Coaching Staff Head coach Rob Jeter and his entire staff return for the season in Milwaukee

Transcription

1 Coaching Staff Head coach Rob Jeter and his entire staff return for the season in Milwaukee

2 Rob Jeter Head Coach Second Season UW-Platteville 91 It didn t take long for Rob Jeter to make his mark as the head men s basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In fact, in just his first season with the Panthers, Jeter led his team to its third-straight Horizon League regular season title and its second-straight berth in the NCAA Tournament. Once in the tourney, Jeter guided the Panthers to a first-round win over Oklahoma before UWM was eliminated by eventual national champion Florida in the second round. 16 Coaching Staff Head Coach Rob Jeter He also guided the Panthers to a fourth-straight 20-win season and set a school record for wins by a first-year head coach with 22. Plus, he helped three of his players earn All-Horizon League honors, a school record, and three players also earned league all-tournament team recognition. Jeter was also able to put his personal stamp on the team. The Panthers led the Horizon League in scoring and rebounding while also forcing over 15 turnovers per game. UWM was challenged by an extremely difficult non-league schedule, which included road games with Memphis, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Montana and wound up rated as the 21st-most-difficult schedule in the country. Off the court, UWM set new records for both per-game average and total attendance, and crowds for Jeter s new Full-Court Club luncheons grew from about 30 to 150 by the end of the year. Jeter s work earned him Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Division I Coach of the Year honors and he was inducted into the UW-Platteville Athletic Hall of Fame in September. Plus, Jeter s work continued well into the summer as he filled out a recruiting class meant to fill spots vacated by a seven-member senior class. That recruiting class, which included the player of the year in Iowa and the starting point guard from the top prep school in the country, has earned rave reviews. Jeter s foresight on the recruiting trail also helped him land three players who sat out last season in Milwaukee but should be key contributors this coming season. Jeter returned to UWM as the 20th head coach in the school s history after serving for the last four years as an assistant coach and associate head coach at the University of Wisconsin. He previously served as an assistant at both UWM and Marquette after working and playing at UW-Platteville. Jeter worked under Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan for 10 of his 11 years as an assistant coach, spending one year under Mike Deane at Marquette. At Wisconsin, Jeter served as the Badgers lead recruiter while also coordinating Wisconsin s scouting and academic efforts. In four seasons at Wisconsin, Jeter helped the Badgers to remarkable success. They won two regular season Big Ten championships and a Big Ten Tournament title. Wisconsin also made four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including berths in the Sweet 16 in 2003 and the Elite Eight in Plus, Wisconsin averaged nearly 23 wins per season under Ryan and Jeter and posted a school-record 38-game homecourt winning streak. Jeter served on Ryan s staff for two seasons at UWM, recruiting just-departed Panthers Adrian Tigert and Chris Hill while helping to lay the foundation for success on the basketball court. Under Ryan and Jeter, UWM recorded its first two plus-.500 seasons since the early 1990 s while increasing attendance nearly 300 percent. Despite the graduation of seven seniors, the expectations for the season at UWM remain high. It s something Jeter wouldn t have any other way. Horizon League Champions

3 My dad and my mom always set high standards for us, Jeter said. Coach Ryan, who I played for and coached with, always had high standards. I have always had high standards for myself, personally. So, I think we are just going to build on the success that is already here. I think our young men want to win every time they go on the court. Every time I step on to the court I want to win. Every time I wake up in the morning I want to be better than I was yesterday. The Jeter File Coaching Experience Head Coach, UWM 2005-present Led UWM to the Horizon League regular season and league tournament titles Panthers beat Oklahoma in first round of NCAA Tournament 22 wins easily set a new record for a firstyear UWM head coach Helped UWM set records for single-game average and total attendance Winning has never been a problem for Jeter. All told, he has been a part of 10 conference championships, including eight as a coach. He has won three national championships, including two as a coach. As a player at UW-Platteville, his teams went in four seasons. In his 11 years as an assistant coach, his teams posted a combined record, good for a.743 winning percentage. In league play, his teams recorded a record. Jeter has learned many things over his years as an assistant, including the value of assembling a top-notch staff. He brings his entire staff back for a second season, thrilled with the continuity and the chance to improve. Each year we re trying to get better as a staff, and there are