MILWAUKEE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS CHRIS ZILLS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS - COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA
CODY BOHL ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - COMMUNICATIONS
ASHLEY STELTENPOHL COORDINATOR - CONTENT CREATION
CALLIE HEBERT COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT
KOLTON SCHLICHTING COORDINATOR - MULTIMEDIA SERVICES
GARY D’AMATO FEATURE WRITER
PHOTOGRAPHY TROYE FOX, MIKE GRYNIEWICZ, LEN CEDERHOLM, ASHLEY STELTENPOHL, AND TOMMY BARRETT MILWAUKEE CREATIVE ASHLEY STELTENPOHL, FRANK KUGEL, TOMMY BARRETT, BILLY KLINGSPORN JR., JONAH JAMROZ, KENNY JUSINO, AND JENN DORE SPONSORSHIP CONTACT SHEA HANSEN
CONTENTS 6.25 3
UNITED WE WILL. - A MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AMANDA BRAUN
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HORIZON LEAGUE SPRING ALL-ACADEMIC
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SENIOR SALUTE
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SUSIE JOHNSON’S MOST MEMORABLE MATCHES
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RETURNING FOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS
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TREVOR SCHWECKE - CHASE YOUR DREAMS
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WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELDL: ASHLEY MELVIN
COVER: UNCHARTED TERRITORY WITH GARY D’AMATO
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DONOR REPORT
The racial injustice and violence we recently witnessed with the killing of George Floyd is a stark reminder of the ongoing and pervasive racial bias and discrimination that exists in our country. It is also a reminder for our Panther family that we have a great deal of work to do to help create a world where we all feel safe in our daily lives. It is a reminder that we must do more to support our student-athletes and staff who are frustrated and hurting. Leaders within our department, including staff and student-athletes, serve on our Diversity and Inclusion committee and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Diversity and Inclusion sub-committee. These leaders will continue to act on their mission of supporting the Panther Athletics Diversity Statement. They will work together to identify ways for us to collectively encourage action through dialogue that creates a diverse, inclusive and safe environment for our community. In addition, we fully support the message and initiatives outlined this week by Chancellor Mone that will further address racial injustice on our campus. Racial discrimination has no place within our community and the Milwaukee Athletics Department strongly condemns behaviors and language that discriminate against, degrade or harm people. Our staff and student-athletes will stick together through this incredibly difficult time. We will listen. We will create dialogue. We will act. We will stand against hate and discrimination in all forms. We will work as a Panther family to provide a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion through conversation, education, and support. We will continue this work so that every member of our community can feel safe and valued. We will be there for one another. United We Will, United We Roar. Amanda Braun, Director of Athletics
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KYRA ARENDT
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
MITCHELL BUBAN
ALEX COTTER
TENNIS
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
MICHELLE MEYER
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
LUKE RAPISARDA
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
MEGAN SAFRANSKI
MICHAEL SIPPY
MATT VANEK
JOE VYSKOCIL
MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
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NICOLE CLARKE
BASEBALL
BASEBALL
WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
BASEBALL
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On August 30, 2019, the Milwaukee volleyball team swept Belmont University 3-0, marking head coach Susie Johnson’s 200th at the helm. Johnson became the third Panthers’ head coach with at least 200 wins and is 224165 in 13 seasons. Milwaukee joined NCAA Division I in 1990 and has a total of 525 program victories. We caught up with Johnson to track down her five most memorable matches. They are listed in chronological order from oldest to most recent. After a short recap about each match, Johnson explains why each was so special for her. 13 | Vol. 5 | Issue 4
1
vs. SYRACUSE (W, 3-2) SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2007
The Milwaukee volleyball team knocked off a tough Syracuse team 3-2 to help Johnson capture her first collegiate heading coaching victory. The Panthers (11) never led in the decisive fifth game and hung on for a 15-13 victory to seal the victory. Jamie Gabrielsen tallied a collegiate-best 31 kills and Leanne Felsing recorded a triple-double with 17 kills, 22 digs, and 32 assists. In the fifth frame, MKE jumped to a 4-0 lead and led 8-6 at the change-over. The Orange did fight back to tie the game at 11 but a kill by Felsing, an ace by Becky Peters, and a Syracuse error gave MKE match point. The Orange scored the next two points before Felsing’s kill down the right side wrapped up the match for the Panthers. “As a brand-new head coach, I used every timeout, every sub, every idea, ever strategy and we ended up winning against a really good Syracuse team,” Johnson said. “It was significant because it was at Wisconsin and I know the history at the Fieldhouse. My coaching career really points back to that moment. That match captured every emotion for me, and it gave me some relief in a way proving that I can do this as a head coach.”
