Roar Report: Summer 2022-2023

MILWAUKEE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

CHRIS ZILLS

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA

SEAN ENGEL

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

RACHEL KLEMP

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES

GARY D’AMATO

FEATURE WRITER

DEB LOGAN

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

MILWAUKEE PANTHER SPORTS PROPERTIES

PHOTOGRAPHY

LEN CEDERHOLM, SPIRIT HESSE, REILLY HALL, RACHEL KLEMP, RACHEL VON STROUP, AND STEVE WOLTMAN

CREATIVE SERVICES

GIANNA LAPERNE AND SPENCER JACOBS

07 SPORT UPDATES

10

Women’s tennis, baseball, and outdoor track & field

GET TO KNOW ANNIE GUERRERO

The Panther “Senior Student-Athlete of the Year” in the department went from not thinking she would be an athlete in college to landing one of the most prestigious all-around honors in the Horizon League as a senior when her career was wrapped up.

14

22

“OH HOW” GREAT IT IS!

By Gary D’Amato

The wait is over and the curtain will be pulled back on the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Center on the campus of UWM. The state-of-the-art practice facility will be home to Milwaukee basketball and will be officially opened with a ribboncutting ceremony July 26.scoring sophomore quickly adapted to the program and fell in love with his new hometown of Milwaukee.

A REAL ACE FOR THE PANTHERS

Babette Burgersdijk continues to make the most of her collegiate career, taking a huge step for the Panthers on the court in her second season.

25 COURT IS IN SESSION

Check out the backstory on the court inside the OHOW Center, made from lumber that comes from the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and is produced out of the Menominee Forest.

34 SCHULFER KEEPS REACHING FOR HIS DREAMS

Former Panther Austin Schulfer is once again playing for the St. Paul Saints – the Triple A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins – and is one step away from a call-up to the big leagues.

38 PANTHERS IN THE PROS

Catch up on all of the former MKE baseball players in both Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball, as well as overseas

40 INFORMATION ON THE PANTHERS EXCELLENCE FUND

WHAT’S INSIDE

LIGHT UP THE HYPE

THANK YOU, COACH

Scott Doffek, the 2013 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association College Coach of the Year and two-time Horizon League Coach of the Year, has done it all in building the Milwaukee Panthers into the success they are in his nearly three decades with the university.

Doffek just wrapped up his 17th season as the head coach of the Panthers in 2023, following a 12-year stretch as the assistant head coach.

PHOTO BY LEN CEDERHOLM

The Milwaukee women’s tennis team enjoyed a strong season, closing out the campaign by making it to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament before falling to the eventual league-champion Youngstown State.

Overall, the Panthers went 9-14 in the first season under head coach Ryan Kucera, which marked the third-most wins for a first-year head coach in program history.

Kucera achieved all of this success despite a roster that featured four newcomers out of the eight-player roster and had also graduated a firstteam all-league honoree. Despite that, MKE went 8-4 at home, advanced deep into the postseason, and saw Nadiia Konieva earn All-League First Team honors as well as the Horizon League Freshmen of the Year award.

Alice Shields (21 wins) and Konieva

(20) each recorded 20-plus singles victories, the first Panthers to achieve the milestone since 2017. Shields also posted 20 doubles wins, the first to top 20+ victories in doubles since 2019. Konieva was close behind with 18.

Anika Tylek wrapped up her fouryear career, graduating with 42 career singles wins and 31 career doubles victories. Tylek claimed 12 singles wins this season to go along with a 7-4 doubles ledger, with a memorable singles match comeback decision against Northern Kentucky to clinch the win for the Panthers and send them to the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament.

Tylek and Babette Burgersdijk were named to the Horizon League All-Academic squad, while Tylek, Burgersdijk, Giorgia Cavestro, and Iva Stejskalova were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic AllDistrict Team.

The Milwaukee baseball team capped off another campaign and returned to postseason form with a bid to the Horizon League Championship as the fifth seed following a year in which the team posted 25 wins against 32 losses and finished the year with an 11-18 mark in Horizon League play.

Upon their entry to the postseason, the Panthers made quick work of Youngstown State in a 12-3 victory, sending the fourth-seeded Penguins home. Milwaukee matched up with the top-seeded Wright State Raiders the following morning and fell for its first loss in the double-elimination bracket.

Later that evening, the Panthers played the role of eliminator again as the team upended third-seeded Northern Kentucky to send the Norse back home to Highland Heights in a thrilling 10-8, 10-inning victory. Milwaukee hung with the Raiders again on the following day but were unable to overcome a two-run deficit as the season was ended in a 2-1 loss.

Following the four-game postseason run, the Panthers’ middle infield of Mark Connelly and Marcus Cline earned All-Tournament Team accolades.

Six student-athletes for the Panthers earned honors for their regular seasons spearheaded by first-team honoree

Aaron Chapman. Four more Panthers garnered second-team accolades as Connelly, Riley Frey, Sam Mathews, and Jack Thelen earned recognition. Finally, Carson Hansen put together a rookie campaign and was selected to the All-Freshman Team.

Chapman led Milwaukee with a .335 batting average and amassed 70 hits on the year, while Connelly led the Panthers with 40 RBIs. Earlier in the season during the team’s conference series at Oakland, Connelly became the first Panther to successfully hit for the cycle as he accomplished the feat on March 31.