certainly some things we ve identified that we ll continue to improve on. With everyone back, we can definitely do that, Jeter said. All of my guys have a clear understanding of what I want, and I have a clear understanding of all of the strengths of my staff. Where it really helps is with the players. When you recruit young men and bring them into a program and then assistant coaches leave, it is very hard to develop that continuity and it is hard for the players. The players need to see that the coaches are just as committed as they are to making this thing work. So I think when they see the same coaches coming back and see the guys that recruited them are still here, it really helps their development. The start of a second season in Milwaukee also means everyone - from players to staff - has a much clearer view of the expectations Jeter has. There is continuity within the team, and these guys are further ahead than we were last year because they already know what to expect, Jeter said. We ve been through the league, and we have a clear understanding of what teams are going to do. Even just our staff there s a familiarity with things, and our guys aren t traveling or moving, they re not looking for homes - they re pretty much settled in and focused on basketball. That s the best part about starting a second year. One of the most popular questions asked of Jeter after taking the job in Milwaukee a year ago was the style of play he would employ. His first answer has always been easy - a winning style. But a closer look at history, and studying the trends of his squad, shows he ll likely continue to put all 94 feet of the floor to good use. We ll dive after loose balls. We ll take charges. We ll take good shots. We ll get after teams, Jeter said. You ll see our point guard blast the ball up the court and all of the things people appreciate. In fact, as a player at UW-Platteville, Jeter played on a national championship team that averaged more than 97 points per game and pressed the entire game. In four years as a player, Jeter s teams cracked the Assistant Coach/Associate Head Coach, Wisconsin Badgers made four NCAA Tournament appearances Reached the Sweet 16 in 2003 and the Elite Eight in 2005 Won two Big Ten regular season titles and one league tourney title Finished the season ranked 10th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll Assistant Coach, UWM, Team posted first back-to-back plus-.500 seasons since early 1990 s Team advanced to semifinals of league tourney for first time Assistant Coach, Marquette, Team claimed win over #4 Cincinnati Assistant Coach, UW-Platteville, Team compiled record Pioneers won two NCAA Division III National Championships Playing Experience UW-Platteville Captained team that won 1991 NCAA Division III National Championship Named to All-WSUC, All-Midwest Region and All-Final Four teams UWP record-holder for field goal percentage (.601) and consecutive starts (89) team averaged 97.4 ppg and averaged 15.8 steals per game Played professionally in Portugal in , leading league in scoring Personal Born May 15, 1969 in Pittsburgh, Pa. Family Wife: Deanna; sons: Robert (4), Jonathan (1); Dad, Bob, played for the Green Bay Packers Education B.S., business administration, UW-Platteville, 1991 M.A., adult education, UW-Platteville, 2001 NCAA First Round 2003 NCAA Sweet NCAA Second Round Coaching Staff Head Coach Rob Jeter

4 Jeter Honored By WBCA, Inducted Into UW-Platteville Hall Of Fame After a tremendous debut season as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the honors have come pouring in for Rob Jeter. Jeter was inducted into the UW-Platteville Athletic Hall of Fame while also being honored by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association as its Division I State Coach of the Year. 18 Coaching Staff Head Coach Rob Jeter Rob Jeter and his wife, Deanna, with children Jonathan and Robert 100-point mark 29 times, including a record-setting 149-point outing. Jeter s collegiate basketball life started at UW-Platteville, where he played for Ryan from and then was an assistant from As a player for the Pioneers, Jeter captained the Pioneers to the 1991 NCAA Division III title and was named to the All-Final Four team. A two-time All-Wisconsin State University Conference selection and two-time All-Midwest Region choice, Jeter still holds UW-Platteville records for career field goal percentage (.601) and consecutive starts (89). Jeter was also named to the Wisconsin State University Conference honor roll three times. As an assistant coach, Jeter helped guide the Pioneers to a overall record, two NCAA Division III titles and four conference championships. In addition to his coaching duties at UW-Platteville, Jeter coordinated the program s academic, recruiting and scouting efforts and directed the Bo Ryan Basketball Camps. He was also an admissions coordinator at the school. In between playing and coaching at UW-Platteville, Jeter spent a season playing basketball overseas. He starred for the Olivias Futebol Clube in Portugal in , leading the Portuguese national league in scoring. Jeter was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., on May 15, 1969, and then grew up in Chicago, Ill., as part of an athletic family. His dad, Bob, is a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and