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vs. No. 18 IOWA STATE FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2008
(W 3-2)
The Panthers (1-1) rebounded from a season-opening loss to take down No. 18 Iowa State at their home invitational. Behind 21 kills from Maddie Sueppel, 15 from Becky Peters, and 29 digs from Lauren Felsing, Milwaukee earned a win over a ranked opponent for the first time since 1999. The Panthers broke a 10-all tie with three straight points behind the strong serving of Kellye Zaporski. Then, after Iowa State pulled to within 13-11, a service error by the Cyclones and Natalie Schmitting’s 10th kill wrapped things up for Milwaukee. “I was still a pretty new head coach and it was meaningful because they were ranked at the time. It was my first win against a ranked team,” Johnson
commented. “We were a pretty young team because the year before we had five seniors. We just put everything together for the team in that moment. It was such an incredible feat because they were the bigger, more physical team. To beat them in that way was memorable.”
3
at CLEVELAND STATE (W SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
3-1)
After a Horizon League loss on October 11, the Milwaukee women’s volleyball team had just five wins to its credit and stood in eighth place in the league standings. Six weeks later, the Panthers (16-14) were crowned champions. Thanks to a stellar defensive effort, including 16 digs from tournament Most Valuable Player Lauren Felsing, Milwaukee earned its 11th straight victory and eighth NCAA Tournament berth with a 3-1 win over top-ranked Cleveland State. The Panthers never trailed in the final two sets as they claimed their sixth league tournament crown. “That tournament, our team was on a mission,” Johnson stated. “Nobody talked about anything but winning. That was the most confident I was going into a tournament only because of the mentality of that team. We were the three seed but playing at our highest level. When it came down to it, we just took care of business. It was incredible.”
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at No. 23 Dayton (L 2-3) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2009
Riding an 11-match winning streak and holding all the momentum, the Milwaukee volleyball team pushed No. 23 Dayton to a fifth set, but the Flyers stood tall in the final frame to send the Panthers to a 3-2 defeat. The Milwaukee defense kept the Panthers (16-15) in the match as five players reached double figure digs led by Lauren Felsing’s 24. The Panthers continued to battle in the fifth set, but couldn’t get anything going offensively, ending the winning streak. “That particular season, we had more momentum than any team in the country. We had won 11 in a row 15 | Vol. 5 | Issue 4
coming into that match, it was one of the teams that just believed,” Johnson said. “That match as probably the best we played all year; it just came against a team that was 30-3. Dayton had the ability to quickly push us back. We were on our way and they flipped it around. That group was strong mentally and really figured it out. It is memorable because it’s the best we ever played in the NCAA Tournament.”
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vs. GREEN BAY (W, 3-2) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019
The Panthers (25-5) rallied to beat Green Bay 3-2 at the Klotsche Center in the season finale, earning the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the Horizon League Tournament. Predicted to finish seventh in the league standings before the start of the year, Milwaukee proved the doubters wrong with a 12-4 Horizon League record. The Phoenix forced a fifth frame after being down 2-1, but the Panthers were spot on in the final set with eight kills and a .500 attack percentage. Milwaukee rode the hot hand of senior Shari Volpis, who matched a career-high with 18 kills including four in the fifth set. “We had a pretty special year this year. The fact that we lost both times to Green Bay in 2018 and turned it around this season was special,” Johnson commented. “There was a lot on the line in that match for us to end the year. It was an intense match and had every emotion you could think of. The fact that we pulled it off in such an incredible way, it was my favorite match of the year. It honestly felt like a 12-month effort. Matches like this is what you play for and coach for, it captured all of the emotion.”
***
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Ashley Melvin milwaukee panthers women's track & field
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ASHLEY MELVIN, A SENIOR ON THE MILWAUKEE WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD TEAM, WAS OFF TO AN UNSTOPPABLE START TO WHAT EVERYONE EXPECTED TO BE HER FINAL CAMPAIGN IN 2020. DESPITE STANDING ONLY 5-FOOT-4, SHE BROKE THE HIGH JUMP SCHOOL RECORD FOUR TIMES DURING THE INDOOR SEASON (TO 5-FOOT, 10-INCHES), WON THE HORIZON LEAGUE INDOOR HIGH JUMP TITLE, AND WAS NAMED THE LEAGUE’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR. FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT COULD BE GOING ON IN HER HEAD BEFORE EACH JUMP. WITH A FEW MONTHS OF TIME HAVING PASSED AND IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, NOW IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK BACK INSIDE THE MIND OF ASHLEY MELVIN DURING EACH OF HER RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCES. MKEPANTHERS.COM | 20
JANUARY 11, 2020 Melvin first opened up the indoor season with a tie of the 17-year-old school high jump record at 1.71m (5-7 1/4) at the Gene Edmonds Invite. “It was my first meet back competing healthy,” Melvin said, “I was thankful for that alone and going into the meet I felt very prepared mentally and physically. I didn’t put a lot of pressure on myself, but I did have the goal to jump 5-7 or better. When I had the opportunity to do better, I told myself I could do this and trusted my body.”
