Roar Report: Winter 2024

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24editorial CHRIS ZILLS

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS & MULTIMEDIA

SEAN ENGEL

DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

RACHEL KLEMP

DIRECTOR OF CREATIVE SERVICES

CHIP KINDT

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT

GARY D’AMATO FEATURE WRITER

PHOTOGRAPHY

NOAH BEKTAH, LEN CEDERHOLM, SPIRIT HESSE, RACHEL KLEMP, ISABELLA MEIER

CREATIVE SERVICES BRAEDEN DETERT, JAKE MICHALSKI AND GIANNA LAPERNE

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SPORT UPDATES

Women’s basketball, men’s basketball and swimming & diving

2024 HALL OF FAME

A pair of storied volleyball sisters, two Milwaukee basketball standouts, and a former Panther who starred for the track & field program over 60 years ago will be inducted into the Bud K. Haidet Milwaukee Athletics Hall of Fame February 15. The members of the Class of 2024 include Leanne Williamson [Felsing](volleyball) and Lauren Bartsch [Felsing] (volleyball), Ed McCants (men’s basketball), and Ashley Green (women’s basketball).

Wally Winter (track & field), who passed away in 1978 at an early age, will be honored posthumously.

Q & A WITH GOLD GLOVE WINNER DAULTON VARSHO

Daulton Varsho was named a Gold Glove Award winner earlier this offseason after an exceptional season defensively. The Roar Report staff caught up with Varsho to reflect on his transition from collegiate catcher to Gold Glove outfielder.

PANTHERS ON THE NCAA LEADER BOARD

A pair of MKE student-athletes wrapped up their fall seasons ranked very high nationally in a handful of categories. See where Kayla Rollins and Kara Erdmann ended up on the NCAA leaderboards.

STILL SWEET

Take a trip down memory lane as Gary D’Amato relives the incredible run to the “Sweet 16” of the 2005 NCAA Tournament in a story featuring head coach Bruce Pearl and team members Joah Tucker and Adrian Tigert.

TEAMMATES AGAIN: A WORLD AWAY

A trio of MKE women’s soccer alumni enjoyed the opportunity to play together again - this time as professionals - on the other side of the globe for WFC BIIK Shymkent in Shymkent, Kazakhstan this past season.

​INFORMATION ON THE PANTHERS EXCELLENCE FUND

PANTHER PALE ALE

For the second consecutive year, Pilot Project Brewing, in conjunction with Milwaukee Athletics, welcomed its Panther beer earlier this month – launched for the 2024-25 season with a new design.

what’s inside

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light up the hype 4

Anelise Egge won the individual championship at this season’s Horizon League Cross Country Championships in Green Bay. The junior posted a time of 21:07.9, as she became just the third Panther to win the individual title and first since 2020.

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light up the hype 6

The Milwaukee women’s soccer team claimed the Horizon League Tournament Championship with a 2-1 victory over Northern Kentucky behind two goals from Tournament MVP Kayla Rollins.

The Panthers advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh consecutive season!

Roar report winter 2024

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NEW LOOK SAME GREAT TASTE

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PEPSI, PEPSI-COLA, thE PEPSi GLObE, And thE PEPSi PuLSE dESiGn ArE trAdEmArkS Of PEPSiCO, InC. 28709000

S P O RT U P DATE

W0MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Panthers have put together a strong non-conference slate to open the 202425 season, including three teams that qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division I Championship. The trio of opponents included Milwaukee’s first-ever matchup with No. 10 ranked Kansas State on November 20.

Currently the team is 3-10 to open the season, which includes win over former Horizon League foe Valparaiso on Nov. 14 and first-time opponent American on Nov. 27 as part of the Puerto Rico Clasico in Bayamon, Puerto Rico.

During the team’s win over American, junior Kamy Peppler recorded her second point-assist double-double of the season, also accomplishing the feat in the team’s home-opening win over Carroll on Nov. 6. It was the first time in nearly a decade that a Panther has earned a point-assist doubledouble with the last coming in 201415. Through games played on Dec. 15, Peppler now has 319 assists for her career and is currently seventh all-time in program history.

Newcomer Kacee Baumhower has burst onto the scene in her first year in

Black & Gold with five games of at least 20 points after previously having one game of 20+ points in her prior stops at both Wright State and St. Bonaventure.

Senior Jada Donaldson and redshirt junior Anna Lutz have been steady forces in the team’s starting lineup for Milwaukee this season alongside Peppler and Baumhower. Donaldson is shooting over 44 percent from the field, while Lutz is averaging 11 points and a team-best 5.5 rebounds per game through the team’s first 13 contests.

Milwaukee will have its final nonconference matchup on the road on Dec. 22 at Central Michigan, before returning exclusively to Horizon League play. The team will host its annual ‘School Day’ game on Jan. 16 vs. Oakland, while ‘Alumni Day’ is two days later against Detroit Mercy.

‘Senior Day’ will be on Saturday, Feb. 8 against Youngstown State and the final three games of the year will be in the state of Wisconsin. The team hosts IU Indy on Feb. 19, visits Green Bay on Feb. 22, and wraps up the regular season against Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 27.

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S P O RT U P DATE

MEN’S BASKETBALL 10

The Milwaukee men’s basketball team is off to a 7-4 start overall, which includes a 2-0 mark through its first two Horizon League contests. The Panthers are also off to a perfect 5-0 start at home – its best start to a home slate in over a decade.

The team plays fast (79.3 points a game) and is deep, with five players averaging double-figures in points.

Leading the way through the first 11 games is both AJ McKee and Themus Fulks, who check in with identical 14.3 ppg scoring clips. Close behind is both Kentrell Pullian (13.7 ppg/6.1 rpg) and Jamichael Stillwell (13.5 ppg), with Erik Pratt (10.3 ppg) rounding out the players in double-figures.

currently stands third across the nation at the NCAA Division I level.

