Eastern's tennis program. She was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 1986-87 when she led the then-Hurons to a second-place finish and was also named league Coach of the Year in 1983-84 after she directed her team to a third-place finish in the championships. In 11 MAC seasons under Wasik, the team finished second twice, third eight times and fourth once. Several of her athletes were individual MAC champions and also received academic awards.
Opened in the fall of 2012, the tennis team's then-home court was named the Wasik Tennis Complex in her honor.
A product of Pontiac Central High School, Wasik earned both her bachelor's (1962) and master's (1968) from EMU. While an undergraduate, Wasik played tennis, field hockey, and basketball for four years as well as being a member of the Mortar Board and president of Delta Zeta Sorority.
She went on to teach and coach basketball, volleyball, and field hockey at Grosse Pointe University Liggett School from 1962-64 and spent the 1970-71 season as a tennis coach at Ohio State University before returning to her alma mater to join the physical education staff and become a collegiate head coach.
Wasik's 1975-76 women's volleyball team finished third in the State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) meet. She retired from coaching in 1991 and continued to teach in the physical education department until retiring from that position in 1996.
Following retirement, she remained active in the Women's Senior Softball League in Florida, as well as, playing all over the country and the world. Wasik mentored many young women in both academics and athletics.
She is survived by her nieces, Stacey Spinneweber and Krista (Evan) Ratzow; great nieces and nephews, Sydney Paulson, Emily Paulson, Jake Spinneweber, and Joshua Ratzow; sister-in-law, Janet Wasik. She was preceded in death by her life partner, Lucy Parker; brother, Edmund Wasik.
Private services will be held. Those desiring may make contributions to Eastern Michigan University Athletic Fund for Women's Tennis.
Tributes may be shared at Sharpfuneralhomes.com
A pioneer in the world of women's athletics at Eastern Michigan University, Wasik was the head volleyball coach from 1968-79, the women's tennis head coach from 1979-91, and an associate professor in the Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Department (HPERD) from 1965-96.
Wasik recorded a 162-108 overall dual match record while leading Eastern's tennis program. She was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 1986-87 when she led the then-Hurons to a second-place finish and was also named league Coach of the Year in 1983-84 after she directed her team to a third-place finish in the championships. In 11 MAC seasons under Wasik, the team finished second twice, third eight times and fourth once. Several of her athletes were individual MAC champions and also received academic awards.
Opened in the fall of 2012, the tennis team's then-home court was named the Wasik Tennis Complex in her honor.
A product of Pontiac Central High School, Wasik earned both her bachelor's (1962) and master's (1968) from EMU. While an undergraduate, Wasik played tennis, field hockey, and basketball for four years as well as being a member of the Mortar Board and president of Delta Zeta Sorority.
She went on to teach and coach basketball, volleyball, and field hockey at Grosse Pointe University Liggett School from 1962-64 and spent the 1970-71 season as a tennis coach at Ohio State University before returning to her alma mater to join the physical education staff and become a collegiate head coach.
Wasik's 1975-76 women's volleyball team finished third in the State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) meet. She retired from coaching in 1991 and continued to teach in the physical education department until retiring from that position in 1996.
Following retirement, she remained active in the Women's Senior Softball League in Florida, as well as, playing all over the country and the world. Wasik mentored many young women in both academics and athletics.
She is survived by her nieces, Stacey Spinneweber and Krista (Evan) Ratzow; great nieces and nephews, Sydney Paulson, Emily Paulson, Jake Spinneweber, and Joshua Ratzow; sister-in-law, Janet Wasik. She was preceded in death by her life partner, Lucy Parker; brother, Edmund Wasik.
Private services will be held. Those desiring may make contributions to Eastern Michigan University Athletic Fund for Women's Tennis.
Tributes may be shared at Sharpfuneralhomes.com
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