Luke Seidel and Ty Olejnik joined Chapman and Connelly as the only players with at least 50 hits this season, including Olejnik’s inside-the-park home run against Northwestern on May 9. Jack Thelen wrapped up his career with the Panthers with an impressive showing defensively as he caught 27 baserunners attempting to steal this year.

Frey led the staff with 90 innings pitched and was the team leader with 87 strikeouts, as fellow starter Luke Hansel held the team lead with six wins and recorded 66 strikeouts in 67 innings. Nate DeYoung was one of the top relievers in the nation with nine saves as he recorded a 1.76 ERA, while Mathews ended the season third in the nation with 37 pitching appearances and posted a 2.78 ERA over 35 2/3 innings.

The Milwaukee track & field teams took home a pair of second-place trophies at the Horizon League Championships during the outdoor season in early May. Overall, the team had a successful spring campaign, culminating with a quartet of Panthers earning bids to the NCAA West Preliminaries in Sacramento, California from May 2427.

With four qualifiers for the West Preliminaries the team had its most qualifiers since the spring of 2016, when seven Panthers reached the regional level of the NCAA Championships.

Earning bids in 2023 were Anthony Campbell and Austin Wallace in the long jump, Golden Cotton in the 200-meter dash, and Annie Guerrero in the high jump. For Guerrero, it was her second career bid to the NCAAs, while the trio of males made their debuts.

Milwaukee’s men’s program had six individual champions at the Horizon League Championships, hosted by Youngstown State, including a sweep of the 100- and 200-meter dashes by Cotton, Campbell in the long jump, Wallace in the decathlon, while Caleb Henry secured a win in the 400-meter dash, and Caleb Rogalski took top billing in the hammer throw.

The women’s team also celebrated three individual championships at the Horizon League meet with Lauren Lietzke winning the discus, Tabitha Wechlo taking the top spot in the shot put, while Olivia VanZeeland won the high jump.

Upon the team’s success head coach

Andrew Basler was selected as coCoach of the Year. Cotton earned co-Outstanding Runner honors, and Wallace was tabbed as co-Outstanding Field Performer.

Throughout the spring, numerous records fell for both the men’s and women’s programs including Cotton’s 10.43 in the 100-meter dash, and a 20.82 in the 200-meter dash. Trevor Wenzel placed his name in the record book twice as well, setting the top mark in the 5000-meter run at 14:22.16, and a 10,000-meter run with a 30:10.40.

Campbell shattered the previous mark of the in the high jump setting a new mark in program history, as well as the Horizon League Championship mark at 7.64 meters. Wallace registered 7509 points in the decathlon, in extending his program record while also setting the Horizon League mark at the championship meet.

Guerrero tied her own program record in the high jump at 1.75 meters, matching the mark she had set back during the spring of 2021.

Get to know Annie Guerrero

Capping off a historic five-year career, Annie Guerrero will go down as one of the greatest high jumpers in Milwaukee track & field history.

The West Bend, Wisconsinnative was a two-time NCAA preliminary qualifier, and is also co-owner of the Milwaukee indoor high jump record while finishing her career second alltime on the outdoor high jump list.

With a decorated career filled with athletic, academic, and weekly honors on her resume, Guerrero was recently selected as the Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor Recipient by the Horizon League on June 28. An award reserved for one female and one male athlete that is issued annually to studentathletes that demonstrate outstanding achievement

in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.

The Roar Report chatted with Guerrero to look back on her road to Milwaukee, her time with the track & field program, and what’s next for the recent graduate.

Roar Report: How did your athletic career begin, and what sports were you involved in during your time before high school?

Annie Guerrero: Since I was little, my parents were adamant about throwing me into sports to keep me busy, so I can’t remember an official time of how my athletic career began, but my primary sport growing up and going into high school was gymnastics. I also always liked running, so I joined the cross country team my last two years of high school, and I did track all four years.

RR: During your time with your high school track & field team, when did you know that becoming a collegiate track & field athlete in college was a reality?

AG: I came to this realization late in my high school career. Initially, I was going to attend a community college in West Bend and didn’t plan to pursue athletics, because I wasn’t aware that was an option for me. However, after winning a state championship my senior

year, I did some research and decided to take the chance by reaching out to some UWM Track and Field staff. It wasn’t until late June of my senior year when I officially committed to UW-Milwaukee. That’s when I officially thought, “oh wow, I am actually going to be a Division I collegiate athlete.” I remember my life totally taking a 180 after that June. I learned to always strive for high goals no matter the obstacles.

RR: What made you decide to stay in the state of Wisconsin for college? Why was UWMilwaukee the right fit for you?

AG: I love UW-Milwaukee! My original plan was to transfer there after community college. I wanted to stay in Wisconsin because I get to stay close to my family and I didn’t have the finances to look at out of state colleges. The main variable, however, was the diverse community. Seeing people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities on my tour was so beautiful. Growing up in a large town, I didn’t see many people of different ethnicities. I wanted to get in touch with my Latina roots as I transitioned into a new chapter in my life, and I knew UWM offered that.

