UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Norm Krenz was a two-time All-Conference basketball player in 1940 and 1941 and the school's "Best All-Around Athlete-Leader and Good Sport" in 1941. Krenz was a four-year UWEC letterman for Bill Zorn's basketball teams and played on the school's first two conference basketball championship teams in 1938 and 1939 and the first Blugold team to participate in the NAIA tournament in Kansas City, Missouri in 1939. He served as captain of the 1940-41 basketball team and also was an outfielder on the Blugold baseball team. He retired in 1983 following 34 years as High School Principal and District Personnel Director at Black River Falls. After he graduated in 1941, Krenz landed his first job as a teacher and coach (basketball and baseball) at Bayfield High School. His career was interrupted by World War II during which time he spent three and a half years in the United States Air Force, 20 months in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. He returned to Bayfield in January, 1946; but left a year and a half later to become a science teacher and coach at Black River Falls High School. He coached basketball for three years and football, baseball and track for two seasons each. He was appointed Principal in 1949 and served in that capacity until 1980. He became Personnel Director for the School District in 1980 and held that position until his retirement.
