Hall of Fame
David L. Poehler's record speaks for itself. In four years of collegiate tennis at Macalester, he charted a 98-12 record in singles play and a 99-9 mark in doubles competition.
Remarkably, Poehler suffered only one loss in conference play in singles and doubles in his career. Along with his doubles partner, Clint Bruess (Class of '63), the sensational twosome captured the MIAC title three times, with their only defeat coming in the 1962 conference final. During that time, the Scots built a tennis dynasty, winning the MIAC crown in 1960, 1961, and 1963.
Poehler's talents weren't limited to the tennis court. He also played for the Scots basketball team in the winter and in 1962 he claimed the MIAC intramural handball singles championship, before taking the doubles title the following year. He also had a part in two plays - "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Caesar and Cleopatra" - and was active in the German and History clubs.
Poehler continued to play competitive tennis after his college days and was ranked in the top 10 in the Northwest in both singles and doubles from 1963-71. He was the tennis professional at Edina Country Club from 1964-72 and he taught and coached at Hazel Park Junior High School (1964-70) and at Tartan High School (1971-78). He received his master's degree in health education from the University of Minnesota in 1971.
From 1978-79, Poehler was the director of communications for the National Center for Health Education's School Health Education Project. In 1982, he received a doctorate degree in health education from the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale. He presently works as a professor in the health education department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Poehler is heavily involved in the public service end of his field, serving as a state youth chairperson for the lung association, cancer society and heart association of Alabama. A member of the governor's task force on health education, he was presented with the Ingalls Award in 1984 and 1986 for being the outstanding teacher in the School of Education at UAB.
Poehler and his wife, Sandra, have two sons, Scott and Paul. They reside in Vestavia, Ala.