RR: You arrived at Milwaukee at the same time as Coach Basler, how was that transition to college, and working with a

AG: Going to college was a difficult transition. I’m a first-generation student, so I learned to navigate higher education on my own by using the resources around me. It was especially difficult juggling this as student-athlete. The student-athlete experience is drastically different from the average college student, so I often felt alone my first year because I didn’t know many people that were encountering the same thing. I found out over time that my teammates were the greatest support I could ever have. I made lifelong friends through this experience, and I wouldn’t take back anything. The transition of switching coaches at the beginning of my college career was something I didn’t know I was going to experience, but as an incoming freshman, adapting to change and new experiences is part of the journey, so I acclimated fast. Nevertheless, I am so happy to have had such an amazing coach like Coach Basler during my five years. His coaching style suited me as an athlete which was valuable to my positive experience as a Panther overall.

RR: Qualifying for the NCAA West regionals in 2021, talk about that experience of going to Texas and what you learned from competing on the national stage?

AG: It was awesome being surrounded by such talented student-athletes. It was an honor just being in their presence! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Although I didn’t perform the way I wanted, I learned to enjoy the amazing experience and to feel blessed regardless of the outcome.

RR: Fast forward to your most recent season, you had the chance to return to the NCAA West Preliminaries in California, what did you learn the first time that was able to take with you to California?

AG: I brought a sense of focus to my performance. High jump is more mental than anything else. Sometimes distractions or mental blocks can arise in times of stress and it’s important to just take in the present moment. More importantly, to loosen up and just have fun!

RR: You were able to set and then tie your own program record for outdoor track & field, and you finished your career second on the high jump list for indoor track & field. Can you put into words the feeling that you get when you know you’ve cleared the bar on a record-setting jump?

AG: It is so difficult to describe because it is just a flow of emotions! It’s like a big hurrah! I think what feels best is the actual jump itself. There’s no better feeling than the sensation of everything coming together to a perfect T within a matter of milliseconds for those jumps to happen! It validates that all my hard work has been paying off.

RR: You were recently selected as the recipient of the recipient of the Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor, an award given annually to just two student-athletes out of the more than 3,000 student-athletes in the Horizon. What was your thought when Coach Basler gave you the news?

AG: I honestly thought he was joking at first! There are so many amazing student athletes that are just as rewarding, so I was in shock when he told me. I felt so honored, and I still do!

RR: In addition to your Coleman Medal of Honor, you were recognized as the Milwaukee Senior Student-Athlete by the Milwaukee Athletic Administrative team for your impact on the department throughout your career? Talk about what it meant to you to receive that honor representing the student-athletes at Milwaukee?

AG: It is such an honor to be recognized as someone who sets an example for other Panthers. I couldn’t have done it with all the support from UWM Athletics. I am so happy I could impact a community that I hold so dearly and helped me grow into the individual I am now.

RR: What will you miss most about UWM now that you’ve graduated?

AG: I am going to miss seeing all my friends every day in practice. It’s those moments of silliness and laughter that made all the difficult times so manageable. Knowing that you can walk into practice and have that support system is great. I am going to miss them all!

RR: What advice would you give to new studentathletes starting at UWM?

AG: Life is too short to wait for the right time, if you want to see change, initiate the change.

RR: Now that you have graduated, what is next in your professional career?

AG: I am currently working as a Radiologic Technologist at Froedtert. I hope to continue impacting people in my community in a positive way through this position!

“OH HOW” IT IS!

great

The Milwaukee basketball team bus pulled into the Klotsche Center & Pavilion in the early morning hours of Dec. 2, 2022. It had been a successful night for the Panthers — the men’s and women’s teams both had beaten Green Bay on the road.

Amanda Braun, the director of athletics, got off the bus and, with duffle bag in hand, started walking to the parking garage in the chilly air. Her spirits already buoyed by the dual victories, she

by Gary D’Amato

looked up to see the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Center, still under construction, lit up against the dark sky.

It was, as she described it recently, a pinch-me moment.

“The bus pulls in and I get off and come around the corner and it was just so cool,” she said. “I almost got emotional looking at it and thinking, ‘This is really happening.’”

A decade after plans were first drawn up for a dedicated practice facility for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, Milwaukee will officially open the OHOW Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. July 26.

The 16,000-square-foot facility, connected by a skywalk to the Klotsche Center & Pavilion, cost $8.1 million and was funded entirely through philanthropic gifts and student-directed segregated fees that were already

being collected.

In September 2019, the University received a $2.1 million gift from the Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin for naming rights. Construction began in November 2021. The final finishing touches — branding and murals celebrating the history of Milwaukee teams and individual athletes — will be completed before the grand opening.

The state-of-the-art OHOW Center is a game-changer for Milwaukee, which now has the best practice facility, by far, in the Horizon League.

“Bill Scholl came over to see it,” Braun said of Marquette University’s vice president and director of athletics. “He was like, ‘Wow, this has got to separate you in your league.’ It really does. We’re ahead of everyone now.”

Said women’s head coach Kyle Rechlicz, “This facility, when you look at it, it’s really a high-major facility on a mid-major campus.”

The OHOW Center features a full-size basketball court that mirrors the game surface at the

Panther Arena. The wood comes from the Menominee Indian Tribe forest and is the same surface used by the Milwaukee Bucks in Fiserv Forum. In addition, there’s a weight room, a film room with theater seating, an auxiliary sports medicine and treatment center and, across the skywalk, women’s and men’s locker rooms and student-athlete lounges.

other teams. At times, the baseball, track and basketball teams all practiced in the “K” at the same time, which made for a challenging environment.

