Milwaukee Panthers

Former UWM Baseball Player Inducted Into Hall of Fame

2012-01-30T10:48:00.003-06:00

Mike Casper, who played baseball at Milwaukee from 1995-98, was recently inducted into the Wisconsin State Baseball League Hall of Fame. Casper made 41 starts in 49 career games at UWM, going 16-17 with an ERA of 4.27. He struck out 165 batters in 249.0 innings as a Panther.

Special thanks to Denny Moyer for providing the story.

#############################

Casper Joins WSL Hall of Fame

Former Sheboygan A’s pitcher Michael Casper, who finished with a career 41-22 record in league play, was inducted into the Wisconsin State Baseball League Saturday night at the league’s Annual Awards and Hall of Fame dinner at The Bull in Sheboygan Falls.

In presenting Casper, Dave Moyer, who managed him in the pitcher’s young formative years cited his consistency and dedication to his team.

“He was so consistent with his composure, hidden desire to destroy his opponent, commitment to his team, love of the game, unbelievable control, dominant slider and superb change up, that his consistency became deceptive,” Moyer said. “He became spectacular at appearing unspectacular.”

“I remember coming back to watch him pitch later in his career. He was so on top of his game in those years in the late 1990s and early 2000s that it was a routine matter of business for him to precisely and surgically demoralize an opponent,” Moyer said.

Casper played his high school ball at New Holstein and then went on to UW-Milwaukee before signing with the Kansas City Royals.

In his 10 years in the State League, he won the Most Valuable Pitcher Award three times. His 3.23 career earned run average ranks third among pitchers with 500 or more innings pitched. He shares a one-season record with 11 complete games. And his 10 wins in 1999 is second all time. He ranks seventh in career shutouts, strikeouts and wins. He led the league in innings pitched and in strikeouts in 1999, 2000 and 2001

Michael helped the A’s to championships in 1997 and 2000 and was a first team all-league pick in 1997, ’99, ’00 and ’01.

Inducted with Casper at the dinner were Dave Christman of the Green Bay Blue Ribbons, Tom Imhoff of the Janesville Aces, Paul O’Callaghan of the Lombard Orioles and Dr. Tom Zoch of the Marshfield Chaparrals.

Presented with the league’s individual honors for the 2011 season were Jeff Vukovich of the champion Lombard Orioles, who was named Manager of the Year, Pitcher of the Year Randy Johnson of the Kenosha Kings, Rookie of the Year Brock Guetzke of the Oshkosh Giants and Most Valuable Player and Leading Hitter Nolan Fadness of the Eau Claire Cavaliers.

Weekend Postgame Report - Milwaukee vs. Butler/Valparaiso

2012-01-28T23:01:00.001-06:00

Game #22 – Milwaukee 53, Butler 42

Game #23 – Valparaiso 55, Milwaukee 52

Butler Full Recap and Stats

Valpo Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: James Haarsma is continuing his consistent offensive play. In two low-scoring games, he averaged 11 points per contest and made 10 of his 17 shots from the floor.

Key Stat: Defense was the story of the weekend, but unfortunately it turned more against Milwaukee in the second game of the set. Thursday, UWM allowed Butler to score just 21 points over the final 28 minutes of the game. Saturday, Valpo gave Milwaukee just 11 points over the final 17 minutes.

News and Notes: Milwaukee’s loss Saturday was just its second in 12 home games … UWM has beaten Butler in three of the last five meetings between the two teams … Butler shot just 28 percent from the floor Thursday night, the second league opponent to shoot below 30 percent against Milwaukee … the Panthers also have now held 11 opponents under 60 points and five opponents under 50 … Milwaukee has won five games this season when scoring less than 60 points … Kaylon Williams now has 320 career assists … James Haarsma has reached double-figures in seven-straight games and nine of his last 10 outings … Tony Meier returned to the starting lineup against Butler and then started vs. Valpo. He averaged 10 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two games.

Up Next: UWM wraps up its three-game homestand with a Tuesday night contest against Youngstown State.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee at Valparaiso

2012-01-27T02:32:00.003-06:00

Game #18 – Milwaukee 55, Valparaiso 47

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: The Panthers once again had four players in double-figures, but Angela Rodriguez saved her best for late in the game. She had 12 points, but none bigger than the three she hit to give UWM back momentum late in the game when Valparaiso had cut the lead to just five points with about 4 minutes remaining. Valpo again was back within seven at the 2:25 mark when Rodriguez grabbed an offensive rebound and made the putback.

She joined Scott Warras on the radio following the contest, hear that interview HERE.

Play of the Game: Rodriguez's three was important, and was part of the key set of plays that put the victory away. After her 3 gave UWM an 8-point lead, Sami Tucker stole the inbounds pass and found Kiki Wilson for another three - all in the span of 10 seconds on the clock. That gave Milwaukee its largest lead of the game at 11.

Key Stats: The Panthers went a perfect 10-10 at the free throw line, the first time this season they were 100 percent and the first time they accomplished that feat since Feb. 24 of last season, when they went 17-17 against Butler. In addition, UWM held the Crusaders to 36.4 percent shooting on the night and forced 21 turnovers. The 47 points allowed was the fewest for the Panthers since allowing 39 to Youngstown State March 6, 2010.

News and Notes: Courtney Lindfors became the third player to record her 500th career points this season when she finished with 14 to give her 500 on the head. She joins Sami Tucker and Angela Rodriguez in that group this campaign.

Up Next: UWM closes out January with a trip to Indy to take on Butler. Tip off is set for 1 p.m. CST Saturday.