The team gets contributions up and down the roster, with John Lovelace Jr. averaging 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds, and Faizon Fields at 5.6 ppg/5.2 rpg before an injury sidelined him. Darius Duffy is at 4.3 points and 4.1 rebounds a night, shooting an eye-opening 82.1 percent (23-of-28) from the floor so far this season.

The team is set to compete in the MKE Tip-Off against Akron Dec. 15 before closing out the 2024 portion of the calendar with a pair of games on campus against North Central (Dec. 22) and IU Indy (Dec. 29) to wrap up the year.

Stillwell is off to a stunning start, having posted six double-doubles in his first 11 games as a Panther, topped by a season-high 24 points and a schoolrecord 19 rebounds in the blowout victory over Green Bay Dec. 11. His 11.5 rebounds-a-game average not only leads the Horizon League, but

Roar report winter 2024

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SWIMMING & DIVING

The Milwaukee Swimming & Diving teams have finished out the fall portion of their schedule after five meets. In three dual meets so far, the women are 2-1 and the men are 1-2.

The Panthers finished the fall slate at the IU Indy House of Champions Meet, from Nov. 21-23. Milwaukee went to work rewriting the record books by setting five new program bests.

Among the records set were the 200 freestyle and medley relay teams, while Caleb Carlisle set program marks in the 200 butterfly, and the freshman record in the 100 fly. Gunnar Seversen also set freshman record in the 500 freestyle. Gabrielle LePine grabbed two first-place finishes in the 50 and 100 breaststrokes, in a competitive 13team field.

The strong performance at the House of Champions propelled seven Panther swimmers into qualification for the U.S. Open Championships that took place December 4-7. Charlie House, Ben

Lorenz, Jay Jensen, Caleb Carlisle, and Andrew Jones represented the men, while LePine, and Maddi Hayashi went for the women. At the meet, Carlisle broke the Milwaukee 100 butterfly record, and Lorenz set the new schoolbest in the 50 freestyle. LePine qualified for the “A” final in the 100 Breaststroke and finished seventh.

Thus far on the season, LePine has earned Swimmer of the Week honors from the Horizon League twice. House (Swimmer of the Week), and Ben Stitgen (Diver of the Week), joined her as Milwaukee took three of four league weekly awards on Oct. 23.

The Panthers resume their season on Jan. 25, hosting Green Bay at Klotsche Natatorium, followed by their final dual meet at Stevens Point on Jan. 31. The team’s last tune-up is scheduled for Feb. 7-8 at the Wisconsin First Chance Meet in Madison before the Panthers head to Indianapolis for the Horizon League Championships from Feb. 19-22.

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2024

Bud K. Haidet Athletics Hall of Fame The Hall of Fame was renamed as the “Bud K. Haidet Athletics Hall of Fame” in April of 2009.

The honor came after Haidet served over 21 years as the Director of Athletics for the Milwaukee Panthers.

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LEANNE (FELSING) WILLIAMSON VOLLEYBALL

LAUREN (FELSING) BARTSCH VOLLEYBALL

ED MCCANTS MEN’S BASKETBALL

ASHLEY GREEN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WALLY WINTER TRACK & FIELD

Haidet led UWM to unprecedented athletic and academic heights. He guided the program from NAIA status back to NCAA Division I competition and then established UWM as a powerhouse in the Horizon League, with teams totaling 27 NCAA Tournament appearances under his watch. Along the way, Haidet helped UWM athletics build a national reputation, highlighted by a men’s basketball run to the “Sweet 16” in 2005. During his tenure, the Panthers won the Horizon League’s McCafferty Trophy four times while winning the league’s women’s all-sports award seven times and the men’s award three times. In that span, UWM teams won 85 regular season, tournament, and championship titles, while Panther coaches claimed 67 league coach of the year honors.

Roar report winter 2023

LEANNE (FELSING) WILLIAMSON VOLLEYBALL Leanne (Felsing) Williamson was on center stage for Milwaukee from 2004-07, capping her career by being named Horizon League Player of the Year. Her teams compiled an overall record of 89-26 (.774 winning percentage) in her time on campus, including a stellar .914 winning percentage in regular-season conference games, going an impressive 53-5 in her four seasons.

Williamson put together one of the best all-around seasons in school history in 2007, leading the nation in triple-doubles while earning American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region and honorable mention All-America honors for a second-straight season. Williamson finished her career with 1,146 kills, 1,329 digs and 2,264 assists while helping the Panthers to four regular-season league titles and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2006. She was a two-time national player of the week honoree and claimed League Newcomer of the Year recognition after her freshman campaign.

Williamson also excelled in the classroom throughout her career, collecting academic all-league and all-region recognition. Williamson was named the Horizon League Player of the Year, an All-Horizon League honoree, ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection and to the Horizon League AllAcademic Team.

LAUREN (FELSING) BARTSCH VOLLEYBALL Lauren (Felsing) Bartsch was right behind (200609), as the sisters were able to enjoy two seasons as teammates. Milwaukee went 89-33 in her career (.729 winning percentage), posting a league ledger of 51-11 (.823). Her teams claimed three regular-season Horizon League championships and played in the NCAA Tournament following the 2006, 2008, and 2009 campaigns.

Lauren was one of the best liberos in the Midwest throughout her career, culminating with Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year honors in her final season in 2009. She was a six-time winner of the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week award and also earned First-Team All-Horizon League status as well as AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region as a senior, capping the campaign with Horizon League Tournament MVP honors to lead the Panthers back to the NCAA Tournament for what was a second straight season.