“I’m a teacher and if that’s your classroom and there’s track athletes running around and baseball players hitting baseballs, it’s difficult to teach and it’s difficult to learn,” said Bart Lundy, the second-year men’s basketball coach. “So, in (the OHOW Center) we’ve got a great learning environment and a great teaching environment.”

Players on both teams already have been playing pick-up games in the OHOW, and formal practices began in late June. The players have 24-hour access to the facility; fingerprint pads make locks and keypads unnecessary.

said BJ Freeman, a guard-forward on the men’s team who averaged 18.2 points last season. “It shows how the boosters and the fans and everybody here is supporting basketball.”

Having a dedicated practice facility means the basketball teams no longer will have to share the Klotsche Center with

“We just have to call coach and say we’re in there,” Freeman said. “I’m in there twice a day. I’m in there in the morning and I’m in there at night. I love it in there. It’s my quiet space. You don’t have to worry about other people; just worry about yourself. It’s awesome.”

The men’s team actually got

When I walked in there for the first time, it just felt like a high-major environment, ”

”

to use the facility just before playing in the Discount Tire CBI Tournament in March.

“It was pure excitement,” Lundy said. “You get to the end of the year where you’ve practiced a lot. You’re on about 100 practices. We went in right before we went to the CBI Tournament and when they walked in there you could just see the practice energy was completely different.”

The Panthers were coming off a tough loss to Cleveland State in the Horizon League tournament, a game that was televised on

ESPN2. Lundy gathered his players around a brand-new white board and wrote on it for the first time.

“I told them, ‘Hey, we have to win one game in the CBI to get back on ESPN to redeem ourselves on national TV,’” he said. “I wrote ‘ESPN’ on the board and I said, ‘I really didn’t have much to tell you guys. I just wanted to open this board and write on it.’”

There were several obstacles to overcome along the way, including construction delays. The OHOW originally was scheduled

to open in December 2022.

“I’m so thankful for Amanda’s resilience,” Rechlicz said of Braun. “There were so many bumps in the road but it never deterred her from finding a way. There would be a little bit of a roadblock and she’d get a ladder and climb over it or get a drill and go through the wall. I mean, she found ways to make it happen.”

Braun worked tirelessly on the project, shepherding it from start to finish, with Cathy Rossi, Milwaukee’s deputy director of athletics, serving as the liaison with the architects, contractor and sub-contractors. The building was designed by HGA Architects & Engineers.

Lundy was hired in March 2022, when construction on the OHOW Center was well underway. He said it was a factor in him accepting the job.

“All the credit goes to Amanda and her staff,” he said. “This was obviously a part of my calculation taking the job but when I got here, I tried to stay out of their way. I was just happy that I’m the one who gets to benefit from it.

” ”

In addition to giving the basketball players a place they can call home, the OHOW Center promises to be a persuasive piece in the recruitment of high-level student-athletes.

Wright State is the only other Horizon League school with a dedicated practice facility, but it’s more than a decade old.

“You do with what you’ve got, right?” Rechlicz said. “When you’re in the recruiting process, you sell what you have. For the longest time we’ve sold family and the culture that our program has and the UWM campus has and our athletic department

has. That was our biggest selling point.

“Well, now we have that along with saying, ‘We also have this flashy new facility that you have access to, to be able to improve your game.’ It definitely takes recruits over the edge.”

Lundy said that college basketball programs at all levels are judged to some extent by their facilities. The bigger, better and flashier, the more likely recruits are to be impressed. But that’s not the beall, end-all for him.

“For me, the practical side of it maybe is more important — the

film room, the access that our guys have,” he said. “They can go in a place where they can work to get better. To me, that’s everything. It’s kind of how we base the program, on work. Now we have a place to really work.”

A place to work. A place to grow. A place to thrive.

“We’re very lucky,” Rechlicz said. “It’s definitely an opportunity for us to take the next jump. I definitely think this is going to elevate us, for sure.”

Gary D’Amato, a three-time National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association sportswriter of the year in Wisconsin, joined the Milwaukee Panthers as a feature writer for the Roar Report in September 2018.

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Babette Burgersdijk of the Milwaukee women’s tennis team has been all over the world since starting her collegiate career, spending time in the United States during the school year as well as returning back home to The Netherlands on a regular basis in between.

That path started at Louisiana Lafayette, playing one season for the Ragin’ Cajuns before finding her home in Milwaukee with the Panthers.

This past tennis campaign, she made significant strides and enjoyed a breakout season, one which she closed out by being named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team as well as earning a spot on the Horizon League All-Academic Team.

Burgersdijk, a Marketing and Human Resources doublemajor with a 3.91 GPA in the classroom, made the jump to No. 1 singles and doubles this season after competing primarily from No. 5 singles a year ago. A Horizon League Academic Honor Roll member and Dean’s List honoree, the two-year member of the program recorded 24 total victories in the 2022-23

campaign, split evenly between singles and doubles.

Since the recent school year ended, she has been enjoying an amazing experience of tennis at one of the highest levels, playing in the National Championships with HLTC Leimonias (The Hague) while also winning it all.