JANUARY 18, 2020 One week later at the Tierney Classic home opener, Melvin outdid herself to break the school record again at 1.72m (5-7 3/4). “I had set the goal to beat the record again. I wanted to jump 5-8 or 5-9. I was very excited for a home meet. I was comfortable on my home turf and was very excited to compete. I had mentally rehearsed what the day would look like, and when it came to 1.72m I knew I could do it, I stepped up to my mark took a deep breath and just did it.”
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FEBRUARY 1, 2020 When February came around, Melvin truly shined. The senior high jumper demolished the school record once again at the ONU Invite, this time at 1.77m (5-9 3/4). “I was hungry for more! I knew I had it in me to jump higher. Initially, I was going to take this meet off, but something told me to keep pushing more, and that I knew something big was going to happen. Seeing how consistent I was so far in the season, that usually meant a PR was coming, and I was right. That day I really surprised myself. This day was very memorable. When the bar was at 1.74m, I had all the confidence in the world, stepped up to the line and just jumped. When I had made it, I was happy, and I jumped off the mat with Coach Basler there to congratulate me. When the bar was raised to 1.77m I was excited for the challenge and didn’t focus on the height, I focused on what my body needed to do to achieve this height. I knew I had the height, but I would need to follow through with big knee drive and patience. When the moment came, a rush of chills went through my body, I just knew I would make it. When I jumped up and turned my back towards the bar, I could
see that I had already cleared the bar and fell onto the mat with joy. I stood up and held back my tears of joy and rushed to hug Coach Basler.”
FEBRUARY 15, 2020 But Melvin wasn’t done yet. Two weeks later at the GVSU Big Meet, she cleared the bar at 1.78m (5-10) to re-set the school record for the fourth time in just one season. “GVSU Big Meet was also very memorable. I had gone in wanting to break my record again. I had spent the week mentally preparing how I would achieve this goal through meditation in the afternoon and visualization at night. This was always one of my favorite places to jump and for the past couple years, I had been a champion at this meet. While warming up, I felt loose and had an abundance of energy, I just knew it was going to be another great day. I was very consistent again that day. When the bar was raised to 1.78m and I missed the first two attempts, I remember
talking with Coach Basler and saying that I knew I could do this and he said, ‘then go do it.’ This gave me the reassurance to get this height on my last attempt. I stepped up to my mark. Took a deep breath as chills ran through my body again. My mind was blank and as I ran to the bar everything felt like it was in slow motion. My knee came across my body and as I turned my back to the bar, I knew I had made it before my whole body was over. It was another celebratory moment.”
MARCH 1, 2020 She proved to be the best in the Horizon League all season long and she emphasized that at the Horizon League Indoor Championships by winning the League High Jump title easily at 1.73m. But Melvin didn’t just end there as she jacked the bar up to 1.81m. “That day I was super consistent again. I had my sights set on nationals so jacking the bar up to 1.81m would have qualified me for nationals. At this point I had nothing to lose and didn’t want to spend my energy on other heights.” After such a remarkable indoor season, Melvin was ready to push herself further and continue her domination into the outdoor season.
MKEPANTHERS.COM | 22
“I was most excited about using the momentum I had from an amazing indoor season to make outdoor just as great or greater. I had the goal to break the outdoor school record, which was 1.74m, as well as qualify for regionals and then go to nationals.” Unfortunately, the outdoor season was officially canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and her goals were put on hold. “After learning that my collegiate career was potentially over, I was upset. I had worked so hard to get where I am at and had such good momentum going. I was improving almost every meet, so I was excited to see where outdoor would take me. All the uncertainty left me uneasy, but I had realized that even though the season was cut, no one could take the passion I have for high jump away. I knew there would be another day I would step onto the track again, and that motivated me to keep fighting for my dreams. It still does.” Luckily, the opportunity of having another year of eligibility presented itself quickly when the NCAA ruled to allow spring seniors the opportunity to return for their final campaigns. Melvin couldn’t pass up the chance. “I decided I wanted to stay a whole year in order to do track. It wasn’t a hard decision. I had such a good indoor season and that momentum, I just strongly felt I couldn’t end like that. I have so much more in me, and I feel the need to explore that. I didn’t want to look back later in life and regret not trying. Next year, I am looking to break the outdoor school record of 1.74m. I am looking to qualify for NCAA Regionals and then go to NCAA Outdoor Championships. I am also looking to get a mark for the Olympic trials throughout this process.” Stay tuned because Ashley Melvin will be back in 2021 as she has unfinished business as a Panther. ***
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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE ODDS APPEAR STACKED AGAINST YOU, BUT YOU PAY NO ATTENTION TO IT? IN THE WORLD OF COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS, IT USUALLY MAKES FOR A GREAT STORY. Take Trevor Schwecke of the Milwaukee baseball team for example, who was recently named the “Male Athlete of the Year” at May’s “Golden Panthers” student-athlete awards banquet. Schwecke walked onto campus four years ago with no promises on the baseball diamond. As it stood, the Panthers were the only NCAA Division I program to make him an offer and he was there to chase his dreams. In fact, he had no Division I or II offers to play baseball prior to visiting 27 | Vol. 5 | Issue 4
UWM’s campus during the summer after high school graduation. Up until that visit in July, Schwecke had his decision down to a pair of DIII schools in the state.
