UWEC Athletics Hall of Fame
Randy Wade was a 6-5 swingman whom head coach Ken Anderson labeled an outstanding defensive player. Anderson pointed out that Wade was quick enough to defend a guard and could jump well enough to guard a big man. According to the Hall of Fame coach, Wade normally drew the opponent’s best offensive player during his two and half seasons at Eau Claire after transferring from Marquette University. In addition to his defensive prowess, Wade averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game for his 70-game Blugold career. He was All-Conference in 1974 and 1975, played on two conference championship teams and one team that advanced to the NAIA Nationals in Kansas City. Wade, who led his Omro High School team to four consecutive conference championships, was the UPI Wisconsin High School Player of the Year in 1970. In addition to earning all-conference honors twice, Wade garnered NAIA All-American honorable mention in 1974. He was a two-time All-Holiday Classic First Team selection and was Classic MVP in 1973 when the Blugolds beat Armstrong State for the title. He also won the Classic’s first Playmaker Award in 1974. He set a Classic record for free throws made in a game with 13. He served as team captain as a senior. He still shares a school record for free throw percentage in a single game as he made all 11 of his attempts against Stout on Jan. 13, 1975.
Wade was a secondary education graduate in 1975. He went on to earn a special education teaching license from UW-Oshkosh in 1980 and an alternative education teaching license from Marian College of Wisconsin in 1990. He taught special education and alternative education to special needs students for 27 years until his retirement in 2007. He also coached middle school track for two years and high school basketball for 11 years at Omro, Waupaca and Dodgeland High Schools. He came out of retirement in 2012 to run a special education program for the West Salem School District.