Traci Edwards Still Enjoying Life as a Professional

2012-01-25T19:52:00.001-06:00

Traci Edwards, who played at Milwaukee from 2005-09, was recently profiled by Andy Thompson of the Appleton Post Crescent. Traci is still enjoying life as a professional basketball player, now with a team in Lulea, Sweden.

Read the article HERE.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Youngstown/Cleveland

2012-01-22T19:16:00.001-06:00

Game #20 – Youngstown State 68, Milwaukee 66

Game #21 – Cleveland State 83, Milwaukee 57

YSU Full Recap and Stats

CSU Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: James Haarsma put together a pair of solid games this weekend. He had 14 points at Youngstown State and then led the way with 15 points at Cleveland State. Haarsma also averaged six rebounds per game and shot nearly 53 percent from the field.

Key Stat: The Panthers entered the weekend as the best three-point defensive team in the country. But, both of UWM’s opponents found the range this weekend. In fact, Youngstown State and Cleveland State combined to go 16-of-32 from three-point range.

News and Notes: The Panthers have now dropped four-straight games on the road since winning at Valparaiso … Paris Gulley reached double figures Friday at Youngstown State before adding nine points Sunday. He has been in double digits in four of his last six games … Friday’s loss at Youngstown State marked just the second time this season UWM lost when the game was decided by five points or less. The Panthers are 5-2 in those close contests this season … Cleveland State shot 63.5 percent against the Panthers Sunday, the best by a UWM opponent since the Vikings shot 63.8 percent at the U.S. Cellular Arena last season … Demetrius Harris saw some of his most extended playing time of the season Sunday, scoring seven points in 11 minutes … Evan Richard missed his third-straight game with a bad back, joining Ja’Rob McCallum and Lonnie Boga on the sidelines.

Up Next: UWM is back home for its next three games, starting with a Thursday night contest against Butler.

Postgame Report: Youngstown State at Milwaukee

2012-01-21T20:54:00.003-06:00

Game #17 – Milwaukee 76, Youngstown State 68

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: The Panthers had four players in double-figures, so picking just one may not be possible. Sami Tucker had a great game with her fourth double-double of the season, going for a team-best 16 points and 10 rebounds as a quality candidate. Next on the list is Angela Rodriguez, who took just 6 shots - all 3's - but buried 4 of them to net 15 points. Courtney Lindfors also is a good nominee, scoring 15 points and grabbing 7 rebounds ... but did it in just 17 minutes of play. Last, but not least, Ashley Green finished a rebound short of a double-double with 13 points and 9 rebounds. Pick one...

Play of the Game: So instead, we will go with a "play of the game". Down by 16 at one point, YSU made it a game and was within 3 points with 10 minutes to play. UWM responded quickly, as Rodriguez answered by burying a three-pointer from the right wing to give Milwaukee control. The team led from start to finish for the second time this season (also against Chicago State).

Postgame Interview: Alex Klawitter joined Scott Warras on the radio following the contest, hear that interview HERE.

Key Stats: The Panthers set the stage by coming out to a quick start of their own. After falling behind early the past 3 games - 14-3 against CSU, 9-0 at WSU and 11-3 at Detroit - Milwaukee went up 9-1 to start the game and built that lead to 15-7 and 35-9.

News and Notes: Milwaukee extended its longest current win streak against any opponent to 14 with the victory. The streak dates back to February of 2005.

Up Next: UWM closes out January with a two-game road swing. Up first is Valparaiso Thursday, set for a 7 p.m. tip.

Men's Basketball Honors And Rankings

2012-01-17T15:27:00.002-06:00

A few miscellaneous honors and rankings to make note of as the Panthers get set to hit the road for a pair of key league games this weekend.

College Sports Madness named Kaylon Williams its Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Williams earned the attention by averaging nine assists per game in the two wins.

Meanwhile, UWM has made its first appearance in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major poll, jumping in at number 23. And, in the latest NCAA RPI list, Milwaukee has jumped back up to 96th.

Statistically, the Panthers continue to lead the nation in three-point field goal defense and are 20th in scoring defense. Kaylon Williams is 10th nationally in assists.

Postgame Report - Detroit at Milwaukee

2012-01-14T23:46:00.000-06:00

Game #19 – Milwaukee 84, Detroit 74

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Paris Gulley had the best game of his still brief college career. He scored 26 points – the most by a Panther player this season – making 6-of-9 from three-point range.

Key Stat: Milwaukee has had its share of ups and downs shooting the ball this season, but the Panthers have had a knack for carving teams up when they make the extra pass. Saturday was no exception, as UWM patiently worked the ball for opens looks and knocked in 14-of-24 from long range.

News and Notes: UWM has now won 17 of its last 21 meetings with Detroit … the Panthers have now won 15 of their last 16 regular season league games … Milwaukee is now 9-1 at home this season and has won 83 of its last 102 regular season home league games … UWM’s 14 three-pointers are second-most the Panthers have hit in a game this season. Milwaukee made 15 against Nebraska-Omaha last month, also the last time UWM went past the 80-point mark … the Panthers’ 58.5 percent shooting clip was its second-best of the season … Kaylon Williams had nine assists for the second-straight game … the Panthers had four players in double figures for the second time in three games … UWM’s 51 points in the first half marked a season high.

Up Next: UWM hits the road for games at Youngstown State and Cleveland State next weekend.

Postgame Report - Wright State at Milwaukee

2012-01-13T12:56:00.000-06:00

Game #18 – Milwaukee 58, Wright State 38

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Ryan Allen did a stellar job against Julian Mays and really set the tone for Milwaukee. His stats showed “only” six points, three assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block, but he controlled the game for UWM.

Key Stat: The Panthers were stellar on defense again, allowing Wright State to shoot just 25.5 percent from the field.