But he got what he needed: an opportunity.
Fast-forward a few impressive seasons – each one better than the last – and Schwecke was drafted following his junior campaign, landing as the Toronto Blue Jays 13th-round draft pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball Draft. “It was an indescribable feeling,” Schwecke said of earning the honor at the Golden Panthers. “My story from coming into UWM was extremely unique and I had to work to get a lot of the stuff that I earned throughout my career. This was a result of all the hard work and the coaches that put in their time and effort to me. I am extremely grateful to
everyone in the athletics department that was working with me in order for me to progress to the best of my abilities through my time there.” Schwecke accumulated the following statistics in just three seasons: a .322 average in 137 career games, recording 176 hits, 119 runs and 106 runs batted in. He collected 40 doubles, five triples, and seven home runs, added 56 walks and 30 stolen bases. He was named Horizon League all-conference each season, topped by a junior campaign that saw him land a spot on the first team, named a semifinalist for the Brooks Wallace Award (recognizing the nation’s top shortstop) as well as becoming just the fourth player in program history to earn national Academic All-American honors with a spot on the second team.
(collecting 2 hits) against Eastern Michigan Feb. 27. “When I came in, I got my first at bat against Eastern Michigan down in Florida. I remember going up to the plate just shaking,” Schwecke said. “I literally was so scared to be in that box. Once that all settled down, baseball came a lot easier. The mindset is just ‘next man up mentality’. It’s very cliché, but you have to process and have that mindset consistently through the season in order to be a great player. You just need to be a consistent player in order to be successful and I think that was what helped me be successful as a starter.”
“To be honest, I came in terrified of Division I baseball,” Schwecke said. “I believed in myself, I knew I had the potential to be there. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”
Through hard work, determination and a little good fortune, he was back in the starting lineup April 11 at Chicago State. A hit and a couple of RBI’s that day started a stretch that saw him start each of his final 22 games of the season. He batted .306 and was named second-team all-league and to the Horizon League All-Freshmen Team.
The start of his freshman season came one step at a time. Over the course of the first six weeks, he ended up making just 10 plate appearances – half of them coming in a five at-bat start
“I performed to the best of my abilities,” Schwecke said. “I was kind of a smaller kid – I was only 175 pounds and didn’t have lot of power – but I had a lot of instincts for the game and MKEPANTHERS.COM | 28
baseball IQ which I think I used to my advantage in order to secure a spot in the lineup throughout my freshman year. I didn’t have the power numbers my first year – I think I had 10 doubles in 110 at bats – but my average was pretty high, I was walking a decent amount and didn’t strike out a ton. I came in and made the most of what I was given and what I had – I performed to the best of my ability and thought it was a successful freshman year.” That was just the start for Schwecke, who returned to the field as a full-time starter as a sophomore. He repeated as a Second-Team All-Horizon League honoree after resetting career highs in every category. He batted .318 on the year and was one of just two Panthers to start all 54 games. He led the squad with 39 runs batted in (8th in Horizon League), 217 at bats (4th), 69 hits (4th), 43 runs scored (6th) and 19 stolen bases (4th), while his batting average was eighth-best in the Horizon League. He followed that up with a stellar junior campaign, batting .335 (second on the team) in 53 games played, all starts. Trevor recorded a team-best 74 hits and 20 doubles to go along with his team-high 57 runs scored and 54 RBI. 29 | Vol. 5 | Issue 4
"THE MINDSET IS JUST ‘NEXT MAN UP MENTALITY’. IT’S VERY CLICHÉ, BUT YOU HAVE TO PROCESS AND HAVE THAT MINDSET CONSISTENTLY THROUGH THE SEASON IN ORDER TO BE A GREAT PLAYER."
