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Tara Stauffacher selected as the 2019 female recipient of the Pat Richter Award for most outstanding three-sport athlete

07/01/2019, 2:00pm CDT
By Norbert Durst

Beaver Dam's Tara Stauffacher has been selected as the 2018-19 female recipient of the Pat Richter Award from WisSports.net as the Triple Threat Athlete of the Year.

The Triple Play Triple Threat of the Week is an honor given on WisSports.net to the top senior boys and girls three-sport athletes in the state. At the end of the school year, those awarded with the weekly honor are eligible for the Pat Richter Award, which will go out to the top boys and girls three-sport athlete of the season.

Hugh V. "Pat" Richter is one of Wisconsin's most storied student-athletes in state history. He was a three-sport athlete at Madison East High School, competing in football, basketball and baseball. He went on to fame at the University of Wisconsin, earning nine varsity letters in three sports and would later become the Athletic Director at Wisconsin.

Past winners of the award include Caitlin Link of Madison Edgewood (2017-18), Lexi Smith of Northland Pines (2016-17), Grace Mueller of Verona (2015-16), Megan Gustafson of South Shore (2014-15), Kennedy Blahnik of Algoma (2013-14), Jenna Orr of Rice Lake (2012-13), Kailee Kamps of Belmont (2011-12), Kendall Wienkes of Highland (2010-11), and Andie Varsho of Marshfield (2009-10). 

Stauffacher finished her career as a 11-time varsity letter-winner; she competed in volleyball, basketball and track & field at Beaver Dam High School. 

She helped the Golden Beavers compile a 104-5 record in her four years, including capturing three consecutive WIAA Division 2 state titles. 

Stauffacher was two-time Division 2 WBCA all-state selection and earned second-team AP all-state as a senior and fourth-team as a junior. 

She averaged 11.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game, and connected on over 55 three-pointers for coach Tim Chase and Beaver Dam as a senior. Tara finished her career second on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,125 points and holds the school-record for career 3-pointers. 

Stauffacher will continue her basketball career at the University of Wisconsin. She committed to play for coach Jonathan Tsipis and the Wisconsin Badgers as a junior. 

In volleyball, Stauffacher was a four-year varsity performer, earning first-team all-Badger North as a senior and second-team as a junior. 

In track & field, she was a three-year letter-winner and reached the state meet in shot put as a senior. 

What was the best advice she received from a high school coach?

"The best advice I have received from a high school coach would be that I should always be representing myself in the best way possible on and off the court. Always hold the door for people, say hello and thank you, and be polite to everyone," Stauffacher told WSN in her initial Triple Threat of the Week profile. 

Stauffacher told WSN that the best part about playing three sports was being able to compete year round and being able to play a different sport for the fun of it.

She also excelled in the classroom with a 3.9 GPA. Tara plans to study Kinesiology in college. 

To view our initial profile of Tara as part of our Triple Play Triple Threat Athlete of the Week series, please click here.

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Tag(s): Triple Threat AOTW  News Archive  GBB News  Girls Track News  News  Norbert Durst