News and Notes: The Panthers have now won 14 of their last 15 regular season league games … Milwaukee is now 8-1 at home this season and has won 82 of its last 101 regular season home league games … UWM has beaten Wright State 14-straight times in Milwaukee … the Panthers allowed Wright State to shoot just 25.5 percent from the field, the fifth-lowest mark by an opponent in the school’s Division I history … the 38 points Milwaukee allowed are the fewest ever surrendered by the Panthers against a Horizon League opponent … this is the first time since the 1940’s where UWM has held two opponents under 40 points … the Panthers also won again while scoring less than 60 points, the fourth time that has happened this season … that has not occurred since the early 1950’s.

Up Next: UWM wraps up its three-game homestand with a Saturday night contest against Detroit.

Fun in the sun...part VIII

2012-01-13T09:27:00.004-06:00

With the UWM swimming team down in Florida on their annual training trip, we thought it would be fun to have a member of the team share their thoughts each day on the UWM Blog.

The Panthers are in sunny Fort Lauderdale, training at Pinecrest Academy, both short and long course.They will be on the trip through the 15th of January before resuming the regular season schedule second semester against Carthage College on Jan. 14.

****************************************************************************
The eighth entry is from freshman Kelly Theis:

Dear Diary,

Today was the last day of my first training trip with the UWM swim team, and let me tell you, it was one to remember. It has been said that I am the team’s best runner and I proved it so in this morning’s biathlon. The team woke up the same as every morning, loading the vans at 7:15. Tensions were high as everyone prepared for a mile swim followed immediately by a three mile run. No time was allotted for a clothes change, resulting in many boys running in only their speedos. The competition was fierce. Brittany Walsh took the gold for the girls and Sam Niesen pulled out a win for the guys, with Kyle Trelka and Nathan Welchlin hot on his tail. It was a valiant effort by all, especially those of us who aren’t so talented on land. After the banging biathlon, we all packed into our vans and headed back to the one and only Ocean Manor.

Within an hour of practice ending, almost the entire team was down on the beach, soaking rays as bathing beauties. We all knew it wasn’t going to be a difficult practice in the evening, so even Finke skipped his daily nap to play in the sun all afternoon. Today was the perfect day for Liz, Chris and I to show off our Soul Surfer moves to the team. (Rent the movie if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth it.) Brian Verink dug his annual hole in the sand, deep enough to cover the head of any boy on the team. Anna and Mic were then buried in the hole, covered in sand up to the neck. Can you say photo op? The afternoon was filled numerous photo opportunities; I would even go as far to say that there were a few beach photo shoots. Hands down Brady Huemann is the model of the team, that kid’s got a future. Around four in the afternoon everyone headed in and prepared for the senior led practice.

Coaches Kyle and Brittany got the night off, kicking back and relaxing as the seniors wrote and led our last practice in Florida. The practice consisted of trivia questions, all based solely on the all so interesting seniors themselves. Getting a trivia question right resulted in an easy set and a wrong answer landed a lane something a little more difficult. My team, “Team Slackers”, was filled with all of the team’s biggest gossipers so we never had to do the “hard sets”. As things go, the freshmen were the last out of the water, ending the night with a doggie-paddle relay race where each swimmer needed to bark like a dog while paddling. Interesting noises were made by all freshmen. Each freshman’s personality came out with their individual barks, Mic was a yippy Chihuahua whereas Finke was a powerhouse bulldog. The night ended with laughs, giggles and a massive team picture.

We had the hardest workouts of the season this week, but my abs received an equally difficult workout from laughing so hard with all of my teammates and best friends. Diary, I am so sad to leave Florida and the constant interactions with all of these swimmers. I don’t want to go back to Wisconsin, winter boots, and mittens. I wish we could stay in our bikinis and speedos just a little longer. The memories made over these past tens days are by far some of the best of my freshmen year of college.

Sincerely,
Kelly Theis

Fun in the sun...part VII

2012-01-13T09:12:00.006-06:00

With the UWM swimming team down in Florida on their annual training trip, we thought it would be fun to have a member of the team share their thoughts each day on the UWM Blog.

The Panthers are in sunny Fort Lauderdale, training at Pinecrest Academy, both short and long course.They will be on the trip through the 15th of January before resuming the regular season schedule second semester against Carthage College on Jan. 14.

****************************************************************************
The seventh entry comes from a pair of Panthers. The first version, from junior Mike Schalla:

Wednesday's morning practice was a bit different than most days. Both the men’s and women’s teams were given the choice of whether to go the pool to do a normal workout or do an ocean workout. The ocean workout consists of swimming to different buoys in the ocean and running along the beach. The combination of the long distances between buoys, the waves, and the tides made it difficult to swim fast and in a straight line. On top of that, many of the younger swimmers and even some of the older ones were very nervous about the possibility of swimming into jellyfish and other ocean animals (Brady Huemann, Nathan Welchin, Rob Miller).

We started with a warm-up of swimming out to a buoy, then along the coastline to a different buoy and then back in to the beach. We stuck together and everyone soon realized that there weren’t any 20-foot sharks and that we had nothing to be afraid of. About half way through our ocean workout the wind picked up and before we knew it, we were swimming in what felt like 15-foot waves. In reality, they weren’t close to that size but the waves did make swimming much harder and we left the ocean feeling tired and a bit sandy. The team members who didn’t choose the ocean workout didn’t get off easy either, they had a tough pool workout that helped build their aerobic capacity.

With clouds in the sky and a chilly wind, mostly everyone decided to stay indoors and get a little nap in.