“I think the biggest reason for that jump was my ability to play in the Northwoods League,” Schwecke said about the summer of 2018. “I got a pretty late invite to the Madison Mallards and I went there and it was almost identical to my career here at UWM. I went in there super-late, got off to a slow start and then sat out for a week, week-and-half. I remember texting Coach Doffek
and saying ‘I don’t know if I am going to stay here if I am not going to play’. I can’t be wasting my time like this in the summer.” As usual, Schwecke just needed an opportunity. “I got an opportunity – went 2-for-5 that game – and things started rolling,” Schwecke said. “Everything started clicking, I became less anxious, and I got a lot more comfortable in my approach on offense and defense.” That opening led to a phenomenal season, earning a spot in the Northwoods League All-Star Game and the Major League Dreams Showcase. He batted .298, leading the team with 18 stolen bases. He recorded 73 hits in 61 games, scoring 53 runs. In his first season in the wood-bat league, he pounded out 15 doubles and clubbed seven home runs, driving in 34. “That very long summer proved to be the decision-maker for me to get drafted, I believe,” he said. “It was a lot of hard work. The Northwoods is a grind. It’s 7-8 hours a day and it’s 72 games in 77 days. It is mentally and physically a grind.” In three years with the Panthers,
By Th e Num ers b
.322 BATTING AVERAGE 176 HITS 119 RUNS 106 RBI 40 DOUBLES 5 TRIPLES 7 HOME RUNS 56 WALKS 30 STOLEN BASES *In three seasons with the Panthers
Schwecke played in 137 games. His last one was one of the toughest to get over, dropping a 6-5 nail-biter to UIC in the Horizon League Tournament Championship. Now that he is playing professionally for over a year, what does he recall from that day?
“I look back on that day and remember sitting in the dugout,” Schwecke said. “All of us were extremely emotional. I just remember all of the teammates that I went up to and you could tell that it was a true friendship that we had built throughout the team and established such a great culture. Even outside of the game of baseball, we were all super-close – great guys to be around to finish my career and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.” Even though it was technically just the end of his junior campaign, anyone around the slick-fielding shortstop already knew it was his final contest in the Black & Gold. The MLB Draft was just around the corner and so was the next step. “I remember Scotty (MKE head coach Scott Doffek) coming up to me and giving me a big hug and just telling me how proud he was of me,” Schwecke said. “I distinctly remember crying and telling him how thankful I was that he gave me an opportunity which put me in the best position to get drafted. Even just outside of baseball, becoming a better person.” The game that afternoon was a back-and-forth battle against the Flames, with Schwecke playing a MKEPANTHERS.COM | 30
big role. His single up the middle in the sixth inning drove in a pair of runners, making it a new game at 5-5 at the time. He got to bat one more time, but the fairy-tale ending was not in the cards. “I believe it was the top of the 9th and facing UIC’s closer,” Schwecke recalled. “This guy had a plus fastball and could get up there to 93-94 and I just remember thinking that he was going to start me with a fastball in, so I jumped on the first pitch – just missed it and flew out to left field. Not the best at bat to finish a career on, but obviously there were lots of other things I was able to accomplish here.” When all was said and done, Schwecke has nothing but favorable memories of his time as a Panther. “I think one of my favorite memories was playing at Miller Park and being in that atmosphere that the Brewers allowed us,” he said. “That was a great experience to be able to go through that with my teammates. To be able to 31 | Vol. 5 | Issue 4
live that experience was awesome.” Other individual games do stand out to the Marshfield, Wis., native as well. “We were playing Wright State at home and down a run or two,” Schwecke said. “They brought in one of their shortstops to try and close out the game and we all thought that was disrespectful to us. We were a pretty good offensive team. Long story short, Matt Quartel hit a walkoff home run and I remember that was probably one of the most ecstatic experiences that we went through that season.” The college season starts early – usually mid-February – and if the team extends the postseason, they are playing well into June. Being the only NCAA DI baseball team in the state of Wisconsin also means one thing in that early portion of the season – traveling the country while waiting for the snow to melt back at home. “We traveled to so many great places – Arizona, BYU – and we traveled so much
and got to experience so many parts of the United States,” Schwecke said. “Baseball has given me the opportunity to go do that and I would have never been able to if not for this game. Just being able to travel with my closest friends and experience a lot of different things stands out to me.” Now let’s fast-forward from draft day in 2019 to his current situation. Schwecke spent last year with the Vancouver Canadians, the Class A Northwest League affiliate of the Blue Jays. He had an up-and-down season by his own admission, but did bat .330 in 23 games in July, driving in 14 in that stretch. For the year, he checked in at .231 overall with a .336 on-base percentage. “It is a long season and you have to endure and battle a lot of obstacles along the way,” Schwecke said. “That is keeping a clear mindset through the ups and the downs. Not getting too cocky when you are up and staying level-headed when you are down. It was balancing out and figuring out the ebbs and flows of what it takes to be successful in pro ball.” Spending that first year in pro ball is always an adjustment. Throw a different country into the mix only added to the scheduling fun.
"I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER CRYING AND TELLING HIM (COACH DOFFEK) HOW THANKFUL I WAS THAT HE GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY WHICH PUT ME IN THE BEST POSITION TO GET DRAFTED. EVEN JUST OUTSIDE OF BASEBALL, BECOMING A BETTER PERSON."
