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Lifetime Achievement Award

Presented to individuals who have served at least 25 years in the athletics communications profession (as of July 2023) who are retiring or leaving the profession.Years of service vetted by the Special Awards Committee.

Diane Nordstrom – University of Wisconsin Associate Director of Brand Communications (retired) and Track & Field Alumnus

Diane Nordstrom, the associate director of brand communications at the University of Wisconsin and a CSC multi-award winner, retired in January 2024 after more than three decades with the Badgers.

The CSC Hall of Famer (Class of 2018) had a nearly 40-year career in athletics communications that began and culminated at her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin. After a brief stop at UW-Milwaukee from 1986-89, Nordstrom returned to Madison and spent the remainder of her career there.

Nordstrom followed in the footsteps of her brother and two sisters to UW, but forged her own path as a four-year member of the track & field team, throwing the shot put and discus. She twice set program records in the discus, and served as team captain her senior year. After completing her athletic career, journalism major Nordstrom approached Tam Flarup, then the women’s sports information director and a CSC Hall of Famer, to gain a semester of work experience. That semester of work turned into a two-year internship in UW sports information, as Flarup helped guide Nordstrom into a new career path.

During the last 34 years, Nordstrom worked with 13 of the Badgers' 23 sports and served on the UW Athletic Hall of Fame selection committee. She finished her career as the athletic communications contact for volleyball, as well as overseeing men's and women's swimming, men's tennis and men's and women's track and field.

Three of her teams won national titles – men’s indoor track and field in 2007, men’s cross country in 2011 and volleyball in 2021 – and numerous Big Ten Championships.

Nordstrom also was a fixture within CSC, serving on the organization’s Board of Directors from 2015-18 while serving as a long-time chair of the Special Awards Committee.

Nordstrom earned nearly every CSC major award for which she was eligible. She received her 25-Year Award in 2011, became the inaugural university division (Division I) recipient of the Achievement Award in 2015 and followed with induction into the CSC Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2021, Nordstrom received the President's Award for her work with the Special Awards Committee.

Gallery: (5-3-2024) Diane Nordstrom, Lifetime Achievement

Kelly Sheffield, University of Wisconsin Head Volleyball Coach: "Diane is one of the unsung heroes of the Wisconsin volleyball program. She was very passionate about her job, as well as the people and players within the program, and she never had a bad day. Diane was there when recruits had their first day on campus, and 30 years later, there was so much excitement for them to see her and for her to see her former players. She connected the program with our fan base and the media. The growth of the Wisconsin volleyball program would not have happened without Diane. She’s the best."

Tam Flarup, University of Wisconsin (retired)/CSC Hall of Fame inductee:"One of the best days of my career was when track and field athlete Diane Nordstrom came to my office to inquire about working in women’s sports information. What began as a student job became an internship, assistant and a long-time friendship. Diane’s many talents and work ethic made her an indispensable asset to UW communications. Her creativity and communications skills allowed her to master desktop publishing in its early phase and branch out from beautiful publications to radio commentary and beyond. Her easy personality made her popular among athletes and coaches. She was heralded by her beloved volleyball team last year in her farewell tour upon announcing her retirement. As a fellow CSC (CoSIDA) Hall of Famer, Diane is simply the best I’ve ever known in this business. Congratulations to Diane on a distinguished career and well-deserved lifetime achievement award."

Justin Doherty, University of Wisconsin Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Communications/former CSC President (2009-10):"Diane epitomized loyalty, dedication and work ethic over her lengthy career at Wisconsin. She is a true Badger, having been a student-athlete at Wisconsin in addition to serving her alma mater for more than 30 years in media relations and communications. Particularly in the volleyball space, Diane became synonymous with high quality work and extensive knowledge of the sport. A Lifetime Achievement Award is most appropriate for Diane."

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