We arrived to the pool that evening with the sky having a beautiful orange sunset, a nice start to the evening. Night practice was an hour of dryland and an hour of swimming. The theme tonight for swimming was shorter sprints, working on top-end speed rather than longer aerobic training. Everyone was doing something fast off the blocks with freestylers doing 50 and 100's and stroke swimmers doing multiple 25's. Dryland was a test set where we had to do max pushups, sit-ups, and pull-ups. The goal was to beat the amount we had done earlier in the season. We left the pool looking forward to completing the biathlon the coming morning.

****************************************************************************

Junior Mike Brady's version:

Daybreak, Wednesday, January 11th. We awake to a calm Florida morning though we all know that that it is just the calm before the storm that is the Ocean Swim. A majority of Panthers took the challenge of taking on the Atlantic in all of her glory. She fought back with large waves jostling those like Nathan Welchlin and Ryan Finke.

After the Panthers had conquered the great Atlantic, mother nature frowned upon us with an overcast day, though as we all know you get the best bronze on with overcast UV rays so the joke's on her.

Later that day, and with only four practices to go, the Panthers went to Pine Crest high school with an air of mystery and wonder on what the coaching staff would comprise for another day of guts and glory.

The practice: an hour of dryland and an hour of swim. The men started off with a short warm up and then a stand up set that both tested physical and, more importantly, mental toughness. The freestyle men dominated six 50’s while the ironmen of distance tackled six 100’s.

Then the men took on a classic Panther test set: two minutes of push ups and sit ups, followed by one minute of push ups and sit ups and then finally a max pull up. Every press of the earth and crunch of the abs meant we were one step closer to a "3-peat" as the Panther men left one of the nicest looking high schools in Florida.

One day left….get ready, Cleveland ;)

Fun in the sun...part VI

2012-01-11T09:37:00.003-06:00

With the UWM swimming team down in Florida on their annual training trip, we thought it would be fun to have a member of the team share their thoughts each day on the UWM Blog.

The Panthers are in sunny Fort Lauderdale, training at Pinecrest Academy, both short and long course.They will be on the trip through the 15th of January before resuming the regular season schedule second semester against Carthage College on Jan. 14.

****************************************************************************
The sixth entry comes from freshman Sierra Townsend:

To begin our eighth day in Florida, the team traveled to the pool with nothing but a vague idea as to what our practice would contain. After a long team warm up, coach Kyle Clements instructed us to split up into groups. To the upperclassmen on the team, this meant one thing: stations. As a freshman, I had been told many horror stories of training trip: the pain train, goal 50's, tough dryland practices, animal kicks, a biathlon, and much more. However, stations was the one practice that was rumored to be somewhat enjoyable.

Stations consist of – you guessed it! – different stations. Each lane contained either a set or a drill that focused on one specific aspect of swimming. For example; one lane dealt with breath control, another with our underwater kicking, and a third with IM. The practice was a nice differentiation from the standard practice format we were used to. It was also nice to swim with teammates outside of our usual practice group; my group enjoyed a hauntingly beautiful rendition of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep as performed by Maggi Beck, Brady Huemann, and Evan Green.

After practice, a large majority of the team headed down to the beach to improve our tans (or, for some of us, our sunburns). We caught a glimpse of a few manatees and an odd-looking fish. We also showed off our famous Panther dance moves to make a music video under the direction of the birthday girl, Sophia Schmidt. Some of the team then retired indoors to take a nap and recuperate for the evening practice.

This practice consisted of the classic animal kick set. Animal kicks (I realize this is a peculiar name for a set and I am afraid I do not know of its origin) are simply ten 100's on 1:40 kicking as fast as possible. The women’s team tackled this set in the first hour of practice while the men’s team lifted weights. Throughout the set, the team was encouraging each other to persevere, despite our collective fatigue. This positivity makes it much easier to forget about the soreness and pain of the set and focus instead on putting forth all you have.

For the second hour of practice, the women’s team lifted while the men took to the pool. Our lifting was divided into three stations in which there were four or more individual lifts. The practice ended with everyone doing sit ups and passing a medicine ball down the line we were formed in – a tough exercise developed by captain Heidi Niespodzany.

To end the day, the women’s team was surprised with pizza provided from the Panther favorite, DaVince’s Pizzeria. As a way of releasing some stress from the past week, we also stood in a circle on the beach and all shared one or more positive aspects of our training trip thus far. It was a great way to refocus as a team before the final stretch of our time here in Ft. Lauderdale.

Fun in the sun...part V

2012-01-10T08:36:00.003-06:00

With the UWM swimming team down in Florida on their annual training trip, we thought it would be fun to have a member of the team share their thoughts each day on the UWM Blog.

The Panthers are in sunny Fort Lauderdale, training at Pinecrest Academy, both short and long course.They will be on the trip through the 15th of January before resuming the regular season schedule second semester against Carthage College on Jan. 14.

****************************************************************************
The fifth entry comes from senior Brady Huemann:

After an eventful afternoon off on Sunday, our luck had run out and the Panthers had to enter the pool once again on Monday morning. We woke up to find that our muscles were still aching and we were about to embark on another day of tough practices. Even the sky was weeping for us as we walked outside and were welcomed by a warm Florida mist. Although it was raining and we were tired and sore, nothing was going to stop us from getting into the pool and training like the champions that we are.

Our challenge for the morning was a grueling set of 5 x 300 freestyles best average. The pain reached from our shoulders down to our feet and the intensity of the pain increased as the set went on. We lost some swimmers due to injuries during the set but for those who toughed it out, the accomplishment of completion was rewarding. After morning practice, my van led by coach Brittany Sayler enjoyed a delicious breakfast to fill us with energy for the afternoon practice.