“One of the hardest parts was just the travel we had to go through,” he said. “We had to wake up for our road series at like 3 AM, leave the stadium at 4 AM, drive 30 minutes to the border and go through customs. Get back on the bus, drive another six hours to get to the hotel. Take a 30-minutes nap, go right to the field to play the game. Play two more games and then drive through the night to come back home to play the next night at 7 PM. It was just a lot of time spent on the road and you have to be able to take care of your body mentally and physically and enjoy the whole season.” Schwecke took it all in and made the most of his opportunity, just as he has done every step of the way. “I just tried to absorb as much as I could and learn from all of the great resources,” he said. “Not just the coaches, but the players as well that they learned from their college careers. I tried to take it all in, process it and try and figure out what
I could use for me in order to be as successful as possible.” The COVID-19 pandemic has everyone in the sports world holding on to see what happens next. That is the case for Trevor, as well, who spent the offseason in Milwaukee training with a couple of other professional athletes from the area at NX Level. He also worked on his game at Hitters Baseball in Racine, doing some lessons as well as classes. In addition, the work never stopped, as he also was finishing up online classes to work ahead on his degree from UWMilwaukee. “I am still in the ‘off-season mode’ and trying to make the most out of an interesting time,” Schwecke said. “Lifting on my own and trying to get outside when it’s nice enough to be able to hit and do baseballrelated activities. Keeping myself busy.” Until that time, he will wait for an opportunity to arise. As he has proved time and time again, when opportunity knocks, Trevor Schwecke answers. *** MKEPANTHERS.COM | 32
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Like all of his teammates, redshirt senior Joe Vyskocil was counting down the days until Milwaukee’s baseball team would play its first-ever home game at Milkmen Stadium in Franklin, a state-of-the-art ballpark that would replace antiquated Henry Aaron Field. Meanwhile, Nicole Clarke, a senior on the women’s tennis team, was in the middle of a remarkable season that saw her fashion an 11-2 record at No. 1 singles and a 9-1 mark with Nikki Milner at No. 1 doubles. The women’s volleyball team was looking forward to a four-match spring season after going 26-6 in the fall. And the men’s and women’s track and field teams were starting to transition to the outdoor season after finishing second and third, respectively, in the Horizon League Indoor Championships. The date was March 12, 2020. Life was about to change in ways that would have been imaginable just a few weeks earlier. On that date, the NCAA announced that it was canceling the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments, as well as the remaining winter and spring schedules, in response to a rapidly spreading novel coronavirus.
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Eight days later, UWM canceled its May commencement in line with Gov. Tony Evers’ executive order barring mass gatherings. The dominoes continued to fall as the university initially extended spring break one week and eventually shut down completely, with classes and lectures moving online and students moving out of residence halls.
“It’s been great to be home with the family a lot more, but it’s definitely been an adjustment from that standpoint,” he said. “Just that day-to day interaction on the track and the practices and going to the competitions, that’s definitely the part I’m missing.”
America was in uncharted territory.
The NCAA granted seniors an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic, and Basler said he anticipated “one for sure and up to four” of his seniors to return for the 2021 outdoor season. They will not be eligible to compete in the indoor season, because it was completed.
At UWM, the reaction by studentathletes, coaches and support staff to the cancellation of their seasons and the closure of the campus ran the gamut: disbelief, disappointment, resignation and, ultimately, the realization that they would have to find a new way forward.
Like most aspects of the new normal, it’s not a perfect solution. Basler pointed to fifth-year senior distance runner Matt Brooks of Baraboo, who came back specifically this spring to run the outdoor 10K, after finishing eighth in the Horizon League Outdoor Championships in 2019.
Here are a few snapshots:
“All he had was an outdoor season left, and so he was training all fall and winter for this outdoor opportunity to run the 10K,” Basler said. “He was already in graduate school and ready to graduate. So that was difficult.”
“Social distancing” and facemasks became the new norm as hospitals filled with COVID-19 patients, nonessential businesses closed and unemployment soared.
ANDREW BASLER, Head Coach Cross Country and Track & Field Instead of leading his teams in what promised to be a strong outdoor season, Basler was staying “safer at home” with his wife and their two children, ages 5 and 3.
The event coaches communicated with their student-athletes by email, text and Zoom video calls. It was frustrating at times, and plenty of questions still don’t have answers.