his brother, Carlton, played basketball alongside Rob at UW-Platteville. The award from his alma mater highlighted his efforts as a player and as an assistant coach, which included three NCAA Division III national titles. This is a tremendous honor, Jeter said. Platteville has meant so much to me and I have so many fond memories of my time there. The people of Platteville have been supportive of me from the day I walked on campus as a freshman, and they have remained supportive to this day. I am privileged to be a part of the Pioneer family and flattered to be inducted into the hall of fame. Meanwhile, the competition for the state s Division I coach of the year honor was stiff, with three state schools making the NCAA Tournament. But, UWM was the only school from the state to make the second round. Wisconsin s Bo Ryan won the award last year. It is truly an honor to be recognized by the WBCA and its membership, Jeter said. A lot of the credit needs to go to my staff and to the student-athletes who worked very hard in achieving our success. This award is also recognition of the great basketball played in the state of Wisconsin, because many of our key performers were from the state. Our team faced extremely high expectations, and I thought they performed admirably under the weight of those expectations. I am very proud of this team and this program, and it is great to get this type of recognition in a year where the state again excelled in college basketball. Jeter attended high school at Quigley South Preparatory School and then headed to UW-Platteville, where he earned his business administration degree in Jeter also received a master s degree in adult education from the school in December of Jeter and his wife, Deanna, have a four-year old son, Robert, and welcomed their second child, Jonathan, in September of There s no question Rob is one of the youngest and brightest coaching stars in America right now and we re very happy to have him in the state of Wisconsin, WBCA Executive Director Jerry Petitgoue said. He did a great job this season and has a great coaching background. Plus, he is a great person. We re really happy for him and thrilled to be honoring him. Horizon League Champions

5 Brian Bidlingmyer Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Second Season Siena 95 Brian Bidlingmyer is starting his second year as an assistant coach and the recruiting coordinator for Rob Jeter and the Milwaukee men s basketball program. In Milwaukee, Bidlingmyer helps to oversee all recruiting efforts while also participating in all of the on-court aspects of the program. Bidlingmyer was also responsible for assembling the schedule. The Bidlingmyer File Bidlingmyer and Jeter previously worked together during the season at Marquette, where the two were assistant coaches. My relationship with Rob made this an opportunity I could not pass up, Bidlingmyer said. Who you work with and work for is very important, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rob. Obviously, he s learned from one of the most underrated coaches in America in Bo Ryan and I believe he is well on his way toward being a tremendous head coach here at Milwaukee. Bid is someone I knew I wanted to have on my staff when I became a head coach, Jeter said. He is a good teacher and he has great attention to detail, two things that help him both as a coach and a recruiting coordinator. He played for and coached with a man in Mike Deane who was good at truly studying and analyzing the game, and he brings all of that knowledge to our staff. He has also worked all across the country - including previously here in Milwaukee - making the recruiting contacts he has extremely valuable to us. Bidlingmyer s wide-ranging recruiting contacts were very important this past year, with UWM looking to replace seven seniors. But, the group of players he helped assemble includes player of the year honorees from Iowa and South Dakota, as well as players from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Alabama. Bidlingmyer has delivered results at each of his previous coaching stops. In two seasons at Binghamton, he helped Al Walker build the Bearcat program into one of the up-and-coming squads in the America East Conference. Under Mike Deane at Lamar, Bidlingmyer served as the program s recruiting coordinator in addition to his on-the-floor coaching duties, helping the Cardinals capture the 2000 Southland Conference Championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. Bidlingmyer also worked with Deane for two seasons at Marquette, and was the director of the Mike Deane Basketball Camps for all six years he worked with Deane. His coaching experience has included summer stints overseas with People-To-People Sports. He led a team to France during the summer of 2000 before taking teams to Australia in the summers of 2001 and He also toured Romania as a player with a College All-Star team in Bidlingmyer played four seasons at Siena College, where he served as team captain his senior year. The Saints advanced to the NIT semifinals in 1994, winning a schoolrecord 25 games. He played in 118 consecutive games at the school and led the team in rebounding as a junior. He also holds a pair of Siena single-game records for field goal percentage (8-for-8) and steals (10). The steals mark is also still a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record. Bidlingmyer, who grew up in Barberton, Ohio, is a member of the Barberton High School Hall of Fame along with such wellknown names as Bo Schembechler and John Mackovic. He and his wife, Kim, were married in June of Why Bid Is At UWM My relationship with Rob made this an opportunity I could not pass up. Who you work with and work for is very important, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rob. Bid As A Coach Worked two seasons at Binghamton prior to coming to Milwaukee Spent six seasons as an assistant coach under Mike Deane - two at Marquette and four at Lamar University Coached alongside Jeter at Marquette in Also coached College All-Star teams during overseas summer trips in 2000, 2001 and 2002 Bid As A Player Played four years at Siena College Appeared in 118 consecutive games and still holds two school records Helped team to a school-record 25 wins and the NIT semifinals during his junior season 19 Coaching Staff Assistant Coach Brian Bidlingmyer NCAA First Round 2003 NCAA Sweet NCAA Second Round 2006

6 Chad Boudreau is in his second season as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In Milwaukee, Boudreau is a part of all activities in the basketball program, including recruiting and on-court coaching. Chad Boudreau Assistant Coach Second Season Hannibal-LaGrange 95 The Boudreau File 20 Coaching Staff Assistant Coach Chad Boudreau Rob Jeter is what made this job something I jumped at, Boudreau said. I have a lot of respect for what he has done as both a player and a coach and have gotten to know him very well over the years. Plus, having recruited extensively in and around Milwaukee, I knew this was an area my family would be very happy in. It is nice to see how the school has developed and moved into the national spotlight and it has been very exciting to be a part of it. Boudreau had worked for six years as an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College, helping the school to three National Junior College Athletic Association #1 rankings and to the NJCAA Final Four. Chad s recruiting abilities and contacts throughout the country have been a valuable resource for the program, Jeter said. Plus, with his six years in the junior college ranks, he has been able to use those connections to help us fill special needs in recruiting. Chad also has a great personality and people enjoy being around him, which helps him build a tremendous relationship with the players. I remain very happy he was willing to join us and he has been a very valuable piece of our staff here in Milwaukee. Boudreau s wide-ranging recruiting contacts were very important this past year, with UWM looking to replace seven seniors. But, the group of players he helped assemble includes player of the year honorees from Iowa and South Dakota, as well as players from Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Alabama. At Indian Hills, he helped 22 players earn NCAA Division I scholarships, including two first-team NJCAA All-Americans and two NBA draft picks. While Boudreau was an assistant at Indian Hills, the men s basketball team posted some stellar seasons. In all, the team won 77 percent of its games while Boudreau was at the school, posting a record. Every season had its highlights, including the 2000 campaign when Indian Hills finished fourth at the national junior college tournament. The team went 29-6 in , going undefeated in conference play while finishing the season ranked 10th in the nation in the NJCAA ranks. In , Indian Hills won 25 more games before posting a 22-win season in Boudreau had a wide range of responsibilities in the well-respected program, including recruiting, scheduling, strength and conditioning, academic monitoring, individual skill development and marketing. He also held duties away from the basketball court at Indian Hills, serving as a marketing and recruiting counselor for the school. Prior to his time at Indian Hills, Boudreau was a graduate assistant coach for the women s basketball team at Hannibal-LaGrange College in Missouri and spent two years as an assistant varsity and head freshmen girls basketball coach at Anita High School in Iowa. He also played for two seasons at Hannibal-LaGrange after earning all-state recognition three times at Harmony High School in Iowa. Boudreau s wife, Stacy, is the head coach of the highly-successful women s volleyball program at UW-Whitewater. The couple has a one-year-old son, Quincy, and is expecting another child this winter. Boudreau Background Worked six years as an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College prior to coming to UWM Indian Hills earned three National Junior College Athletic Association #1 rankings and finished fourth at the NJCAA Tournament in 2000 The team won 77 percent of its games while Boudreau was at the school, posting a record Coached two first-team NJCAA All- Americans and two NBA draft picks while also helping more than 20 players earn NCAA Division I scholarships All In The Family Chad wasn t the only member of the Boudreau family to experience a highly-successful first year on the job. Chad s wife, Stacy, led UW-Whitewater to the NCAA Division III National Championship in her first year as the head volleyball coach at the school. She had previously been the head coach at Iowa Wesleyan. Horizon League Champions

