UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Mary Mero was the first women's gymnastics coach and women's diving coach at UWEC, joining the staff in 1969 when the McPhee Physical Education Center complex was completed. She served as head gymnastics coach for 21 years and women's diving coach for six years. Mero retired in 2000 after 31 years of service as a member of the Department of Kinesiology. During that period, she taught multitudes of students in downhill skiing, cross country skiing, synchronized swimming, diving, archery, bowling, badminton, dance roller skating, gymnastics, fitness, weight training, ballet, tap and modern dance, racquetball, exercise with music, beginning and intermediate swimming and bicycling. She also was the internship coordinator for the exercise management emphasis for 11 years and handled field observations. She served as an American Red Cross instructor in Community CPR and First Aid, HIV/AIDS Education and Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Training. Mero was the founder and director of the UWEC girls gymnastics camp for girls ages 5 to 17 for 30 years. She was also a master teacher for the UWEC Swim and Gym Children's Program for children ages 5 to 12, also for 30 years. She was active in the Eau Claire County 4-H program for 18 years, spent 12 years with Kinship and sang for years in the Valley Gospel Choir. She was a volunteer worker at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also taught and presented many workshops and clinics on bicycle safety. Mero was director of the 1986 NAIA gymnastics championship which UWEC hosted after being named the WWIAC gymnastics Coach of the Year in 1985. Growing up in Minnesota, Mero won 22 state AAU one and three-meter diving championships between 1958 and 1963. She was also the Minnesota AAU floor exercise champion in 1962. Mero spent five years at the College of St. Teresa in Winona before coming to UWEC.