But Basler saw the bigger picture. virtual campus tour for recruits, but Safety, he said, was the No. 1 priority. evaluations have been done mostly by film study. “It superseded any desire we had to be out on the track,” he said. The question that looms over everything: What will the 2020-’21 season “Obviously, the health and livelihood look like? of the human race is much more important than being able to get on “I keep telling our athletes to live the track and compete.” day by day and not try to predict the future because at times it can be kind KYLE RECHLICZ, of gloomy, and I want them to stay in Head Women’s a positive mind frame,” Rechlicz said. Basketball Coach “I try to remind them that this is our present and it doesn’t mean it’s going One week before the to be what our future looks like. NCAA canceled March Madness, Milwaukee’s season ended with a loss “I am optimistic. I think we’re resilient to Northern Kentucky in the Horizon and, hopefully, we’ll continue to be League tournament. The shutdown smart and keep trying to educate ourforced the coaches to cancel selves and not take risks, and that we postseason work with individual can get a little bit back to normalcy.” players, which Rechlicz called “a very critical time period.” JOE VYSKOCIL, Redshirt Senior, “That is when we would do the Baseball most skill development, where we work with the athletes individually Milwaukee played 15 one on one to build up who they games, all on the road, before its are as players,” she said. “It’s a big season was shut down. The highlight confidence-building time period occurred on Feb. 15, when Vyskocil when the season ends. We missed tripled, homered and drove in three out on that opportunity.” runs in the Panthers’ lone victory, an 8-6 upset over 17th-ranked Wake A move into a new house has Forest. kept Rechlicz busy, and she has communicated regularly with her Despite UWM’s record, Vyskocil saw players. She also prepared a Zoom some positive signs. video presentation and a
“I thought we were on the cusp of turning it around,” he said. “We played some really good competition at the beginning of the year. I think it prepared us very well for conference play. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to show it. “(The cancellation) hit us pretty quick. We didn’t think it would ever get to this point but it got really bad, really quick. It was kind of shocking to see how the school shut down.” Vyskocil, a biomedical engineering major, made the adjustment to online lectures and classes and has stayed in shape by lifting weights and running sprints on his own. He plans to take advantage of his extra year of eligibility. “I plan on coming back next year for a super-super senior year,” he said with a laugh. “For me, it wasn’t a tough decision. I look at it like I’ve got my whole life to get a job. I don’t want to look back when I’m older and be like, ‘I could have gotten one more year.’ “For me, it’s not a rush to get out of here. I want to stay here as long as I can.”
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JESSICA KUMKE, Kumke’s answer lately has been, “As Associate Athletic of today, this is how the rule works. It Director for Compliance could change.” In a normal year, Kumke would havedone end-of-year in-person reviews with every student-athlete. Of course, this isn’t a normal year.
“It’s tough because I don’t always have the answers,” she said. “The NCAA staff is so busy trying to answer every one of the questions that sometimes it takes a while to get an answer back. … We’re doing the “I’m trying to do as much as I can via best we can and I’m trying to help email, just because I know that they the student-athletes however I can, are … getting a little tired of being on give them the best advice I have at Zoom calls,” she said. “We’re trying the time and if something changes, to get them the information that they making sure they’re aware of it.” need and not be too intrusive into their lives right now.” NICOLE CLARKE, Senior, Women’s An important part of Kumke’s job is to Tennis keep student-athletes informed about NCAA rules for outside competition If any student-athlete in the summer. Those opportunities had a right to be frustrated by the don’t exist this year in the U.S., but cancellation of spring sports, it was Milwaukee has plenty of international Clarke, a native of Scotland who was student-athletes. in the middle of an outstanding senior season. “Their countries aren’t going through the same thing we are and they’re “I think the whole team were pretty actually able to play on some teams,” gutted, just because we were having she said. “I’m trying to get them so much success,” she said. “It was answers about what they can and not the way I wanted to finish. I was cannot do. I think that’s been one of definitely upset. We were hoping the more challenging pieces, working for this to be one of the best years with those international students Milwaukee has had, especially at the because they’re not necessarily Horizon League tournament. So that dealing with the same thing we are was difficult.” here.” On April 22, Clarke flew back home Coaches have questions, too, and to Coylton, near Glasgow, where
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she finished her classes online and graduated. Because her teammates had scattered before she left, she was unable to say goodbye in person to many of them. “Not being able to say goodbye to people and not being able to experience graduation, it made it quite difficult to kind of accept that that was how it was going to end,” she said. Clarke majored in kinesiology and plans to attend graduate school in Scotland, with an eye on becoming a physical therapist. Though her tennis career at UWM is over, she hopes to someday return to Milwaukee. “I really hope so, especially to catch up with teammates and just to see the coach and the staff,” she said. “I think that would be great if I could.” SUSIE JOHNSON, Women’s Volleyball Coach On March 12, the Panthers held their senior banquet and celebrated several milestones in the fall, including a 15-match win streak (at the time the longest in the nation), a program record-tying 26 victories and a plus-18 win differential from 2018 (best in the nation).
