Schuster, Diane (Mihalic)

Diane (Mihalic) Schuster – (2001)

 

When the term all around gifted athlete is used, the name of Diane Mihalic Schuster should conjure up old memories. Schuster is the only Clearview High School athlete to earn 12 varsity letters. She received four each in volleyball, basketball, and track all under coach Pat Hershey.

It takes a certain caliber of a person to be a leader and Diane fit the bill as she captained the girls basketball and volleyball teams three years running while earning Most Valuable Player awards in both. She was captain of the track team for two years also earning MVP honors. One of the most memorable moments for Diane came in her senior year when she captured the State Long Jump Championship with a then school record of 17′ 4″ jump. This bettered a phenomenal 10th place finish she had the year before as a junior. She was also a District Qualifier in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 220 relay teams. Her on the field leadership carried into the classroom as well. Coupling her extra curricular achievements with her classroom excellence she earned a place in the National Honor Society.

In 1976 she was named the Chronicle Telegram Player of the Year for basketball and was named All Ohio Basketball the same year. Often called the “Backbone of the Clipper Team”, she averaged almost 22 points and 17 rebounds a game her senior year. She once scored 38 points against Wellington High School, which set a then County and School record for womens basketball. She helped Clearview win the Division II Lorain County Girls Basketball Championship defeating much larger schools such as Amherst, Lorain High and Lorain Admiral King in the process. She was also the 1974-75 LCCC skills champ utilizing her all around basketball abilities.

Clearview High has also recognized Diane for her excellence in athletics with her induction as a member of the Clipper Wall of Fame. She was the first woman athlete to win the Doc Brill Award, which is given annually by the Sheffield Lions Club. In 1999 the Chronicle Telegram recognized Diane as one of the top 100 athletes of the century in local sports.

Diane resides in Lorain with her husband Bret and has two children, Heather and Bret, Jr.