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Diane Nordstrom (University of Wisconsin) – CoSIDA Hall of Fame
by Andy Baggot, UWBadgers.com Insider
 

Diane Nordstrom grew up in a family where excellence wasn’t demanded as much as it was expected.

The youngest of six, raised in small-town Wisconsin, Nordstrom lived under the same roof with two valedictorians, a salutatorian, three college graduates, a banker, a nurse, a physician, prize-winning athletes and an Emmy Award recipient.

Her parents didn’t push, cajole or promote while raising a family in tiny Melrose, population 503, but Chester and Marjorie did create a loving environment where each achievement brought about a sense of quiet pride.

Another entry to that list of accomplishments will come this summer when Nordstrom, the long-time associate athletic communications director at the University of Wisconsin, is inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame.

CoSIDA is comprised of nearly 3,100 intercollegiate athletic communications and media relations specialists from colleges, universities and athletic leagues at all divisions of competition in the United States and Canada.

The induction ceremony is June 28, part of the annual CoSIDA convention at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

It’s a milestone achievement on multiple fronts.

Nordstrom will be the fifth CoSIDA Hall of Fame inductee from UW, joining Art Lentz in 1969, Jim Mott in ‘79, Tam Flarup in 2007 and Justin Doherty in ’13. That’s more than any other school.
  By following in the footsteps of her mentor, Flarup, Nordstrom is the second woman from Wisconsin to be inducted. No other school has more than one.

Upon getting the news of her induction, Nordstrom took a wide-angle view of the moment.

“The first thing that came to my mind is that I get to continue that Wisconsin tradition of outstanding athletic communications people, especially Tam Flarup, because she’s the one who got me into this profession in the first place.”

As was the case in 2015 when Nordstrom received the inaugural Achievement Award from CoSIDA in Orlando, Florida, sisters Nancy, Mary and Susan plan to be on hand for the induction ceremony, no doubt channeling their late parents.

“I think she’s just doing our mom and dad very proud,” Susan said.

A Wisconsin graduate, Madison resident and president of the UW Medical School Alumni Association, Susan said the entire family, including brothers Randy and Terry, takes pride in their youngest sibling.

“But we expect that because that’s what mom and dad expected of us,” Susan said.

As with Susan, Nancy was a valedictorian at Melrose-Mindoro High School who graduated from UW and went into the medical field as a nurse in La Crosse. She said the Nordstrom family operated off a simple premise.

“It was sort of an unspoken thing that you always did your best,” Nancy said.

Diane has tried to live that premise while becoming a pioneer on multiple fronts.

She was a standout track athlete at Wisconsin from 1980 to ’84, setting school records in the discus at a time when women’s sports were beginning to gain NCAA sponsorship.

While pursuing a degree in journalism, Nordstrom began working in the old UW sports information office, first as a student assistant then as a paid intern in a profession thoroughly dominated by men.

The strengths Nordstrom displayed as an elite student-athlete meshed nicely with her instincts as an SID.

Flarup said Nordstrom made an immediate impression, one that’s carried her through countless changes in staff, emphasis and technology.

“She was so impressive as a student assistant, not only with her knowledge, but her dedication,” Flarup said. “From the get-go, she was an incredibly confident and competent person.”

Nordstrom served as the SID at UW-Milwaukee from 1986-89 before returning to her alma mater in Madison for good. She has worked directly with 10 Badgers sports over the last 28 years, including her current roles with volleyball and women’s basketball.

UW volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield said Nordstrom, who coordinated oversight for the NCAA semifinals and finals in 1993 and ’98, brings a welcome attitude to the proceedings.

“I love being around people that are passionate, optimistic,” he said. “When we sit there and ask her ‘What about this? What about that?’ she’s always open to a lot of different things.

“She’s just incredibly upbeat. I think she does a really good job of being able to separate, ‘This is the time to have some fun and laugh’ from ‘This is the time to put my head down and get to work.’”

Nordstrom said growing up in a family of “very competitive” achievers – dad was a road construction foreman; mom was a medical secretary before having children and becoming a stay-at-home mom – brought out her best.

The oldest sibling, Randy, was a salutatorian in high school who attended UW and became a renowned lighting specialist for TV productions like “The Cosby Show” and “Sesame Street.” He won an Emmy for his work on the famed children’s show in 1984.

Susan was a gymnast for four years and qualified for the state track meet, while Terry, a cancer survivor who co-owns a lumberyard in Melrose, played on a basketball team that reached the WIAA state tournament.

After winning a state title in the shot put as a junior, Diane walked on to the women’s track team at UW, earned a partial scholarship as a sophomore and became team captain as a senior.

“A lot of it had to do with following in the footsteps of my older siblings, wanting to do what they did,” Diane said. “But also, for me, it was a sense of making my own mark, especially athletically.”

Nordstrom’s drive has roots in her upbringing, the kind that have nurtured a Hall of Fame career.

“I’m very proud of her,” sister Nancy said. “I think she’s very deserving if, in her job, she has the same work ethic as she has around us. Whenever we get together, if there’s a work project, she’s the first one to get going on it and stays until the job is done.”

Where does the Hall of Fame citation fit on the list of Nordstrom family accomplishments?

“I’d say it’s right up there near the top,” sister Nancy said.

“My family has been very successful in a lot of different fields,” Diane said. “I think being recognized with the CoSIDA Hall of Fame award is definitely one of the best honors our family has received.”