The next day, Milwaukee was set to start a four-match spring season against Loyola Chicago, coached by Johnson’s sister, Amanda Berkeley. On March 28, the Panthers were scheduled to face NCAA runner-up Wisconsin at the UW Fieldhouse.
been goal-setting for the fall, because of passive modality, we just can’t do I need to keep them looking forward. anymore. It’s my opinion that we need to have some hope. “If an athlete calls me saying they’ve got a hamstring strain, a lot of “For me, I’ll be grateful to have a what I would typically do, I can’t do season. If it has to be just conference, anymore. I have to kind of figure out fine. We need these student-athletes ways to help them when I’m not Coronavirus wiped it all out. back in universities, on the campus, there. At times, it feels like you’re not because I think it’s best for our world giving them the best care that you “It was going to be a really nice and our society.” possibly could because you’re not schedule,” Johnson said. “So that there with them. It makes it a lot more was a bummer. I mean, we were in a AARON difficult to say, ‘We’re doing our job really good spot with our team when HASELHORST, to the best of our abilities.’” this all hit. But it’s just like everything Assistant Athletic – you just kind of have to figure out Director of Sports Haselhorst said the athletic trainers in where you go from there, you know?” Medicine his department all oversee different sports, and they’ve tried to maintain Johnson and strength coach Tom No job in the athletic department those relationships. Bjugstad gave the players a workout is more hands-on than that of the program to follow on their own, and athletic trainer, who works closely “When we’re doing evaluations and Johnson had no doubt that they with athletes on injury prevention and pushing people in rehab, it helps would attack it. rehabilitation. Though spring sports us to lean on the relationship we’ve were canceled, athletes still required built with the athlete in the past, to “It’s a really special group,” she said. supervision as they rehabbed inknow how much we can push them,” “That’s why we had such a good season injuries or offseason training he said. “We’re trying to keep those season. We had great leadership. We injuries. relationships as consistent as we can.” had great focus. It’s a good group because they are so self-motivated. Haselhorst and the six athletic trainers He anticipates significant changes in I’ve heard many of them say they’d he supervises were challenged to how student-athletes are treated once give anything to get up and do a 7 change the way they have always the campus opens and sports are a.m. workout right now at UWM with worked. back on. the strength coach.” “It’s definitely frustrating, and it’s “We’re probably going to have to As to what degree the upcoming fall been a learning curve for everybody,” stagger how we treat people in season will be impacted, she said, he said. “Especially in our profession, the training room,” he said. “We “We don’t have any idea. We’re everything is so hands-on. Some of probably see 150 to 200 athletes a hopeful that we have a fall. We’re the treatments we do, whether it be day come through for treatments preplanning to have a fall. My team has massage or dry-needling or some sort practice, post-practice and rehabs.
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We’re probably not going to be able to handle that volume in a safe way in, say, August and September. “There are a lot of things to think about, and it’s hard because it’s something we’ve never really dealt with before.” CLARE FAUROTE, Associate Athletic Director for Academics Faurote and two other fulltime advisors oversee what she calls “the student side of the student-athlete experience.” The advisors normally meet with students regularly on-campus, especially with freshmen and students who might need “a little extra attention.” Those meetings now are being done with phone calls, Facetime or Microsoft Teams. “That’s still happening, but just remotely,” Faurote said. “We get used to being in a certain routine up until spring break, so we got through half of the spring semester pretty normally. … We were fortunate to have a two-week spring break, so I think that kind of helped everyone settle into some of the new things that were happening outside of their classes and just in the world. “The second half of the semester was just completely different than what anyone has ever been used to. It’s uncharted territory. There’s a lot of stuff we had to change and learn, both for staff and students, but I think we did the best that we could.” *** Gary D’Amato, a three-time National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association sportswriter of the year in Wisconsin, has joined the staff of the Milwaukee Panthers. D’Amato is now the feature writer for the Roar Report.
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HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING MILWAUKEE ATHLETICS? I am an alumni of UWM and the Women’s Basketball and Field Hockey teams, albeit many years ago. WHY IS THE SUPPORT AND BACKING OF MILWAUKEE ATHLETICS IMPORTANT TO YOU? Milwaukee Athletics was a very important part of my college experience. Life lessons learned (thanks Erika Sander) and friends made that I still spend time with to this day. WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH YOUR SUPPORT, GIFTS? I would like to help maintain the Women’s Basketball program so future student athletes can have as positive experience as I had when I played. WERE YOU INVOLVED IN ATHLETICS AS A STUDENT IN COLLEGE OR HIGH SCHOOL? I played multiple sports in high school and lettered in Basketball and Field Hockey during my tenure at UWM. WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MILWAUKEE ATHLETICS GAME OR EXPERIENCE AS A FAN…SO FAR? I really don’t have a most memorable, but I truly enjoy every Women’s Basketball game I am able to attend. I look forward to a great future for UWM Athletics in general and the Women’s Basketball program in particular.
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