Once the sun came out, many people went down to the beach to get their tan on and splash in the ocean. I would like to say that I enjoyed this fun but that would be a lie. I accidentally took a much needed three-hour nap instead, which interfered with my usual card games with Maggi, Evan, and Chris. Before we knew it, our fun in the sun was over and we had to prepare to go back to Pine Crest for our afternoon practice.

We mentally and physically tried to prepare our bodies for our test set of goal 50's (or 100's if you are lucky enough to be a distance swimmer). The 50's seemed more difficult than ever and it seemed nearly impossible for me as well as many others to reach their goal times. Each 50 became harder and harder as my arms and legs began to give out. Eventually, we finished our 20 x 50's and coach Kyle gave us the good news that we didn’t have to do a third set. I was so happy that I embraced some of my lane mates with a hug (I am not sure if they necessarily appreciated it though).

After a rough day of practices, our van was in a good mood and we celebrated with our usual after-practice ritual of singing and rocking out in the van. We ended the night in a heart-wrenching performance of Bohemian Rhapsody where everyone joined in and sang with the voices that God gave them. It was truly a moving performance. Maggi, Chris, and I then enjoyed a delicious meal at Burger-Fi, which for those who don’t know, has probably one of the coolest pop machines in the world. We created many different concoctions of our favorite drinks.

Well, everything is going great here down in Florida and both the guys and girls teams are working harder than ever in order to be the best once conference rolls around.

Fun in the sun...part IV

2012-01-09T13:57:00.003-06:00

Fun in the sun...part III

2012-01-09T13:41:00.004-06:00

Fun in the sun...part II

2012-01-08T20:00:00.005-06:00

Fun in the sun...part I

2012-01-08T19:30:00.009-06:00

Postgame Report - Green Bay at Milwaukee

2012-01-08T00:14:00.000-06:00

Game #17 – Milwaukee 64, Green Bay 63

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: It is a tough choice as the Panthers got a variety of contributions. Kaylon Williams hit the game-winning shot and also had seven assists, plus Ryan Allen had a double-double. But where would the Panthers have been without Paris Gulley Saturday night? He scored just enough in the first half to keep the Panthers in it and then came through at the foul line late to give Milwaukee a chance. He also got the assist on the Williams game-winner.

Key Stat: 32.3 – that’s what Green Bay shot in the second half after shooting 56.7 percent in the first 20 minutes.

News and Notes: UWM has now won 12 of its last 14 meetings with Green Bay in Milwaukee … the Panthers have now won 13 of their last 14 regular season league games … Milwaukee is now 7-1 at home this season and has won 81 of its last 100 regular season home league games … UWM is now 5-1 this season in games decided by 5 points or less … the Kaylon Williams three at the buzzer to win the game is the first buzzer-beater for Milwaukee since Deion James beat UIC with a 3 in 2009 … Tone Boyle did hit a jumper with a little over two seconds left to beat Northern Iowa last season … Williams also had a three at the horn that sent the game at Detroit to overtime last season … Ryan Allen collected his second double-double of the season … Paris Gulley led the Panthers in scoring for the second-straight game … this was the eighth time this season Kaylon Williams has had at least seven assists in a game … Milwaukee’s 14 three-point attempts are the fewest the Panthers have had since a win over IUPUI in November … the win has Milwaukee in a three-way tie with Cleveland State and Youngstown State atop the Horizon League. Butler and Valparaiso can both move into that tie with road wins Sunday.

Up Next: UWM stays home for two more league games. The Panthers host Wright State Thursday and Green Bay Saturday.

"Sandy Botham Show" Set To Air This Week

2012-01-04T15:23:00.002-06:00

It's about that time of the season for the premier of the "Sandy Botham Show" on Time Warner Cable Sports 32. The initial episode for the 2011-12 season was taped this week and is set to air on the following dates.

Thursday, January 5
5 p.m.
10:30 p.m.

Friday, January 6
7:30 a.m.
8:30 a.m.

Be sure to check in and catch all of the action!

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Western Michigan

2012-01-03T23:15:00.000-06:00

Game #16 – Western Michigan 72, Milwaukee 61

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Kaylon Williams and Paris Gulley both put up strong performances. Williams had a season-high 12 assists, while Gulley scored 16 points.

Key Stat: The game was won at the foul line. Western Michigan had 37 free throw attempts to Milwaukee nine, with the Broncos outscoring the Panthers, 30-3.

News and Notes: Milwaukee gave up more than 70 points for just the second time this season … Kaylon Williams’ 12 assists marked a season-high and are tied for the fourth-most in a game in UWM’s Division I history … it is also the second-highest tally of Williams’ career, as he had 14 at UIC last season … Williams played 37 minutes, the first time in three games where he did not play all 40 minutes … UWM’s 36 three-point attempts were a season-high and are the most since the Panthers tried 37 in a win at Detroit last season … the 36 attempts are also tied for the seventh-most in Division I history … the Panthers have just one regular season non-conference game remaining. It will be against an opponent to be determined in the annual BracketBusters contest.

Up Next: UWM is headed home and back into league play, starting with a Saturday night game against Green Bay.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Butler

2011-12-31T17:25:00.002-06:00

Game #15 – Butler 54, Milwaukee 50

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: No one in particular stood out for the Panthers on a day where Milwaukee struggled to get on track offensively. But Kaylon Williams should again get recognized for his efforts in playing all 40 minutes. He scored 12 points to go with five assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Key Stat: Milwaukee’s shooting certainly wasn’t good but the 18 turnovers – and Butler’s 14 points off of those turnovers – certainly proved to be a key.