7 Duffy Conroy is starting his second season as an assistant coach in Milwaukee for Rob Jeter. At UWM, Conroy is the director of the Rob Jeter Basketball Camps while also participating in the recruiting, scouting and on-court coaching aspects of the program. He will also be taking on the duties of setting the schedule. Duffy Conroy Assistant Coach Second Season St. Ambrose 99 The Conroy File This has been a great opportunity to get to work under Coach Jeter, who has had a great influence on me over the years, Conroy said. It was very exciting to come back to UWM, where I started my collegiate coaching career, and it is great to be building on the winning tradition of the program. Conroy spent the as the director of basketball operations at Wisconsin before starting his second stint at UWM. He served as an administrative assistant for Bo Ryan during the season in Milwaukee, and then moved to Madison with Ryan, where he was the video coordinator for two seasons. He took over head coaching and athletic director duties at his alma mater, Assumption High School, for the school year before returning to Madison for the season. In his second stint at Wisconsin, Conroy was responsible for the day-to-day operational aspects of the program, including travel and budget matters. Duffy was one of my first recruits and I always respected his work-ethic as a student-athlete, Jeter said. He does a great job of relating to the players and the experience he gained as both a high school head coach and athletic director is invaluable. He has worked hard to earn this opportunity, starting as a video coordinator, moving to basketball operations and now getting a chance to be an assistant coach. In both of his stays at Wisconsin, Conroy was a part of the incredible success the Badgers have enjoyed under Jeter and Ryan. Conroy was part of the Badgers staff as they won back-to-back Big Ten regular-season titles for the first time in school history and advanced to the Sweet 16 in Then in , Conroy was back on the staff as Wisconsin made a run to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. In all, the Badgers won 68 games in the three seasons Conroy worked at the school. Conroy played basketball at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. A twotime all-conference performer and team captain, Conroy led St. Ambrose to three appearances in the NAIA Tournament. St. Ambrose won 20 games during his junior campaign and then 26 games during his senior season. That year, he averaged more than 10 points, five rebounds and four assists per game in earning honorable mention All-America honors. He finished his career with more than 1,000 points. Conroy, who was born in Naperville, Ill., was an all-state football and basketball player at Davenport Assumption High School. Conroy and his wife, Nikki, were married last year. The couple has a son, Callum, who was born last December. Conroy comes from a college basketball family, as his brother, Ed, is the head coach at The Citadel. Conroy s Background Has worked alongside Rob Jeter at both Wisconsin and UWM Part of two Big Ten championship teams and an Elite Eight team while on the coaching staff at Wisconsin Honorable mention All-America honoree at St. Ambrose University A Basketball Family Duffy isn t the only member of the Conroy family involved in basketball. In fact, Duffy s brother, Ed, was named the head coach at his alma mater, The Citadel, this past April. Ed has recently worked closely with Buzz Peterson, serving as the director of basketball operations and as an assistant coach for him at Tulsa, Coastal Carolina and Tennessee. He has also served as an assistant coach at VMI, Furman and North Carolina State, while spending three years as the head coach at Francis Marion University. 21 Coaching Staff Assistant Coach Duffy Conroy NCAA First Round 2003 NCAA Sweet NCAA Second Round 2006

8 22 Coaching Staff Support Staff Milwaukee Men s Basketball Ronnie Jones is in his second season as the director of basketball operations at UWM. Jones duties include many of the day-today functions of the basketball program, including travel arrangements and facility scheduling. Jones has returned to the school where he starred as a player from He helped the Panthers to the school s firstever Horizon League Tournament title and NCAA Tournament appearance in He is among UWM s Division I career leaders in games played (118), games started (82), points (1,182), three-point field goals Chip MacKenzie is in his second year as the video coordinator for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men s basketball program. MacKenzie came to UWM after spending three seasons as the head coach at Pecatonica High School in southwest Wisconsin, where he compiled a record. In his current position, MacKenzie is responsible for coordinating the entire video operation for Milwaukee basketball. Chip has been a high school head coach and has a lot of coaching experience, head coach Rob Jeter said. He also has been a Ronnie Jones Director of Basketball Operations Second Season UWM 04 made (201) and assists (273). He also set a school record for three-point baskets in a single game when he knocked in 10 three-point shots at