University of Minnesota Athletics
Dorothy Sheppard - M Club Hall of Fame
Dorothy Lestina Sheppard
Field Hockey, 1927-29
Women’s Swimming, 1927-29
Benefactor
HOF Class of 1985
St. Paul native Dorothy Lestina Sheppard was a University of Minnesota woman student-athlete long before there was a women’s program here. When one was created, she strengthened it considerably.
An avid athlete, she participated in field hockey, soccer, ice hockey, tennis, fencing, tumbling, softball, archery and swimming. President of the Aquatic League in 1927, she also served on the Women’s Athletic Association board from 1926-28 and was captain of the field hockey team in 1929, her senior year. Those combined experiences earned her an “M” letter sweater.
After graduation, Sheppard established the first endowment fund for women's athletics scholarships, a swimming and diving program that bears her name and funds 15 scholarships plus some additional program costs.
She also donated funds to help build the state-of-the-art University Aquatic Center; its pool is named the Dorothy L. Sheppard Pool in her honor.