She ended her career with 1,929 digs to finish as the all-time program leader and the only player to ever top 1,900. She concluded her time in league play by reaching double-figures in digs her final 55 consecutive matches and also had a streak of 61 in a row in double-figures snapped prior to her final stretch. She still holds the school’s single-season record of 645 digs set back in 2008 and did hold the No. 2 spot with 572 at the time it was set in 2009. She wrapped up her career with the second-most matches played in school history at 122, a number that still ranks fourth.

Felsing was also a standout in the classroom earning CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American accolades in each of her last two seasons (second team in 2008/third team in 2009) and league all-academic honors each of her final three seasons.

ED MCCANTS MEN’S BASKETBALL Ed McCants (2003-05) burst on the scene in 2003, helping Milwaukee to a 20-11 record and a date in the National Invitation Tournament. The team knocked off Rice, 91-63, before falling in the second round to Boise State by a score of 73-70.

Named the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year that season, he averaged 17.1 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, shooting 48.2 percent from the floor, 42.8 percent on 3’s and 82.1 percent from the line.

As a senior, he led the Panthers on a memorable trip to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament during a 26-6 season, earning Horizon League Player of the Year honors after averaging 17.4 points per game. Milwaukee topped Alabama and Boston College in a magical postseason ride, with McCants leading the charge as the team made national ‘March Madness’ headlines on its Cinderella run before bowing out to Illinois – the top-ranked team in the country. He scored over 1,000 points in just two seasons and still holds the program record for most three-pointers made in a season. McCants was also named to the AllDecade Team (2000-2010).

In two years in the Black & Gold, McCants made 62 starts in his 63 appearances. He scored 1,087 points for an average of 17.3 points a game. He shot 43.7 percent (368-of-842) from the floor overall, 40 percent (211-of-528) from three-point range, and 81.4 percent (140-of-172) from the free throw line.

He also added 195 rebounds (3.1 rpg), 120 assists (1.9 apg), and 86 steals (1.4 spg).

ASHLEY GREEN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Ashley Green (2011-15) became just the sixth player to record over 1,500 points for the Milwaukee women’s basketball program all-time and finished her career with 1,653 points to now rank in fifth place (fourth at graduation) on the all-time scoring list. She is one of just five players to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career and capped her time as a Panther with an impressive senior campaign.

Green was named First-Team All-Horizon League in 2014-15 after enjoying one of the best seasons statistically in the history of the program. She averaged a career-best 19.3 points a game – highest for any Panther in seven seasons – to go along with a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game. She finished in the Top 10 in the league in numerous categories, including points per game (second), rebounds (sixth), minutes played (sixth), field goal percentage (seventh), free throw percentage (eighth) and steals (tenth). Green also broke the school record with five games of 30-or-more points her final campaign, including a career-high 36 when she set a school record for points in a season opener against North Dakota.

She concluded her career with 119 games played and 111 starts, shooting 43.3 percent (605-of-1,398) from the floor, 35.9 percent (102-of-284) from three-point range, and 68.8 percent (341-of-496) from the line. In all, she averaged 13.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest, with her 781 total rebounds ranking No. 7 on the career list. She also earned a spot on the Horizon League All-Newcomer Team as a freshman.

WALLY WINTER TRACK & FIELD Wally Winter was a very decorated and highperforming member of the Milwaukee track & field program, graduating from UWM with his degree in education before passing away much too young in his mid-30’s. He earned varsity letters eight times in his career from 1958 to 1961, while being a consistent scorer on the Panther Wisconsin State College Conference Championship teams each campaign. Upon graduation, Winter owned school and conference records in both the shot put (51’9 ¼”) and discus (145’8”).

Regarded as one of the best shot putters in the history of the school, the Wisconsin State College Conference, and the Midwest, Winter claimed eight conference championships in his time with the Panthers, winning four in shot put, three in discus, and one in the 880-yard relay. He remains one of just nine conference athletes all-time to have won a league championship in a single event all four years of his career. He is the only athlete to win the shot put all four years and one of just three to claim three career crowns in the discus.

In 38 career track meets at the collegiate level, Winter finished in first place in his main event – the shot put – an incredible 31 times, taking top honors in over 80 percent of his competitions. In 25 career outdoor competitions (no indoor meets were held at the time), Winter claimed the top spot in the discus 11 times. A back injury affected his senior campaign, yet he still claimed three WSCC championships at his final meet.

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Roar report fall 2024

In early November, former Milwaukee Panther Daulton Varsho was selected as the recipient of the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at the centerfield position for the American League as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays.

When you’re hitting or pitching you cannot control the outcome, but on defense you can … you can work and put the effort in to get better at it every day and knowing that what you put in everyday is what you going to get on the field.”

The Roar Report staff had the opportunity to catch up with Varsho about his transition from a catcher to the outfield, his recent defensive successes, and about his future goals in Major League Baseball.

RR: “Who were some of the coaches or players that helped you make the transition to being a full-time outfielder with the Diamondbacks and Blue Jays organizations?”

Roar Report: Primarily playing catcher throughout your college and Minor League career, how would you describe your transition to a full-time outfielder?

DV: “I transitioned to the outfield in 2019, and Evan Marzilli was a good teammate of mine helped teach me and took the time and effort to be in the outfield with me.”

Daulton Varsho: “The biggest transition to outfield was a different conditioning aspect … you’re going to be running around a lot more, so the cardio is going to be a little different.”

“Just regular repetitions in the outfield and being able to get good reads on balls … but being a catcher and being and able to read swings has helped me with my first step and putting me in a good spot.”

RR: What was some of the advice you were given throughout your time playing, whether it be growing up, in college, Minor League Baseball, or even Major League Baseball, when it comes to playing defense?

DV: “The biggest thing that I learned was that defense is one of the controllable things you can do in the field.

“Our outfield coordinator with the Diamondbacks was Johnny Gomes at the time and he taught me little things here and there to help me get better reads and help me understand that I’m not always going to be perfect.”