Youngstown State on Jan. 2, Chip MacKenzie Video Coordinator Second Season Edgewood 90 pupil of the system we use and that will help him tremendously in breaking down game and practice video. MacKenzie played high school basketball Jones career at UWM included two seasons playing for Bo Ryan and Rob Jeter. It is great to have a former student-athlete at Milwaukee on our staff, and Ronnie was a big part of the group that helped rekindle the winning tradition here, Jeter said. He is a great role model for our players, a valuable resource for our guys and really fills a variety of roles for us. Jones spent as an assistant coach under former Panther assistant Ryan Swanson at Garden City Community College. Garden City went 23-9 with current Panthers Avery Smith and Torre Johnson on the roster. at Madison Edgewood before continuing his basketball career at Edgewood College, where he still holds the single-game scoring record (46 points). MacKenzie graduated from Edgewood College in 1990 and then served as an assistant coach at Edgewood High School for 10 years, as the team compiled a record. He also worked for two seasons as an assistant coach for his brother, Dana, at Pecatonica, helping the school to a runnerup finish in the WIAA Tournament and a mark. MacKenzie then became the head coach at the school in UWM s men s basketball support staff includes program assistant Deidre Merritt, who handles many of the administrative duties for head coach Rob Jeter and the coaching staff. Dave Beine serves as the athletic trainer for men s basketball (full bio on page 160). Meanwhile, Michael Poll is one of the most well-known faces around Panther basketball and all of UWM athletics. He serves as a team manager for many of UWM s teams. Program Assistant Deidre Merritt Athletic Trainer Dave Beine Manager Michael Poll The full staff of men s basketball team managers includes Jennifer Onopa, Justin Einerson, Brian Rutz and Jeff McCracken. Horizon League Champions

9 Outlook Head coach Rob Jeter will be counting on returnees like Avery Smith to lead the way for a talented group of newcomers

10 Young Panthers Ready To Prowl Talented newcomers join four returnees for season The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men s basketball team will have a new look in the season. In fact, that s a huge understatement. UWM s roster includes 15 players in their first or second years in Milwaukee, with a number of newcomers on the brink of cracking into the starting lineup. Plus, with all five starters from last season having graduated, the Panthers are assured of having an entirely new starting five this year Outlook All of those facts lead to the conventional wisdom the Panthers are poised for a step back in the Horizon League. But, a closer look at the group assembled in Milwaukee points toward a great opportunity to exceed those expectations. And, don t for a moment think the Panthers aren t setting their own expectations high and doing everything they can to defend their three-straight Horizon League regular season titles. UWM believes it has assembled an extremely talented group of players, combining four returnees with a high-level collection of newcomers. The returnees include two seniors and two juniors, with Avery Smith and Allan Hanson appearing in every game last season. The impact newcomers are highlighted by Northern Illinois transfer Paige Paulsen, 2005 Milwaukee City Conference Player of the Year Ricky Franklin and junior-college transfer Marcus Skinner. It should all add up to an intriguing year for the Panthers, who are trying to turn their new look into the same old success the program has enjoyed. UWM s group of returnees start with the two-member senior class. Kevin Massiah is in his second season at UWM after stints at Western Kentucky and Schoolcraft CC. Nick Hansen, meanwhile, has earned a scholarship this season after playing his first three years at UWM as a walk-on. One thing you can t measure is tradition. With tradition comes expectation, and Nick Hansen (left) and Kevin Massiah (right) are UWM s two seniors with expectations you always have that next class coming out wanting to continue the program in the direction it has been heading. You want to keep it going, UWM head coach Rob Jeter said. When I look at Nick and Kevin, I see two young men totally dedicated to getting themselves ready physically. Both have come back ready to go and I really see them being more vocal with some of the younger guys. They are going to be a big part of our success this year because of their work on and off the court. The story of Hansen, who has made contributions in each of the last two years, is a happy one for Jeter. He truly sees that Hansen has earned his scholarship and the chance for playing time this year. Nick really went into this summer and dedicated himself to becoming a better basketball player no matter what, Jeter said. Even if he didn t have a scholarship, he was going to get himself ready to help this team. That kind of attitude is a special attitude, knowing he was paying for his school and it was his last year and yet he was still willing to get himself in the best shape possible and be ready to compete. Horizon League Champions Massiah, meanwhile, will be looked at to provide depth inside. Jeter is hopeful he will develop by