News and Notes: Milwaukee saw its 12-game regular season Horizon League winning streak snapped … this was the eighth time this season the Panthers have held an opponent under 60 points … this was also the 14th time in 15 games UWM held its opponent to less than 44 percent shooting from the field … in addition to this four-point game, nine other recent matchups between UWM and Butler have been decided by three points or less or in overtime … the Panthers have shot less than 40 percent in three of their last five games … Milwaukee has also tried 20 or more three-pointers in five-straight games, including 25 or more three times … Butler’s 12-point first-half run was the largest Milwaukee has given up this season … the Panthers had been 4-0 in games decided by five points or less.

Up Next: UWM returns to non-league play with a Tuesday game at Western Michigan.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Valparaiso

2011-12-30T10:53:00.000-06:00

Game #14 – Milwaukee 57, Valparaiso 55

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: It didn’t take long for Tony Meier to get back on track. One game after missing all 10 of his field goal attempts, the senior knocked in five 3-pointers and led Milwaukee with 17 points. He also contributed a solid effort defensively.

Key Stat: The Panthers once again played stingy defense, holding the Horizon League’s best offensive team to just 55 points. Valpo made just 1-of-17 from three-point range, with UWM now ranking second in the nation in three-point field goal defense.

News and Notes: Milwaukee won at Valpo for the first time since the 2007-08 season … the Panthers are 3-0 in league play for the first time since 2008-09 … UWM has now won 12-straight regular season Horizon League games … Kaylon Williams was nearing another triple-double in the game, scoring 10 points to go with nine rebounds and seven assists … the Panthers again played without Ja’Rob McCallum, who has missed the last eight games with a wrist injury … the only lower point output for Valpo this season was the 47 the Crusaders scored at Ohio State.

Up Next: UWM is off to Butler for a Saturday afternoon contest.

Inside Some Of The Numbers

2011-12-23T11:53:00.002-06:00

With a brief break in the schedule, there's a chance to look a little closer at some numbers and trends on the men's basketball side of things.

First, on last night, UWM shot just 26.7 percent from the floor overall and Milwaukee made just 4-of-28 from three-point range. The overall shooting percentage marked the first time in nearly a year the Panthers shot less than 30 percent from the floor, and it was the lowest shooting percentage since Milwaukee shot just 24.1 percent in a loss at Butler in 2009.

But, that sent me looking a little deeper at the numbers breakdown in wins and losses this season. A year ago at this time, the difference in wins and losses was striking on both offense and defense - remember Cleveland State shooting 65 percent from the field and squads like Portland and even Marquette lighting up the Panthers?

This year, all of the striking differences are on the offensive end, as Milwaukee has been extremely consistent defensively.

In fact, the Panthers have allowed opponents to shoot 38.7 percent in the nine wins but still just 40.2 percent in four losses.

Offensively, though, consider these breakdowns:

- UWM is shooting 43.8 percent in nine wins while scoring 69.9 points per game. In the Panthers’ four losses, they are shooting just 36 percent from the floor and averaging just 52.5 points per game.

- There’s an even greater gap in the numbers from three-point range, with Milwaukee shooting 39.4 percent from distance in nine wins and just 20.2 percent from beyond the arc in four losses.

- For those deeply into the stats, UWM’s points-per-possession number is 1.06 in nine wins and .844 in four losses.

What does it all mean? Well, obviously, a bit more consistency on offense could lead the Panthers to even greater heights. But the numbers also make a great case for just how much you can stay in games and win games simply by playing good defense. UWM's overall offense numbers are far from great, yet the record stands at 9-4 after 13 games.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Marquette

2011-12-23T00:40:00.000-06:00

Game #13 – Marquette 64, Milwaukee 50

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Ryan Allen was the best player on the floor Thursday night. The senior tallied collegiate-highs for both rebounds and blocks in tallying the first double-double of his career. He wound up with 16 points, 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Key Stat: One needs to look no further than the Panthers’ shooting numbers to see the story of the game. UWM made just 16-of-60 overall and just 4-of-28 from three-point range.

News and Notes: Marquette won for the 39th-straight time in the series … this marked the fifth-straight year the two teams have met … Ryan Allen’s six blocked shots marked a new Division I school record … Kyle Kelm returned to the starting lineup after missing the last two games with a shoulder injury … Kelm scored 10 points in his return ... UWM still played without starting guard Ja’Rob McCallum, who has missed the last seven games … the Panthers’ shooting struggles were widespread Thursday night. Tony Meier went 0-for-10, Paris Gulley 1-for-9 and Evan Richard 1-for-7. The trio made just 1-of-18 three-point chances.

Up Next: UWM heads back to Horizon League play, facing Valparaiso (Dec. 29) and Butler (Dec. 31) in road contests next week.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee vs. Toledo

2011-12-18T17:58:00.003-06:00

Game #10 – Milwaukee 60, Toledo 57

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Courtney Linfors posted the third double-double of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but after she went out with an injury early in the second half, it was freshman Ashley Green that led the way. She played all 20 minutes of the second half and scored 10 of her 16 points, including several big hoops and a pair of great assists.

Green joined Scott Warras after the contest. Hear her postgame radio interview HERE.

Key Stats: The game looked to be a battle after one half, with seven ties and five lead changes alone in the first 20 minutes. The second half featured two huge runs, with UWM's proving to be the clincher. Toledo opened the second half by scoring 19 points in a row to lead 46-30. But, Milwaukee held tight and came back with a 22-2 run if its own that gave them the lead with about 4 minutes left that it never relinquished. Free throws have been a bit of a struggle for UWM this season, but the Panthers ended up outscoring the Rockets, 22-6, from the charity stripe. In that 22-2 run, freshman Kiki Wilson - who entered play today just 4-for-24 from the line - calmly sank all four of her attempts to keep momentum on the Panthers side.