“Dave McKay in Arizona was our outfield coach that put the time and effort with me in all three positions.”

RR: You were a finalist for the Gold Glove in 2022 and 2023, and earned your first in 2024, how does it feel to be recognized regularly for your defensive ability?

DV: “To be recognized has been cool … I think overall you want to win that award because it’s a really cool acknowledgement because like I said earlier you can

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control that aspect of your game.”

“Being able to dominate it and be able to know that you gave it all on every play for the pitchers and your team, I think that just shows what type of person you are and the athlete you are just as a whole.”

“There are many greats that have won the Gold Glove multiple times, and to be able to follow in their footsteps is a great honor.”

RR: How do you approach playing outfield in the different stadiums and the uniqueness that they all have?

DV: “Every field has their own quirks in the outfield, it’s one of those things where you have to go out on the field beforehand and understand where you’re standing. I’m a big believer in counting your steps and knowing how far you are away from the wall, so that you’re in a similar spot where you would play in every field, whether that’s home or away, but knowing that you can control that is what I do.”

time and effort you’re willing to put into it, and it’s just one of those things where you have all of these goals that you want but I think the biggest goal obviously is to win a World Series because that’s the greatest honor.”

Varsho became the highest-drafted player in MKE program history when Arizona took him with pick No. 68 in the 2017 MLB Draft and became the first Panther to appear in a Major League game, and now plays for the Toronto Blue Jays.

He played for the Panthers starting in 2015, capping his MKE career with Second-Team D1Baseball All-American honors. During his junior campaign in 2017, leading the Horizon League in batting average (.362), slugging percentage (.643), on-base percentage (.490), triples (6) and walks (46), while also finishing fourth in total bases (128), fifth in hits (72), sixth with a team-high 11 home runs and seventh in runs scored (47).

In his 162-game collegiate career, he batted .335 with 199 hits, 121 runs scored, 16 triples, 24 home runs, 124 RBI and 92 walks.

“Overall, I think you just have to be out there … at Fenway [Park] you have to throw the ball off the wall, and it’s never going to take the same bounce it does in the game, but it’s about understanding how the balls bounce off the wall, where the walls are, if there’s anything super different about the field, but you just have to take the time to prepare.”

RR: Now that you have earned a Gold Glove in 2024, what are some of your future professional goals?

DV: “My future professional goals are to win the big one, win a World Series, be a part of that team and do something special, the second thing would be to make an All Star Game, there are some other personal things that I would like to do, winning a Platinum Glove is on my list.”

“I just want to get better and do what I can to help my team win a World Series, and defense is a big part of my game but if I can be able to help hitting-wise and be able to contribute a little bit more … I think we are all aspiring to be the best player we can be in the big leagues, and it comes down to how much

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Roar report winter 2024

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PANTHERS ON

THE LEADER BOARD KAYLA ROLLINS 3RD

(7)

GAME-WINNING GOALS

4TH (0.86)

GOALS PER GAME

5TH

(18)

TOTAL GOALS

6TH

(39)

TOTAL POINTS

KARA ERDMANN 2ND (5.85) DIGS PER SET 2ND (719)

TOTAL DIGS

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Still Swe with Gary

Twenty years ago, they made an improbable run to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 and in the process ignited a frenzied following in Milwaukee, became the darlings of the college basketball world and gave hope to long shots and Cinderellas everywhere.

March Madness? Yes, and then some.

Most of the players on that 2004-05 Milwaukee Panthers team are in their early 40s now, with families and careers and a few extra pounds around their midsections.

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“I’m 41, so obviously half of my life has gone by,” says Joah Tucker, then an imposing 6-foot-5 junior forward and now a successful businessman and director of the Panther Future Fund. “It doesn’t feel like 20 years. It definitely went very quick.”

The team will be front and center again for a celebration of their historic run on Feb. 16, when Milwaukee hosts Northern Kentucky at the UWM Panther Arena. Ah, yes, the old Cell, crackling with electricity back then, the fans rushing the court at the conclusion of a Horizon League Tournament that sent UWM to the Big Dance.

Roar report winter 2024

Celebration presented by

eet D’Amato

It’s a perfect time to sift through the memories.

The 2004-05 Panthers were a talented, hard-nosed bunch with a lunchpail work ethic. The players knew their roles and every man pulled his weight. They shot the ball well and defended as if their lives depended on it. Coach Bruce Pearl pushed all the right buttons and pulled all the right strings.

The key to their success, though, is that they were — and remain — as close as brothers.

“It probably goes without saying, we just clicked on the court and off the court,” says Adrian

Tigert, then a 6-7 junior forward and now living in Wauwatosa and working in sales for a software company. “We had a great locker room. Everyone played a role in making us who we were and we got along really well.”

Says Tucker, “When I look back, I think about the brotherhood, honestly, As the years go by, the basketball means a little bit less and less. I think about the brotherhood we had and that we still have to this day.”

The charismatic Pearl had led Southern Indiana to

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the NCAA Division II national title in 1995 and was in his fourth year at Milwaukee. Two years earlier, he had led the Panthers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. They lost a heartbreaker to Notre Dame in the first round, 7069. The man could flat-out coach.

“I always tell people, Coach Pearl, I feel like his system inflated your score by a point or two,” Tucker says. “He was going to give you two points in terms of how he called plays and how he ran his offense. He was a genius with his play-calling. And then he really played to people’s talents.”

Ed McCants, a senior guard,

led the team in scoring that year, averaging 17.4 points. Tucker averaged 16.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, junior guard Boo Davis averaged 10.2 points and Tigert averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. Junior guard Chris Hill (7.8 points, team-leading 3.2 assists) and senior forward James Wright (4.0 points, 4.1 rebounds) were key contributors.

“Look, that team had great chemistry,” says Pearl, now the head coach at Auburn. “Joah, Ed and Boo, those three guys could win their matchup every night.