spending a second-consecutive year in Milwaukee. Kevin has finally had a chance to settle in somewhere, Jeter said. He s bounced around a little bit and with him coming back and being a leader, this is exactly what he needs to get comfortable and call someplace home. I think he s ready. UWM s other two scholarship returnees are backcourt mates Hanson and Smith. The two were part of the regular rotation a season ago, with Smith averaging 4.7 points per game and Hanson shooting 46.7 percent from three-point range. While the two are definitely in battles to earn a spot in the starting lineup, Jeter sees the pair doing the right things to claim prominent spots in the Panther rotation. I see it in the maturity with which they are handling the preseason workouts. You can see them really pushing themselves and pushing the younger players to work even harder, so that is a good sign, Jeter said. On the basketball court, it is all about decision-making and doing the right things,

11 and they are making better decisions than they were last year. It is their time because they are veteran returning players. Now, it is about getting them settled into their roles. I really like the fact they are really pushing themselves and their maturity is showing up in the preseason. That is only going to carry over into the rest of the year. Clearly, though, UWM will be counting heavily upon a highlytouted group of newcomers to make a major difference in The leader of that newcomer group is Paulsen, who played two seasons at Northern Illinois before sitting out last season in Milwaukee. His Division I collegiate experience, as well as his experience in the program, makes the former South Dakota Mr. Basketball a key component in the mix for this season. It is so important that he has college experience, both at Northern Illinois and with us in practice last year, because we are going to need his experience, Jeter said. We have returning players, but not all of them were on scholarship and not all of them saw a lot of minutes, so we need some veteran leadership. Although Paige will be a first-year player for us, he is still a veteran. Jeter is also excited about the talent and style Paulsen will bring to the floor. He is talented because he is so versatile, Jeter said. At 6-7, he can definitely play an inside position, but with his ball skills on the perimeter he can play on the outside. He should be a difficult matchup for an inside player. I think the fact that he s played two years of college basketball should allow him to step in and play, and we re going to expect a lot out of him. UWM s other interior newcomers bring junior-college experience with them to Milwaukee. Skinner played the last two seasons at Mott Community College and has been extremely impressive in preseason workouts. Sam Mauldin, meanwhile, played at Shelton State in Alabama before sitting out last season at Birmingham Southern with an injury. If healthy, he ll be another important addition to the mix in Milwaukee. Both Marcus and Sam have junior-college experience, so they should be able to provide more of the experience this team needs, Jeter said. Both young men are very athletic and both are very strong. Sam at 6-9, 240 really gives us that bulk he has very nice size. Marcus at 6-6, 230 is very fast and can really move. For us, it is always about matchups, and those two guys are going to be difficult to guard because of their versatility. Even Sam, at his size, is not bad out on the perimeter and can create some matchup problems there. I like those two guys. The bulk of UWM s newcomers are expected to make their presence known in the backcourt. Franklin, an all-state performer in high school who was ranked as the third-best player in Wisconsin as a senior, is eligible this season and appears destined for a spot in the starting lineup. Other additions include Charlie Swiggett, who played this past season at Notre Dame Prep, and Roman Gentry, the Iowa Class 4A Player of the Year. The talents of this group, in Schedule Nov. 1 UW-Parkside (EX) 7 pm Nov. 6 Edgewood (EX) 7 pm John Thompson Foundation Milwaukee, Wis. Nov. 10 Radford 7:30 pm Nov. 11 Washington State 7:30 pm Nov. 12 UAB 5:30 pm Notes: UWM will be playing a Pac 10 team for the first time in school history John Thompson Foundation Ann Arbor, Mich. Nov. Michigan 6 pm Nov. Northern Iowa (WMLW) 4 pm Of Note: First men s basketball game at new McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa Nov. 22 South Dakota State 7 pm Nov. 26 Tennessee Tech 7 pm Nov. Central Michigan 6 pm Dec. Oakland (WMLW) 3 pm Dec. Missouri State 7 pm Of Note: Return game for last year s BracketBusters contest in Milwaukee; UWM s first visit to Springfield since 2002 Dec. 10 Youngstown St.* 12 pm Dec. Wisconsin (WMLW) 7 pm Dec. Sam Houston State (WMLW) 7 pm Dec. 27 Wyoming 7 pm Of Note: Second Mountain West team to visit Milwaukee - Air Force played at Cell in 2004 Dec. 30 Butler* 7 pm Jan. 4 Detroit* 7 pm Jan. Loyola* 3 pm Jan. Cleveland State* 6:30 pm Jan. Youngstown State* (WMLW) 6:30 pm Jan. 17 UIC* 7 pm Jan. 21 Wright State* 1 pm Jan. Detroit* (WMLW) 6 pm Jan. 27 UW-Green Bay* (ESPN2) 1 pm Of Note: Fifth-straight season where Panthers will make national television appearance Jan. 29 Cleveland State* 7 pm Feb. Butler* 3 pm Feb. Wright State* (WMLW) 6 pm Feb. 14 Loyola* 7 pm Feb. Bracket Buster Saturday TBA Feb. UIC* 7 pm Feb. UW-Green Bay* (WMLW) 7 pm Horizon League Tournament Feb. 27-March 6 TBA Home games in bold and played at the U.S. Cellular Arena All times are central Television coverage in parenthesis Asterick indicates Horizon League game Outlook NCAA First Round 2003 NCAA Sweet NCAA Second Round 2006