News and Notes: Milwaukee won the rebounding battle for second game in a row after not doing so in the first 8 games of the season ... the 16-point comeback was the 6th-most prolific in school history, with comebacks of 22, 19, 19, 18 and another of 16 the only ones ranking higher.

Up Next: UWM takes a break for the holiday and returns to action for Horizon League play, welcoming Loyola to the Klotsche Center Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.

Postgame Report - Nebraska Omaha at Milwaukee

2011-12-17T23:23:00.000-06:00

Game #12 – Milwaukee 86, Nebraska Omaha 50

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Kaylon Williams put together a stellar all-around game in his 24 minutes of action. The senior scored 17 points while adding eight assists and six rebounds, all while committing just one turnover.

Key Stat: The Panthers hit from long range early and often Saturday night. Milwaukee made 10 three-pointers in the first half and wound up making 15-of-29 for the game.

News and Notes: The Panthers played without starters Kyle Kelm and Ja’Rob McCallum, both sidelined by injury … Kelm (shoulder) missed his second-straight game while McCallum missed his sixth-straight contest … UWM has won 17 of its last 18 regular season games at the on-campus Klotsche Center … the 36-point margin of victory surpassed the 35-point margin in UWM’s win over Texas Southern last month and is the biggest for the Panthers since a 41-point win over Youngstown State in 2006 … Tony Meier reached double figures for the third time in the six games he has played in this season … Meier made at least four 3-pointers for the ninth time in his career … UNO was the sixth UWM opponent that failed to get to 60 points and the fourth that scored 50 or less … UNO is the eighth Panther opponent to shoot less than 40 percent from the field … the Panthers reached double-figures in three-pointers made for the fourth time this season … UWM also hit double digits in offensive rebounds for the eighth time.

Up Next: UWM makes the short trip to the Bradley Center for a Thursday night contest with Marquette.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee vs. Chicago State

2011-12-15T23:00:00.004-06:00

Game #9 – Milwaukee 79, Chicago State 48

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: When a pair of players score 20-plus points, it's up for debate, but it was good to see Angela Rodriguez hit for a season-high 23 points, just off her career-best of 25 points. She scored 17 in the first half alone, ending the night 7-for-11 from the floor to go with 5-for-9 from distance. She added 3 rebounds, 5 assists and a pair of steals despite sitting most of the second half, playing just 25 minutes on the night.

Rodriguez joined Scott Warras after the contest. Hear her postgame radio interview HERE.

Key Stats: With Courtney Lindfors scoring 24 and Rodriguez 23, it marked the first time in 24 games that UWM had two players with 20-plus. The 26 assists was impressive, the most since 27 against Northeastern Illinois in January of 1991 and just two off the school record of 28 ... the bench accounted for 77 minutes of playing time, with UWM shooting a season-best 50% from the floor - the previous best was 46.2% against Bradley.

News and Notes: Milwaukee won the rebounding battle for the first time this season and did so in impressive fashion, finishing with a 46-23 advantage ... Lindfors 6 blocks was a career-high and just one block off the school record of 7 held by Traci Edwards. It marked just the third six-block effort in school history ... freshman Kiki Wilson had a season-high 7 assists, as did her classmate Ashley Green ... Freshman Macie Dorow made the most of her career-high 13 minutes, grabbing 5 rebounds, while adding two points and a steal.

Up Next: UWM continues its five-game homestand when it hosts Toledo at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Postgame Report - Wisconsin at Milwaukee

2011-12-14T01:22:00.002-06:00

Game #11 – Wisconsin 60, Milwaukee 54

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Tony Meier provided a great spark for the Panthers Tuesday night. The senior led the way with 15 points and had 11 during Milwaukee’s big second half run. The evening marked just Meier’s fifth game back from injury. He started for the first time this year, getting the nod with Kyle Kelm sidelined by injury.

Key Stat: The foul line was the biggest difference Tuesday night. UWM wound up just 7-of-17 from the line while Wisconsin converted on 16-of-20.

News and Notes: The Panthers played without starters Kyle Kelm and Ja’Rob McCallum, both sidelined by injury … Kelm (shoulder) missed a game for the first time this season while McCallum missed his fifth-straight contest … Wisconsin won for the 19th-straight time in the series and was making its first visit to Milwaukee’s homecourt since 2007 … Evan Richard reached double figures in points for the third time this season … Kaylon Williams had seven assists, the eighth time this season he has had five or more assists … UWM held its 10th opponent under 44 percent shooting from the field … this is the 7th time an opponent has scored 60 points or less against Milwaukee … the crowd of 10,143 was the largest in school history for the regular season … it was the fourth-largest crowd ever.

Up Next: UWM stays home but returns to campus, hosting Nebraska-Omaha at the Klotsche Center Saturday night.

Live Blog: Women's Basketball at No. 24/23 Oklahoma

2011-12-11T13:11:00.001-06:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the women's basketball game against No. 24/23 Oklahoma at the Noble Center.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. this afternoon!

I will also be doing updates on Twitter - follow @sidzills.

Women's Basketball at Oklahoma

Milwaukee WBB Takes Cowboys Stadium Tour

2011-12-09T23:57:00.005-06:00

Road trips are always an adventure and today was no different. Traveling from Waco, Texas, to Norman, Oklahoma, the women's basketball team and several of the parents who are also along on the trip made the stop at Cowboys Stadium to check out the BILLION dollar stadium. Jerry Jones sure did everything right. The tour took close to an hour and a half and was very interesting and entertaining.

The following are a bunch of pictures from the day and a video.

Live Blog: Women's Basketball at No. 1 Baylor

2011-12-08T17:35:00.002-06:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the women's basketball game against top-ranked Baylor and Brittney Griner at the Ferrell Center.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight!