And Adrian started since he was a freshman and was just so solid. He was a big who could score inside

and out. Just a great group of kids. One of the best groups of kids I ever coached.”

The Panthers then reeled off eight straight victories before losing, 76-72, at Green Bay on Jan. 29. It would be their last loss until their season-ending defeat to Illinois in the NCAA Tournament.

The Panthers won their first six games that season but then went into a bit of a mini-funk, losing three in a row and four out of five, Milwaukee entered the Horizon League Tournament at the U.S. including a 66-37 shellacking at Cellular Arena with a 22-5 record. the hands of Wisconsin.

The Panthers beat Loyola in the semifinals and then avenged an “Wisconsin is just a tough team, early-season loss to Detroit Mercy especially in Madison,” Tucker says. “I don’t think that was a very with a 59-58 victory on March 8 to concerning loss. Pearl kept us in a earn the conference’s automatic mindset of we want to be playing NCAA Tournament bid. our best basketball in March. He The giddy fans rushed from their was a mastermind at keeping seats and swarmed the court. you focused and locked in and understanding that the goal was to be playing great ball late in the “I thought one of the more significant things we did is we season.” turned the Milwaukee Arena, where the Bucks had made some historic runs in the early ’70s, into an incredible home-court advantage,” Pearl says. “The Cell became the hottest, toughest mid-major environment in college basketball.”

The Panthers entered the Chicago

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Roar report winter 2024

Regional as the No. 12 seed. The first two rounds were played at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland.

On March 17, Milwaukee faced fifth-seeded Alabama, coached

by Pearl’s good friend Mark Gottfried. The coaches met on the court before the game and exchanged small talk.

“Mark said, ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but you’ve done a good job at Southern Indiana and Milwaukee. When are you going to get a big-time job?’” Pearl says. “I said, ‘Well, in about 40 minutes, after I beat you.’”

Cocky? Maybe, but the Panthers backed him up, with McCants and Tucker each scoring 21 points in an 83-73 upset victory.

Two days later, Milwaukee faced fourth-seeded Boston College, which had opened their season 20-0 and had throttled Penn, 8565, in the first round.

By now, the Panthers were attracting somewhat of a national following. They were a curiosity, a bunch of mid-major, blue-collar grinders, none of whom was going to have an NBA career. Everyone loves an underdog, especially in the NCAA Tournament.

one point, Eagles forward Jared Dudley, who would go on to play 14 years in the NBA, intentionally bumped into Tucker.

“He said, ‘Welcome to the Big East,’” Tucker says. “That fired me up and in turn it fired our team up. We don’t make it to the Sweet 16 if he doesn’t open his mouth. I got a chance to have a conversation with him when he was playing for the Bucks (in 2014-15). I told him straight up, ‘Hey, you guys would have won that game if you hadn’t run your mouth.’

“We were a group that hung our hat on being tough and not taking stuff from anyone and outworking guys. When he said that, it woke a sleeping dog and the rest is history.”

Milwaukee roared back to win, 83-75, with Tucker scoring 23 points and McCants adding 18.

“The interesting thing about it is, we were the better team,” Pearl says. “We didn’t out-coach anybody. We had better players than Alabama and Boston College. That just speaks to the

quality of kids that I had a chance to coach.”

The dream season ended on March 24, when top-seeded Illinois beat Milwaukee, 77-63, to advance to the Elite Eight. The Panthers stayed close for most of the first half before the Illini went on a 7-0 run to push their lead to 36-26. Milwaukee never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. llinois would go on to play in the championship game, losing to North Carolina, 75-70.

“I think the big thing is, we belonged,” Pearl says. “Our team belonged. Our fans belonged.

When you’re a mid-major and you’re also in Wisconsin and are overshadowed athletically by the Badgers and Marquette … it’s just that our alums had a chance to stick out their chests and feel like they belonged in big-time college athletics.”

The day after the season-ending loss, Pearl called Tucker into his office to tell him that Tennessee had interviewed him and that if the Volunteers offered him the

“Sometimes the early parts of those (afternoon) games can be a little sleepy,” Tigert says. “But as the teams that were playing after us, as their fans came into the arena … the roar after we would score was clearly more than just our fans.”

Boston College jumped out to a big lead early in the game. At

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head-coaching job, he was going to take it.

“I said, ‘Coach Pearl, we’ve always talked about advancing and evolving. I know UW-Milwaukee is not your ending place,’” Tucker says. “I told him, ‘You’ve got my blessing, man. I understand how it works.’”

The 2004-05 Panthers caught “lightning in a bottle,” Tucker says. Could it happen again under current coach Bart Lundy?

“Yeah, for sure,” Tigert says.

“Everything we had then remains the same now. I think it takes timing. The conference has to be aligned. You’ve got a conference tournament and then you’ve got to get into the (NCAA) Tournament. You’ve got to get a favorable draw and all those things. You need a little luck on your side.

“But there’s no question it could happen again.”

In the meantime, it’s fun to reminisce about that magical run in 2005.

“I loved my time there,” Pearl says. “I’m grateful to UWM for giving me that opportunity. We had great support and we had great kids. Golly, we had great kids.”

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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Roar report winter 2024

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Teammates Again: A World Away

clara broecker

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mckaela schmelzer

brooke parnello

When Brooke Parnello stepped onto the field for the first time as a Panther back in the Fall of 2019, she had the opportunity to play with a senior teammate who was finishing up her fourth season of a storied career with the Milwaukee women’s soccer team.

Little did she know back then that, along with another one of her own teammates, that the three of them would be back together again playing professionally on the same team in the Fall of 2024 in a city on the other side of the world over 6,000 miles away.

Parnello played her freshman campaign with McKaela Schmelzer, the 2019 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and one of only two players in program history to start every game of a four-year career. Schmelzer went on to play professionally since, taking to the pitch first as a pro in Greece in both 2023 and again in 2024.