“This past month was the first time for me that I played in the highest league of The Netherlands,” Burgersdijk said. “My dad has been coaching this team for over 20 years and has been pretty successful with a lot of national titles for the club ‘HLTC Leimonias’ – he even won the title while playing for the same club.”

AReal For The Panthers

Her progression and success in her two seasons as a Panther made this possible.

“When my dad surprised me with a visit to Milwaukee last March, he saw some matches and he was super-surprised and enthusiastic about my level,” she said. “So he put me on his list to play for the team. In the league, most players play full-time and are ranked around 200-500 on the world rankings. I got to play some doubles and practiced with the girls, which has been an amazing experience for me. And even more amazing was that we got the title! We became Dutch National Champions.”

The phenomenal playing experiences will not stop there.

Real Ace Panthers

“In the first week of July, there is an ITF

Tournament in the city where I live and I’m planning to play doubles together with (former teammate) Greta Carbone,” Burgersdijk said. “Greta was on the team my sophomore year, and we always kept in great contact, so I invited her to come to The Netherlands. We will practice a couple of days together and then play doubles in the tournament week. It is a great opportunity since Greta and I never got to play on such a big professional stage. I’m super excited to see how far we can make it.”

The staff of the Roar Report sat down for a Q&A session with Burgersdijk.

Roar Report: How long have you been playing tennis?

Babette Burgersdijk: “I started around the age of four! Super early. This was mostly because my dad always played tournaments and I went with my mom to watch him. And seeing my dad play, I also wanted to play, so I started some lessons as soon as I was old enough to start. But I was probably holding my first racquet around the age of three since I was just way to excited to follow my dad’s footsteps.”

RR: What was the path that led you to playing at Louisiana Lafayette?

BB: “During my last year of high school, I had my doubts about what I wanted to do after. Study in The Netherlands, go full-time (professional) or go to the U.S. for college. I love playing in a team setting, so I kind of realized that college would be the best option since I could combine an education with tennis. Since it was COVID, the process was quite shortened, and I didn’t have as much contact with coaches/players as the nonCOVID times. I really liked the big athletic department with lots of teams and great facilities at ULL. Besides that, I really liked the warmer climate since I knew that the weather would be great all year round. However, I got back on that quickly after I arrived, it was way too humid for me.”

RR: How was your experience playing for them?

BB: “It was overall such a good experience to play in the South for one year. I made friendships for life, people I still talk to on a regular basis right now. And it made me realize that college tennis is a different kind of game than junior tennis. The department at the end of the

day was too big and it made me feel like ‘one of the many student athletes’ and didn’t make me feel at home.”

RR: What led you to Milwaukee?

BB: “When I decided to transfer from ULL, the most important part for me was the coach. So in my calls with other schools, I really looked for the right connection and someone who would support my game. Besides that, I liked the South, but I felt like maybe indoor tennis and a little bit cooler climate could help my game as well. So combining all these factors led me to Milwaukee.”

RR: What are some of your favorite memories from your first few months in Milwaukee?

BB: “Some of my favourite memories are for sure the smaller things such as the van rides, warm-ups. But also the beach days the first week, I remember that the day after I arrived, I had met everyone from the team. Even the girls that graduated that year were there, which made me realize that this place must be special. Not a lot of graduates stay long in the same place after they graduate but here a lot of them did. Another one of

my favourite memories was exploring downtown for the first time, I remember me and Giorgia (Cavestro) exploring Third Ward and the Public Market.”

RR: What did you learn from your first season with the Panthers?

BB: “My first season with the team was individually one of the hardest years when it comes to tennis. I didn’t play a lot; I was struggling with an injury that just didn’t want to go away. So I played some singles at the end of the year but I never got close to reaching my potential. However, I learned how to be a team. We had a lot of away matches where we spent hours and hours in a van. But we got so close with each other that it felt like nothing. We had so much fun during the season. And that made me realize that having a team that supports you no matter what is way more important than winning every match. We never stopped believing in our dream of winning the conference title and made it to the finals, where we lost a super-close battle to Youngstown State. I will never forget that conference tournament.”

RR: How did you get involved with the Student-

Athlete Advisory Committee and what do you like best about being a SAAC representative?

BB: “I got involved through former representatives Mayya (Perova) and Anika (Tylek) actually. Mayya graduated and asked me to take over her spot. And I’m always interested in learning more and being involved in the department is something I don’t walk away from. So I decided to do it! Being part of SAAC really gives me a feeling of involvement and family. Everyone knows each other, and it really gives a nice opportunity to stay in contact with each other. It’s also an exciting opportunity since you can really help to make a change within the department.”

RR: You moved from mainly #5 singles last year to #1 singles this season … how did you handle the change and what were the biggest differences to you?

BB: “I think I handled the change pretty okay. In the beginning I was pretty nervous about it and did not really believe that I could actually play in that line. However, the further I got into the season the more I believed that I could do great at the number one spot.

At the end of the season I really got the confidence and really felt like I could battle anyone. The biggest difference was for sure the level of fitness. All the girls I played against were super fit and were able to hit balls for hours. However, the difference between a good player and a winner at the number one spot is to really trust your aggressive game style. On days that I was 100 percent committed to my game were the days that I played my best and won.”

