A Cherished Leader: Honoring the Legacy of Colleen Lischwe
A trailblazer in her field. A beloved coach, mentor, and friend. One of our students’ greatest cheerleaders, who was always there to lend a helping hand. Colleen Lischwe was someone people could depend on, a constant in the campus community whose smile brightened every room she stepped into.
The McKendree University community is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Collen Lischwe on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. To say that she was a beloved and integral part of our campus community is an understatement. She served as our head men’s and women’s water polo coach, often giving more of her time to help others in need. Her dedication to our student-athletes and her commitment to fostering an environment of growth, community, and excellence were second to none. We will truly miss this remarkable young woman.
An Aspiring Athlete Wanting to Make a Difference
A resident of Kirkwood, Mo., Colleen had a successful high school and college playing career. She was named the Missouri High School Female Player of the Year from 2005-2007 and was named to numerous All-Conference and All-District teams. Following her high school career, Colleen starred at Marist College, a Division I program in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. During her time at Marist, she competed in the NCAA National Championship tournament twice, finishing eighth in 2008 and seventh in 2009.
She graduated from Marist College in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and later from Saint Louis University in 2012 with a degree in environmental science, sociology, and environmental studies.
Before Colleen came to McKendree, she served as the head water polo coach at Kirkwood High School. She also acted as the Midwest Zone Women’s Cadet Coach from 2010-2016 through the USA Water Polo’s Olympic Development Program and reprised this role in 2019. Along with her collegiate coaching duties, Colleen also touched so many young lives in the surrounding communities, serving as the coach for both the boys’ and girls’ groups at St. Louis Area Polo, a club team in her hometown.
A Remarkable Leader of Bearcat Student-Athletes
Colleen began her coaching journey as the assistant water polo coach at McKendree in 2016, working her way up to becoming a vital part of the department. During her time here, she earned her Master of Business Administration degree in 2018, all while rising in the ranks to become the head women’s water polo coach in February 2017. In her first season, she was selected as the 2017 CWPA Midwest Division Coach of the Year. She led the
women’s polo team to their first Midwest Division Championship match that year and was awarded the Sandy Nitta Distinguished Coaching Award by USA Water Polo for her work in developing women’s water polo at the collegiate level. The team would then go on to win a school record of 16 games in 2022 under her coaching, finishing with a 16-7 overall record – the team’s first-ever winning record.
In 2018, Colleen also became the head men’s water polo coach, leading the team to its most successful season in program history that year as they made their first appearance at the MAWPC Championship tournament. She earned the 2018 Coach of the Year Award at the CWPA DII Championships and was also presented with the Dick Russell Coach of the Year Award at the 2018 MAWPC-West Conference Championships. Under her guidance and leadership, the men’s team made it to the MAWPC-West Championship Game in 2019 and the MAWPC Tournament Championship in the 2020-2021 season.
Throughout her time at McKendree, Colleen showed herself to be a natural-born leader, according to Athletic Director Anthony Francis.
“Nothing was too much for her,” he said. “She never said ‘no’ and would always knock it out of the park.”
Purple with a Heart of Gold
More importantly than the accolades Colleen garnered for herself and her teams was her character. She embodied what it meant to be a true servant leader and cherished her opportunities to teach and develop young men and women. She wasn’t just a coach – she was also a close friend and colleague to many on campus, and she helped create a special bond that exists within the McKendree community.
“No one represented our university better or cared about the success of our overall department more than Colleen; she was special,” Anthony said “When I needed help, rarely did someone beat her to responding. She never missed a moment to offer solutions to problems, and I always enjoyed our conversations and joyful interactions. She was a genuinely amazing person whom we were fortunate to have in our lives for as long as we did.”
Colleen’s charismatic personality, infectious smile, hardworking demeaner, and go-getter attitude was known to so many on campus. She loved seeing her team come together to focus on a task and light up in delight from a win, especially against a tough team. She felt that with trust, respect, hard work, and a lot of fun, her Bearcats could overcome any obstacles in their way.
In addition to her McKendree life, Colleen was a beloved wife, mother, sister, daughter, and friend. Her love for her family, especially her husband, Casey, and their three-year-old daughter, Ozzy, was evident to all who knew her. Her willingness to help others extended into all areas of her life, whether it meant taking on extra coaching duties, offering counsel to an athlete going through a difficult time, or lending a listening ear to a friend in need.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Colleen’s family, friends, team members, colleagues, and everyone who knew her during this incredibly difficult time. As we continue to process this loss together, we wish to celebrate her wonderful legacy that she established as a selfless individual who put others first in her life on a daily basis. We will share plans to honor her memory in the coming days.
Rest in peace, Colleen. Your impact on our community will never be forgotten.