In 2020, Clara Broecker joined Parnello for a fouryear career that culminated in the Fall of 2023, with Parnello’s penalty-kick late in the Horizon League Tournament Championship sending the team to a 1-0 victory over Northern Kentucky and to its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament.

From the start of Schmelzer’s career in

Roar report winter 2024

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When Brooke Parnello stepped onto the field for the first time as a Panther back in the Fall of 2019, she had the opportunity to play with a senior teammate who was finishing up her fourth season of a storied career with the Milwaukee women’s soccer team.

Little did she know back then that, along with another one of her own teammates, that the three of them would be back together again playing professionally on the same team in the Fall of 2024 in a city on the other side of the world over 6,000 miles away.

Parnello played her freshman campaign with McKaela Schmelzer, the 2019 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and one of only two players in program history to start every game of a four-year career. Schmelzer went on to play professionally since, taking to the pitch first as a pro in Greece in both 2023 and again in 2024.

In 2020, Clara Broecker joined Parnello for a fouryear career that culminated in the Fall of 2023, with Parnello’s penalty-kick late in the Horizon League Tournament Championship sending the team to a 1-0 victory over Northern Kentucky and to its fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament.

From the start of Schmelzer’s career in 2016 to the last game of the 2023 campaign, the trio helped the program to an unbelievable run – claiming the Horizon League regular-season title in seven of those eight seasons while competing in the NCAA Tournament on six occasions. The team’s record? An outstanding 114-20-17 (.811 winning percentage),

topped by a whopping 64-3-8 (.907) run in regularseason conference play over the course of their careers.

As mentioned, Schmelzer has been a pro since graduating college, which actually started with a year off from full-time soccer to wrap up her final campaign on the hardwood for the MKE women’s basketball team, where she was also the starting point guard for four seasons.

After she finished up college, she signed her first pro deal and moved to Peristeri, Greece, a suburb of Athens, in the Fall of 2022 – to play in the Super League of Greek Football as the starting center midfielder for Atromitos.

That first year, the team played in the Second Division and finished in first place. Schmelzer enjoyed her time and returned to Greece the next season. Fast-forward to July of 2024 and Schmelzer signed with a new team – on a new continent. The crazy part? Not only did Schmelzer sign with WFC BIIK-Shymkent in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, but, later in the season, so did Parnello and Broecker. They helped the team to a very successful campaign, finishing in first place while eventually taking part in Champions Path Group Play, where they went 1-1 before being eliminated. They went 16-0-0 in regular-season play, outscoring the competition by a total of 68-4.

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The staff of the Roar Report caught up with each of the players to share their experience both overseas

The Milwaukee Panthers value the opportunity to represent our university throughout the community. Through this platform, we are proud to have completed over 2,900 hours of service to our community this past year. Thank you for your support.

Nominate your non-profit organization for the Gruber Community Corner. Panther Athletics and Gruber Law Offices are happy to invite your group to an upcoming men’s basketball game at Panther Arena.

Your group will receive 50 to 100 game tickets provided courtesy of Gruber Law Office. Plus, during a timeout in the game, your group will be featured on the videoboard. Call 414-251-6974 to participate.

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*What was the biggest adjustment to moving to Kazakhstan?

Schmelzer: “Since our team was so diverse, the most challenging aspect was trying to connect with all of the players. College allowed for many opportunities to connect with our teammates and build relationships, but Kazakhstan was a bit more difficult. I think mostly because of the language barrier and the fact that they always have new players leaving/coming in.”

and as professionals.

What did you think were the biggest differences between the college and professional games?

McKaela Schmelzer: “The biggest difference for me is the length of the season, as the professional season is much longer than a 3-4 month college season. In regard to playing, from my professional experience, I’ve gotten to play with various girls from many different countries, whereas college is just USA-based. In college, many girls have similar playing history, whereas professionally you get various ages and various playing backgrounds.”

Brooke Parnello: “I think the type of play is the biggest difference between the two. In college, physicality is a huge part of the game and if you didn’t have that, girls were just going to take you down. In contrast, the professional game is much more refined. While physicality is still present, it’s more controlled and tactical. At the professional level, there’s a greater emphasis on skill, strategy, and reading the game. Players are technically more adept, and the tempo is generally smoother, not relying on physical strength as much and more on finesse and positioning. I found that in the professional environment, there was more of an emphasis on maintaining possession rather than just winning battles for the ball.”

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Clara Broecker: “I think one of the biggest adjustments to moving to Kazakhstan for me was the time change. From home to Shymkent was an 11hour time change, so it felt like a big adjustment just to get used to the fact that we were so far away from friends and family at home, both time and distancewise. Another big adjustment was the difference in culture between the U.S. and Shymkent. There were not many English speakers in Shymkent, which made it a very immersive experience. We made a few good friends who were Kazakh throughout our time there, and it was a really fun experience to have them show us their favorite things to do, as well as different cultural foods.”

Parnello: “Other than moving to the other side of the world … I think the language and understanding the culture was an adjustment. One of the Kazakh girls spoke English so she helped us a lot with any questions we had and she would take us to traditional restaurants and stores. Overall, though, the experience has been incredible. The blend of old traditions and modern influences, coupled with the kindness of the people, even though we would get lots of people staring or asking for pictures, the move there was much easier than I expected.”

knew English, so that helped with the transition.

Only one of the Kazakh girls knew English and a couple could speak a little, so communication was a challenge on and off the field. On the field, I am so used to talking and directing, so when we started practicing and there wasn’t any communication between us and the local girls it was hard. Slowly we got better and found ways we could communicate with each other. I picked up a couple of Russian words and phrases but didn’t speak fluently.” *What was your reaction to finding out the three of you would be playing together on the same team?