RR: What were the biggest reasons for your success on the court this past year?

BB: “There are several reasons, but one of the biggest reasons was my fitness level. I got really fit this season; I worked out a lot at home during the winter. But mostly the workouts we did in the fall were super-beneficial to me, and I felt super-strong on the court. Another reason that really helped me being successful this season was the coaching style of Ryan (Kucera). He really embraced my game, and we worked together day-in and day-out to become better at that game. We already got a lot better, but Ryan and I both know that there is much more to get out of that game, so I’m super excited that I get to battle it out with the girls one

more year. And I’m even more excited to see where my level can go if I keep improving my game.”

RR: You were named Academic All-League and All-District. What do those honors mean to you?

BB: “A lot, to be honest the Academic All-League was a huge honour for me. It was one of my main goals I set before the season started. And I would never have thought that I would make it to the Horizon League Academic team. It’s sometimes a hustle to be a student and an athlete, but getting these honours is a huge reward that motivates me to keep going. The fact that all four returners (all my roomies ;) got AllDistrict honours says a lot about how dedicated we are to our academics. We really try to push each other when it comes to our schoolwork!”

RR: The tennis team carries the highest GPA in the department … is that a point of pride that is team effort and something that is discussed as a goal?

BB: “Yes, we have carried the highest team GPA for quite some time now. And

we obviously are very proud to carry that title. The funny thing is that we actually don’t need to set it as a goal. We just really try to help and motivate each other to do good in school. When someone struggles, we try to help that person, and make sure that she gets the help she needs. As a team we are so super close, but at this point we are also just a friend group of eight girls that really want to see each other succeed as people. So getting good grades is just part of our team culture, I guess!”

RR: We heard that you run the social media account for your club back home. How did that come about and what do you like about it?

BB: “Yes that’s right! I have been doing that for two years now, and it’s actually something I really like to do! The club was looking for people to start doing it, and that’s kind of how I rolled into it. It’s not that big of a deal, but it’s just making sure that all club members stay updated about the things that happen at the club. We have some great junior players at the club, so I also make sure that they get the attention they deserve.”

Court is in Session

The grand opening is almost here and the doors to the new Orthopaedic Hospital of Wisconsin Center will finally be opened this summer on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Following small delays to the original timeline, everything is now in place for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony this July. The brand-new facility has it all – a weight room, a film room, athletic training facilities, impressive branding features – but one of the most important features is one that might be easily overlooked.

The basketball court itself carries an amazing backstory, one with ties to the court the Milwaukee Bucks play on as well as others that have made appearances in the NCAA Tournament over the years.

The court is made from lumber that comes from the Menominee Tribe of Wisconsin and is produced out of the Menominee Forest. The 230,000-acre forest, run by Menominee Tribal Enterprises, provides the wood that is a sustainable harvest for the tribe’s sawmill business.

Every tree taken out of the land has been carefully accounted for over 150 years. The estimate is that much of the forest has been chopped down and regrown three times over the ages. The tribe has produced close to 200 million cubic feet of timber from this land since 1854 — white pine cut into museum displays and hard maple made into basketball courts.

The land is home to over 4,000 tribal members and over two dozen species of trees that cover 90 percent of the land: red oak, pine, maple, and aspen are said

to be in greatest number, all replanted after each use.

According to a story that ran in the New York Times, a quote attributed to the tribe’s legendary Chief Oshkosh set their course. If the Menominee took only very old, sick and fallen trees, he said, “the trees will last forever.”

The result is this sustainable forest that remains very influential today. The New York Times story also stated that foresters routinely come from around the world to study the Menominee land, which has been recognized by the United Nations and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the gold standard for responsible forestry, among other awards.

The Milwaukee Athletic Department has scheduled the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for July 26. The department’s goal

is to have the floor blessed by the tribe prior to the ceremony. At publication date, the blessing is being planned to be done by the Menominee Tribal Dance and Drum Team and the Wolf River Drum and Dance Team.

According to its website (www.mtewood.com), the “Forest Keepers” are “committed to excellence in the sustainable management of our forest, and the manufacturing of our lumber and forest products providing a consistently superior product while serving the needs of our forest, employees, wood products customers, tribal community, and future generations”.

Working with the Preferred Partners Team, Menominee Tribal Enterprises and its world famous forest offers wood for the courts with the famous “MTE FSC ADVANTAGE”. It honors the

rich diverse cultures, traditions, and history of native people their lands. MTE harvesting practices were the blue print for all FSC certification programs. MTE utilizes all the latest science and technology while guided by Indigenous wisdom creating a land ethic that is set apart from all other forest management practices. 150+ years of wisdom.

To lead environmental efforts in any industry requires complete commitment. Action Floors lives and breathes sustainability on every level: offering environmentally friendly products; conserving energy; maximizing resource yield with full utilization of all raw materials; joining global initiatives; ensuring the well-being of our people. Our efforts ensure clean, sustainable manufacturing practices, assess environmental impacts and establish groundbreaking best

practices. This has earned us industry’s first — and only — Carbon Negative certification, based on a Life Cycle Assessment conducted by the University of Wisconsin and Carbon Clear, an international independent auditor of manufacturing carbon profiles. 35 years in the business.