12 addition to the return of Smith and Hanson, have the Panthers likely to field a number of three-guard lineups Outlook If you take a look at college basketball, guards really dominate the play. I think we re going to be able to use it to our advantage because we re really going to be able to put pressure on people, Jeter said. In a full-court press, we re really going to be able to get out and extend and really get after people because we re going to have a lot of bodies. We also play an offense that puts four guys on the perimeter, so now we re going to have three or four guys on the perimeter at all times that can all make decisions, handle the ball and attack from the wing. It will make us much more difficult to guard. In addition to all of the players noted above, junior Michael Bendall and freshmen Kaylan Anderson and Ryan Thornton are also poised to make a push for time in the rotation. It means Jeter has plenty of choices in making up his rotation, and it has provided for plenty of competition in practice. Right now, I probably could pick four or five guys who have started to separate themselves, but we re going to need at least eight or nine. I would also say I could probably pick 11 that have a chance to be in that group and that we re really looking at, so there is no question we have a lot of talented options, Jeter said. Opportunities are available for everyone, and everyone has a chance this year. I thought last year people kind of settled in and knew the seven seniors were going to play and that it was their time. This year, I think everyone sees an opportunity to play and that s why it has been so competitive. The large number of choices for the playing rotation also means the Panthers could use a variety of starting lineups, especially early in the season. This year is going to be a little different than most. Right now guys are starting to position themselves in front of other guys, but there are guys right behind them every day. For us, we re going to put the best five guys on the floor to start the year, and then it is up to those guys to continue to stay there or to have other guys push past Avery Smith (left) and Allan Hanson (right) each played in all 31 games last season them, Jeter said. If everyone is giving us exactly what we want, there will be plenty of opportunities for all of them to play. Last year, we didn t change the starting lineup until there was an injury. This year, I think that starting lineup could change a little more throughout the year. Mixing in a large number of new players can be challenging, but that process actually started this summer, with most of UWM s newcomers already on campus. It gave them a chance to spend time with the returnees and those that sat out last season, meaning a relationship was formed long before preseason conditioning began in September. This is where you really start to see the development of a program, when you have guys that have already been through what we are asking them to do, Jeter said. You can see the returning players take more of an active role in teaching the newer players about how things are done here how drills are done and how we want things done. Last year was difficult because we were teaching everyone. This year, you can see the older guys really taking the younger guys under their wing and teaching them. One thing Jeter and the coaches have worked hard at this preseason is helping the new players understand the rigors will face in Division I college basketball. With last year s team, we didn t have to worry about really making sure the guys would be mentally and physically prepared for the season. Because of their maturity and their age, they knew what to expect and they knew how to get their bodies ready for the season, Jeter said. With a younger group, we have to do more with the mental part of it and really get them to understand why it s important to work as hard as you can work all the time. Because they are young players, and because of their lack of experience, they don t completely understand that. UWM s young troops will be challenged by what is likely the most difficult nonleague schedule in the Horizon League. The Panthers start the year by hosting the John Thompson Foundation Classic, which includes Washington State and UAB. UWM also has games at Michigan, Wisconsin, Northern Iowa and Missouri State all postseason teams from a year ago, plus the usual Horizon League slate. It obviously is one of the most challenging schedules this program has ever faced. But, with what this program has accomplished, it is also the high-level schedule we should be playing, Jeter said. Young or not, we are aiming to prepare our team to defend its conference championship. There s no question our focus is on the league, and the league is very strong this year. Expectations won t be quite as high for us, but we need to prepare this team to play at a championship level. Horizon League Champions