*What was the language barrier like?

Schmelzer: “The coaches and majority of the team knew basic/very good English, so understanding the coaches philosophy and instructions were no problem. In regard to the city, I went out every day, and maybe came across five people that spoke English. Google Translate was used often and definitely came in handy!”

Broecker: “Very few of our Kazakh teammates spoke English. Our head coach had lived in the US, and spoke English, which was very helpful in practice and games. We also had many other international teammates from different countries, so many different languages were being spoken around us. We had teammates from Brazil, Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria. I think the language barrier is something that, though challenging at times, is part of the experience of playing overseas and connecting with people from all over the world.

Outside of trying to pick up a little Russian, which was mostly spoken by our teammates (though Kazakh is mostly spoken in Shymkent), I also learned words or phrases from my other teammates, in Portuguese, French, or Twi (dialect spoken in Ghana). It was definitely a source of connection with teammates to teach each other bits of our languages.”

Parnello: “Google Translate was definitely one of my most used apps over there. We had a decent amount of foreigners, including us Americans who

Schmelzer: “Playing overseas comes with many unknowns, from football to living, to logistics, to the people you are surrounded by and more. It was much more comforting accepting to go to Kazakhstan knowing Brooke and Clara were going as well. Besides our commonality of UWM soccer, I really didn’t know much about them and I was excited to learn more about them and experience this journey with them! Since they are also both great players, I was eager to be able to play with them as well!”

Broecker: “It was super exciting! At first I only knew that Mck (Schmelzer) was going as well, which I was excited about as though I had never played with her, I had heard about her through upperclassmen when I was a freshman at UWM. And then Brooke decided to come, which was super-exciting as well. I had played with her for four years with the Panthers, and I was excited to have that experience with her, both on and off the field. Especially as it was my first experience playing overseas, it was really helpful to be with people that I was familiar with and had so much in common with.”

Parnello: “For me, finding out McKaela, Clara and I were going to play together definitely helped with my decision on going over there. I knew playing overseas was what I wanted to do, but I think knowing that they would be there helped the process – especially with it being my first contract.

McKaela was a huge help when it came to any questions or concerns about professional soccer and just advice when we were in Kazakhstan.”

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*What are your favorite memories from the season?

Schmelzer: “Moments spent building relationships with my teammates on and off the field, and also being able to travel to a few countries in Europe (Germany, Luxembourg, Turkey). One of my favorite experiences was when a few of us traveled to a National Park for a day hike.”

*What were you able to do with your time outside of the team?

Schmelzer: “I spent a good amount of time training on my own, weightlifting and running. My mode of transportation was walking, so that took me to many different parts of the city, from parks to coffee shops to craft stores. I did have a part-time job, so I spent a few hours a day with that, and I also read, studied another language, and listened to many podcasts!”

Broecker: “Another big adjustment was the amount of free time that we had outside of soccer. As a college athlete I was so used to a fast-paced lifestyle where I was always busy with soccer and school. But there, we had a lot of time to fill in our own. While we were in Shymkent, that usually consisted of trying different coffee shops, restaurants, and spending time with our teammates. The unique part of being on a Champions League team was that we traveled internationally several times. We went to Lithuania, Germany, Luxembourg, and though we were only in Istanbul for a night, we were able to take a tour and experience the city. It was an amazing experience to be able to see so many different places, especially as I had not been to Europe prior.”

Parnello: “We didn’t have a car so we pretty much walked everywhere or they had their own Uber app, so we used that a lot. Everything over there was very cheap compared to America, which was nice. Most days we would go to a coffee shop and read. We would try different restaurants and shop a lot too.”

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Broecker: “I think one of my favorite memories from the season was visiting Luxembourg, which I absolutely loved. Some of my family was able to come watch our Champions League games, so, much different than coming to Engelmann to see me play. I also think overall the people are what made the experience memorable for me. We met some amazing people from different parts of the world, and it is amazing to think that going forward, I have friends in so many different places.”

Parnello: “For me, it was all the memories I made with my teammates on and off the field. I got to meet people from all over the world and I’m lucky to call them my friends now. Also, going to Luxembourg and playing in the Champions League was an incredible experience. The atmosphere was something I had never seen before and experienced. So many fans and the passion they had was unforgettable.” *What is the plan for what is next?

Schmelzer: “I am going to continue playing in Sydney, Australia, for a team in the NPL (National Premier League).”

Broecker: “I still would like to play, just looking for an opportunity that’s right for me!”

Parnello: “Right now, my main goal is to find a new team to continue playing. Ideally, I would love to have the opportunity to play in Europe, as the level of competition is incredibly high, and it would be an amazing experience both on and off the field. I still love the game so I want to play for as long as I can while also experiencing new things!”

Roar report winter 2024

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20 for $20,000 Men’s Basketball Initiative

In honor and recognition of the 20th anniversary of the Milwaukee Men’s Basketball Sweet 16 team, Milwaukee Athletics is working to raise support from alumni and community partners with an investment in our current team’s success now and in the coming years.

This initiative is underway with several $20,000 commitments already secured. It will continue until mid-February 2025 (or longer if needed) when members of the 20th Anniversary team are honored at the Sunday, February 16 men’s basketball game at Panther Arena.

The ’20 for $20,000’ campaign also recognizes the success and excitement that Head Coach Bart Lundy brought to the men’s basketball program two 20+ win seasons in his first two years at UWM. “It’s the first time our program has done that since 2006. We are making progress, but it’s not where we want to be,” Coach Lundy said. “Our focus and intent are NCAA tournaments”.

Philanthropic support of the ’20 for $20,000’ campaign can be made outright or pledged over 4 years ($5,000 per year for 4 years). For more details or to discuss supporting this special initiative please contact Chris Roche, Associate Director of Athletics – Advancement, at rochec@uwm.edu or (414) 229-3057.