Pro Star Surfaces, Sports and Performance Surfaces Company. Provides Athletic Wood and Rubber Surfaces to the Professional, Collegiate and Secondary School Market as well as Private Fitness and Health Facilities. Full product and project management services. Projects include all the Milwaukee Bucks floors, many colleges and universities, schools, museums, and stages. More than 40 years of experience makes us the premier in the industry.

Schulfer Keeps Reaching For His Dreams

Austin Schulfer, the all-time strikeout leader in Milwaukee baseball program history and a FirstTeam All-Horizon League honoree as a senior in 2018, continues to impress in his Minor League baseball career and is hoping for that call-up to the big leagues.

Schulfer, who played for the Panthers from 2015 to 2018, started his trek when the Minnesota Twins chose him in 2018 in the 19th round of the MLB Draft.

Schulfer was a fixture in the Panthers starting rotation since going 3-0 his first year of college baseball in 2015, earning a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team after posting a 2.25 ERA – the second-lowest by a freshman in program history. He continued to raise the bar, posting career-highs in strikeouts and innings pitched as a junior in 2017, finishing seventh in the Horizon League in wins and K’s, eighth in ERA and ninth in innings pitched.

Schulfer put an exclamation mark on a solid

Milwaukee career as he was named First Team All-Horizon League in 2018 behind a 2.96 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 91.1 innings of work. He finished his career with 241 strikeouts to set a new program record, which still stands today.

The Plover (Wis.) native tied what was the school record with 13 strikeouts against Oakland at Miller Park in April of 2017 and set the bar at a new level in 2018 when he struck out a schoolrecord 15 batters against Northern Kentucky. As a senior, he finished fourth in the league in wins,

third in innings pitched and third in strikeouts on his way to those first-team accolades. He also set the new MKE career strikeout record at 241 in his final start, breaking the former mark of 239.

His first MiLB stop was a 3-0 campaign in 2018 as a member of the Elizabethton Twins in the Appalachian League. Up next, he helped the Cedar Rapids Colonels to a spot in the 2019 postseason – finishing the season with seven victories and a team-record 124 strikeouts.

After posting a 3.23 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 55.2 innings in 2022, his 2023 campaign started with another invite to Spring Training with the Twins and has now spent the regular season with the St. Paul Saints, the Triple-A affiliate of the Twins.

With the Saints, Schulfer has posted a 3-3 record in 26 appearances out of the bullpen, striking out 26 batters in 35.0 innings of work. In his career, Schulfer has K’d 350 batters in 338.1 innings, picking up 23 wins while posting a 3.78 ERA.

The staff of the Roar Report recently caught up with Austin for a Q&A session.

Roar Report (RR): In four+ seasons in the minors, you’ve really put together some successful numbers. What has been most memorable?

AS: “I’ve had some great moments as a pro so far! Throwing a combined no-hitter (in the 2019 season) and setting some records at various affiliates stand out.”

RR: Has there been a frustrating part of the process?

AS: “The most frustrating things about those seasons goes hand-in-hand with the success. Failing is frustrating, but in the end it’s what ends up making us successful but that process can be frustrating!”

RR: What keeps you ready to play another season of professional baseball?

AS: “What keeps me ready is my love for playing and being around baseball. I don’t consider it work even though it is my career. The drive to prepare and work every day comes from my faith that God has me here doing what I’m doing for a purpose and reason.”

RR: Do you have a typical offseason regimen?

AS: “I have a fairly scripted off-season plan every year. A lot of workouts and discussions about the previous season and the goals for the next. Also, some football on the weekends of course and enjoying my new home in the Nashville area!”

RR: What was the process like finding out you were heading to AAA last year?

AS: “Finding out was an amazing experience. It was my first in-season call up and it came from one of my favorite coaches Ramón Borrego.”

RR: You went from being a starter to the bullpen … what was that move like and who played the main roles in it? Do you approach things differently?

AS: “The move happened almost on accident in 2022 Spring Training. I threw in my first Major League spring game and was throwing harder than usual and performed well in that role. After that it was mutually decided to move into a bullpen spot! I treat whatever inning and spot I’m in the same. You have to get 27 outs and they all matter. So from starting to relieving your job is the same and that’s to get outs.”

RR: What’s it like playing every day knowing you are essentially one step away from MLB? AS: “It’s a great feeling and position to be in.”

RR: This is year No. 2 in St. Paul … how is the environment? The fans? City?

AS: “St. Paul is awesome. The stadium, the fans, the environment is one of the best in Minor League Baseball. I also had my first Juicy Lucy last week so I’m getting acclimated to all of the best spots!”

RR: When you look back at your time at UWM, what are some of your favorite memories?

AS: “I have a ton of great memories as a Panther. I was lucky enough to have my now-

wife Elizabeth to explore the city and UWM. Of course a lot of memories with my teammates and coaches too. Some of my favorite memories were the drives to the Hank with Mike Poll and of course grabbing Culver’s after with them.”

RR: What did you go through as a Panther that has helped you in your professional career the most?

AS: “I grew up a lot as a Panther. I saw early success and got humbled really quick my sophomore year. I had a lot of great people who helped me grow as a player but most importantly as a person to get through that. Between Scotty (Scott Doffek), Bigler (Cory Bigler), and on the academic side Andy (Andy Van Sistine) was a huge player in shaping me to be successful on my professional journey.”

