Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: Craig Anderson

Name – Craig Anderson
UW-Stout graduation year – 1989
Major – Business Administration
Sport – Men's Golf
Years Played – 1987-89
Hometown (High School) – Menomonie, WI
Currently Reside – Menomonie, WI
 Why did you choose to be a collegiate student-athlete at UW-Stout and stay in Menomonie where you grew up? 
Several reasons:  1.  I knew the golf team was going to be good, and I was excited to play for Sten Pierce.    2.  I had a job at the golf course that allowed me to make some money while going to school.  3.  Coach Pierce was working very hard to get the university to implement a Golf Management Program, which was very appealing.  This program was eventually implemented and is now known as the Golf Enterprise Management Program.  4.  I knew and respected many Stout professors, many are friends to this day.

What did you like most about competing in collegiate athletics?  
The "rush" and excitement of competing, not only as an individual, but as a team.  We were also fortunate to play some great golf courses with some very good players, some of whom made golf their career.

What is the greatest lesson you learned from being a collegiate student-athlete? 
Hard work builds confidence, and you need confidence (without the arrogance) to succeed.  I also learned the importance of time management.  To balance school, sports, work, and friends/family can be a challenge.
 Who was the most influential person in your athletic career? 
Sten Pierce.  Not only was he a great golf coach, he and his family were very close friends of our family.  As a golf coach, he was demanding, organized, and held us to a high standard. We not only wanted to play well for ourselves and our teammates, we wanted to play well for Sten.  We enjoyed seeing him succeed. Off the course, everyone enjoyed being around him.  When Sten laughed, everyone knew he was in the room. Also, Howie Samb.  Howie (current Stout women's golf coach) was inspirational in my life since being my flag football coach during my youth and then as one of my golf instructors all the way through high school.  I have great respect for Howie, and he remains a very good friend.

What is your most memorable or favorite sports moment at UW-Stout? 
There are so many, so I need to list a few:   At the 1987 Conference Championships at Lawsonia, while other teams were hitting balls, Sten had us running laps around a backstop and doing push-ups to warm up.  It came down to the last group on the last day, and we ended up winning our first conference championship by two strokes over Stevens Point.   Otherwise, something as simple as our trips to the tournaments in a small mini-van were filled with great memories.

How did your teammates describe you as a person and a student-athlete? 
Hard-working, but sometimes over-thought things on the golf course.  Would look great on the range, but could never take it to the first tee.

Are you in contact with any former Blue Devil student-athletes? (If so, who?)
Yes.  Most of my teammates; Steve Dahlby, Jimmy Maguire, Eric Pierce, Jon Higley, Craig Zadra, Steve Mongerson to name a few

Outside of athletics, what other activities were you involved in at UW-Stout? 
I played intramural basketball.  Otherwise spent my time working, studying, hunting, fishing, and some social time with friends.

Give us a brief synopsis of your life since graduating from UW-Stout, include job and family? 
My first job after graduating from Stout was an Assistant Pro at Cedar Creek Golf Course in Onalaska.  Other opportunities came my way and I have made the beer industry my career for the past 23 years.  I am currently the General Sales Manager at Bill's Distributing, a leading beer wholesaler in West-Central WI.   I met my wife, Sara, while she was going to Stout and we have three wonderful boys (Aiden, Brody, and Cooper)

What was it like playing with a bunch of your high school teammates in college? 
Eric Pierce, Steve Dahlby, and I grew up together on the golf course (Tanglewood, which is now Chippewa Valley Golf Course).  Steve and I transferred back to Stout the same year, so it was great to play on same team as Seve (Steve's nickname)

Talk about the teams you were a part of and winning a conference championship? 
Any of my success in sports and in life have been because I have been surrounded by great people.  Many of my teammates are very close friends, and many made golf their career choice:

Steve Dahlby….worked for Golf Digest schools, and has been a teaching pro for years.  Steve has worked with current PGA Tour players Sean O'Hair and Martin Laird,  to name a few.

Jim Maguire…..Still a top player in the state, Jimmy has been a PGA Head Professional at several top courses in Wisconsin his entire career.

Charlie Brown….Wisconsin State Player of the Year for several years after graduating.  Charlie was good in college, but got great after graduating.  Charlie is a PGA Head Professional in the Milwaukee area.

Paul Byron…….Was a PGA Head Professional for 20 years in the Appleton, then Oconomowoc area.  Currently resides in River Falls.

Jon Higley……..Was a Conference Champion his senior year. Lives in Eleva where he also coaches the Boy's High School Golf Team.

Eric Pierce……Worked for Epson Sports Marketing upon graduating from Stout, where he traveled to numerous PGA events working in Epson's Golf Division, which was the Official Score Keepers of the PGA Tour.