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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 2024-25 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 Roche (rochec@uwm.edu) or Cody Bohl (bohl@uwm.edu). or contact ChrisChris Roche (rochec@uwm.edu) or Zach Beaschler (beaschle@uwm.edu)

2024-25PANTHER PANTHER EXCELLENCE FUND BENEFITS 2023-24 EXCELLENCE FUND BENEFITS Membership is based on TOTAL ANNUAL GIVING to Athletics MEMBERSHIP LEVEL

PANTHER PARTNER

BLACK

GOLD

STARTER

CAPTAIN

ALLCONFERENCE

ALL-AMERICAN

MVP

CHAMPION

HALL OF FAME

Annual Gift Amount

$100-$249

$250-$499

$500-$999

$1,000-$1,499

$1,500-$2,499

$2,500-$4,999

$5,000-$7,499

$7,500-$9,999

$10,000-$24,999

$25,000+

Monthly Gift Amount

$8-$21

$21-$42

$42-$84

$84 - $125

$125 - $208

$208 - $416

$416 - $625

$625 - $833

$833 - $2,083

$2,083+

Provide critical financial support to MKE student-athletes Quarterly Newsletter Access Fall-Sports Pass (Except MBB/WBB) Roar Report Recognition Video Board Spotlight Priority Ticket Access + Parking Pass Premium Hospitality Access Premium Gift Package Closed Practice Experience Exclusive Experience with AD/Coach VIP Travel Experience

Panther Excellence Fund year runs from July 1 - June 30 each year *Benefits will be available to members the following sports/academic year.

ALL-SPORTS PASS

CLOSED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE

Pass gives you access to all home sporting events in 2023-24 (except men’s and women’s basketball)

Invitation to a closed practice which includes interaction with players and coaches afterward

PREMIUM HOSPITALITY ACCESS

EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH AD/COACH

Gain entry into exclusive hospitality areas at different sports and events throughout the year

A customized experience with either a coach or Director of Athletics (i.e. golf, dinner, private team outing, etc.)

PREMIUM GIFT PACKAGE

VIP TRAVEL EXPERIENCE

Receive a personalized, customized, one-of-a-kind Panther gift package

Join the team on a road trip and be involved in all aspects of team itinerary

Membership level can include a combination of the Excellence Fund, Sports Specific, Per-Seat Premium, Capital Projects, and Scholarships

EXAMPLES

Jon Smith makes a donation as part of his two men’s basketball season tickets ($790) and attends the MBB golf outing, it puts him at $1,090 Carrie attends the WBB golf outing and gives $250 to the excellence fund, her total giving would be $450

+

=

+

=

STARTER

BLACK

Want to get a free parking pass for Men’s Basketball games at Panther Arena? Or attend a closed practice? Feel free to reach out to our New Director of The Panther Fund - Zach Beaschler! Zach started with UWM over the summer and he is here to answer any questions you may have. Feel free to reach out to him or find him at the next Panther Men’s Basketball game!

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Fans and customers looking to purchase the product can now find it at: • Gasthaus (UWM Student Union) • Ian’s Pizza North Avenue • Cheba Hut Eastside • Discount Liqour • Major Goolsbys • Downer Wine

Find us in Panther Arena, Pilot Project Brewing, participating bars, restaurants, and liquor stores across the area!

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For the second consecutive year, Pilot Project Brewing, in conjunction with Milwaukee Athletics, welcomed its Panther beer earlier this month – launched for the 2024-25 season with a new design.

The “Panther Pale Ale”, an American pale ale beer, was first developed last year in partnership between Pilot Project Brewing, Craft Beverage Warehouse, Milwaukee Athletics, the UWM Peck School of the Arts, and CLC, the University’s trademark licensing company.

Director of Athletics Amanda Braun and General Manager for Milwaukee Panther Sports Properties Kristina Filipovic helped move the process to bring the concept to market, through the work that current Panther Athletics staff members and University leadership put into this concept to make it a reality.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the beer will be directed to student scholarships and other student-centered programming at UWM. Michelle Markuson of Glendale, Wis., and a Design and Visual Communications Bachelor of Fine Arts major with a certificate in Digital Fabrication and Design at UWM, created the artwork that was selected to appear on the product. Her winning design was one of numerous submissions made by UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts students that worked its way through the approval process.

“Working on the Panther Pale Ale collaboration has been a profound experience as a student designer and a UWM Panther,” Markuson said. “From the folks at Pilot Project Brewing, who made the process straightforward, to the Craft Beverage Warehouse who made my design possible, and Milwaukee

Athletics for their vision. Everyone involved has such a strong passion. This passion was my main inspiration for the design, showing Milwaukee’s relentless strength. This collaboration between the school and our community attests that being a UWM Panther means you will be supported by your classmates, the staff, and our community.

I hope that more cross-campus and community collaborations like this one will be in UWM’s future.

For the MKE!” The product will be available for purchase at UWM Panther Arena, Pilot Project Brewing and other select bars/restaurants and liquor stores in the greater Milwaukee area. Any retailers interested in carrying Panther Pale Ale should reach out to Sales@PilotProjectBrewing.com.

Craft Beverage Warehouse is once again printing the cans and packaging for the product, one with a design that came directly from students at the UWM Peck School of the Arts, while CLC was involved with officially licensing the product and signing the agreement with Pilot to allow for the brand on the beer.

Pilot Project Brewing is a brewery incubator & restaurant located in the Brewery District of Milwaukee, Wis., Pilot Project was launched as a collaborative and artistically curious space to help support talented brewers in an industry with exceptionally high barriers. Modeled after the music industry, Pilot serves as a launch pad for start-up breweries, offering assistance with recipe R&D, production scaling, marketing, distribution and more.

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#FORTHEMKE

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