PANTHERS IN THE PROS

DAULTON VARSHO

Beginning his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays after being traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks this past offseason, Daulton Varsho’s initial year in the American League has been resulted in the Blue Jays being in the midst of a postseason run midway through the Major League season.

Individually, Varsho got off to a hot start as he was hitting.357 during the first week of the season. Since his torrid start, Varsho now has 12 home runs and 29 RBIs with 13 doubles and a .224 batting average. Playing primarily in the outfield, he has played more than 60 games in left field, while also seeing regular action in centerfield as well.

Through four major league seasons, beginning with his call-up in 2020, Varsho owns a .231 career batting average with 150 RBIs including 53 career home runs. He has over 275 hits and scored 173 runs during his stints in Arizona and Toronto.

The Blue Jays have played 82 games through the 162 on the schedule, with Varsho playing in all but two thus far during the first half of the season. Toronto sits at 45-37 just a half-game behind the third-place New York Yankees.

AJ BLUBAUGH

Milwaukee’s most recent draftee, AJ Blubaugh was drafted by the Houston Astros organization in 2022 and split time between Rookie level and Single-A before being promoted to High-A with the Asheville Tourists for the 2023 season.

In his 13 pitching appearances in 2023, he has made five starts and owns a 2-1 record while also recording one save. He has thrown 50 2/3 innings with 58 strikeouts while walking just 23 batters. In his work this season, Blubaugh has a 4.80 ERA on the year.

With nearly one full season of professional baseball under his belt, Blubaugh has a career 4.67 ERA in just over 69 innings pitched. With 82 strikeouts and 29 walks in his 19 career games, including eight starts. He has a career 4-2 record with one save.

Asheville finished the first half with a 26-35 record, and just began the second half of the South-Atlantic League season.

TREVOR SCHWECKE

After being selected in the 13th round of the 2019 draft, Trevor Schwecke has progressed through the Toronto Blue Jays organization and reached the Triple-A level with Buffalo in just his second full season.

In 2023, he has been shuttled between both Buffalo and Double-A New Hampshire and has a .265 average with 22 RBIs in his 136 at bats on the year. He has a .356 onbase percentage and a .397 slugging percentage with six double and four home runs in 2023 while also scoring 18 runs.

In 219 career games, Schwecke has a career .235 average with 16 home runs and 98 RBIs. He has 37 career doubles with five triples and 16 home runs.

He was recently reassigned to Double-A in late June, as the Fisher Cats finished the first half of the season with a 35-33 mark for a third-place finish in the Northeast Division.

New Hampshire started the second half of the season with a loss and are currently 0-1 as second-half play gets underway.

AUSTIN SCHULFER

After splitting time between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul in 2022, Austin Schulfer has pitched exclusively with St. Paul this season as a part of the Minnesota Twins organization, after being selected by the organization in the 19th round of the 2018 First Year Player Draft.

record with a 4.76 ERA. He has thrown 34 innings this season and struck out 25 batters while walking 17.

In his minor league career, Schulfer has pitched in 134 games, including 45 stats, and has 23 wins against 19 losses. He has a 3.76 ERA with 349 strikeouts in 337 1/3 innings.

St. Paul finished in second place in the International League’s Western Division, just a half-game behind the Iowa Cubs at the conclusion of the first half of the season. The Saints are 2-0 thus far as the second half of the Triple-A season started.

BRIAN KELLER

After several seasons in the New York Yankees’ organization and being selected by the Boston Red Sox organization in the Rule V Draft prior to the 2022 season, Keller signed with the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball, this offseason.

In his first season with Hanshin, Keller has recorded a pair of wins in 15 2/3 innings over his three outings on the season. He has a 3.45 ERA with 14 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP with the Tigers.

innings pitched. He has a career 3.19 ERA with 589 strikeouts and has also recorded two career saves.

Hanshin currently sits in fourth place in the Western League of NPB. The All-Star Break takes place between July 18-21.

JACK MAHONEY

Playing locally with the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association, Mahoney has proved to be a key relief cog as a left-hander out of the bullpen.

Mahoney has thrown 13 1/3 innings and struck out 17 batters over his 15 outings thus far on the season. He has posted a 4.05 ERA and has only allowed six earned runs on the season.

In 47 career games with the Milkmen, Mahoney has a 4.96 ERA with 65 strikeouts over 52 2/3 career innings over his professional career.

Milwaukee is currently leading the East Division of the American Association with the All-Star Break set for July 17-19. The regular season will conclude on Monday, September 4.

In 25 games out of the bullpen this season, Schulfer has a 3-2

Throughout his career in professional baseball, Keller has 36 career wins in 570

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Being a part of the Panther Excellence Fund is not only an investment in the athletic program and student-athletes of Milwaukee, it also provides many benefits for you. The Panther Excellence Fund is excited to announce the following benefits for donors who support the Panthers (beginning in the 2023-24 academic year). Benefits will be awarded according to athletics annual gifts and will be available to Panther Excellence Fund members the following sports/academic year.

For more information or to hear about opportunities to get involved with Milwaukee Athletics, please contact Chris Roche (rochec@uwm.edu) or Cody Bohl (bohl@uwm.edu).

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