I will also be doing updates on Twitter - follow @sidzills.

Women's Basketball at No. 1 Baylor

Women's Basketball Takes Part in Wrap-A-Vet Program

2011-12-06T13:24:00.004-06:00

The Milwaukee women's basketball team participated in the First Annual Wrap-A-Vet Blanket Drive this past weekend.

The team spent time last week wrapping and decorating 40 blankets that were taken to the Milwaukee Veteran's Home Sunday evening.

Most of the squad spent time Sunday night delivering blankets from room to room and spending a little time with the veterans as well.

Here are some pictures from the event:

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at DePaul

2011-12-06T02:45:00.000-06:00

Game #9 – Milwaukee 87, DePaul 76

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: It’s hard to pick from the group of Kaylon Williams, Tony Meier and Paris Gulley, but Williams get the nod for his offense as well as his abilities in handling the DePaul pressure. The senior point guard scored a collegiate-high 21 points and had five assists but just one turnover in the win.

Key Stat: Milwaukee put up just about the right number of three-pointers and converted a very nice percentage of them. In all, UWM was 11-of-20 from long range. Paris Gulley and Tony Meier each went 5-of-5 from distance.

News and Notes: The Panthers are now 8-1, equaling their best start since the 1992-93 season … Milwaukee is 3-1 on the road this season … UWM’s 87 points marked a season high … this was the eighth time in his career Tony Meier made at least four 3-pointers … Meier also scored 20 or more points for the sixth time … Paris Gulley’s 19 points marked a collegiate high … UWM reached double figures in three-pointers for the third time this season … Milwaukee’s 61.7 percent field goal clip was an Allstate Arena record … it is also the fourth-best effort in UWM’s Division I history … Gulley and Meier each finished one short of the school record for most made threes in a game without a miss … Joe Schultz made all six of his three-point tries in 1991 … the win was UWM’s first in 11 tries against DePaul … this was Milwaukee’s first win over a Big East foe since knocking off Boston College, who was then in the Big East, in the 2005 NCAA Tournament … UWM also owns a win over Virginia Tech when the Hokies were in the Big East in 2002.

Up Next: UWM goes back on the road Saturday, playing at Northern Iowa in a 1 p.m. contest.

Hagen Claims Three Statistics Titles

2011-12-05T12:46:00.000-06:00

With Stanford claiming the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship, the 2011 season officially came to an end. With that, the NCAA released the final stat report of the season and Sarah Hagen claimed three NCAA Statistical Championships.

Hagen finished first in goals per game, points per game and game-winning goals:
- Points Per Game: Hagen 2.90 (61 in 21 games), 2nd place: 2.76
- Goals Per Game: Hagen 1.238 (26 in 21), 2nd place: 1.192
- Game-Winning Goals: Hagen 11 (of UWM's 19 wins), 2nd place: 9

To put Hagen's goals per game in perspective, of the 330 NCAA Division I teams, she had more goals per game than 136 teams, while equaling another. Her 26 goals were as many as 11 teams and more than 157 teams.

Hagen owns one of Milwaukee's two other all-time statistical titles. She led the nation in goals per game (1.143) as a sophomore in 2009. That same season, Kate Megna led the nation in assists (16, 0.80 per game). Hagen has ranked in the top five of a category 12 times in her career, including being second in the nation four times and third twice.

Other Nationally-Ranked Panthers...
Assists Per Game: Keara Thompson (14th, 0.55); Hagen (45th, 0.43)
Goals-Against Average: Jamie Forbes (21st, 0.662)
Save Pct: Jamie Forbes (32nd, .849)
Total Assists: Thompson (10th, 12)
Total Goals: Hagen (2nd, 26)
Total Points: Hagen (2nd, 61)

As a Team...
Scoring Offense: 6th, 2.64 goals per game
Goals-Against Average: 18, 0.673
Shutout Percentage: 19th, .545 (12 in 22 games)
Won-Lost-Tied Percentage: 4th, .864 (19-3-0)
Save Pct: 15th, .857

Postgame Report - UIC at Milwaukee

2011-12-03T21:05:00.001-06:00

Game #8 – Milwaukee 73, UIC 71 (OT)

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Kyle Kelm has settled in nicely in his second season with the Panthers. He scored a collegiate-best 18 points and was a force on the interior for Milwaukee. He also made 8 of his 10 free throw chances. For the weekend, Kelm made 11 of 14 shots from the field.

Key Stat: You just can’t look past the free throw numbers. Though the Panthers wound up surviving, UWM made just 2 of 11 from the line in the final five minutes of regulation and was just 19 of 33 for the game. Kaylon Williams made just 2 of 9 from the line.

News and Notes: The Panthers are off to their best start since the 1992-93 season, when UWM won each of its first eight games … they are also 2-0 in league play for the first time since the 2008-09 season … the 71 points Milwaukee gave up is a season high … the Panthers had given up only 40 points through the first 35 minutes of action but UIC scored 31 over the next 10 … UWM still only let UIC shoot 38.8 percent from the field for the game and the Flames made just 3-of-15 from three-point range … after committing just seven turnovers Thursday night, Milwaukee had only 10 Saturday … Ryan Allen had a collegiate-best nine rebounds … he also had five blocks, the most by a Panther since Marcus Skinner had five against Green Bay in 2008 … Milwaukee has now won six-straight overtime games … UWM has won eight-straight games over UIC.

Up Next: UWM heads to the road for a Monday night contest at DePaul.

Postgame Report: Loyola at Milwaukee

2011-12-01T22:44:00.003-06:00

Game #7 – Milwaukee 59, Loyola 41

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: Could go a couple of ways with this, but hard to overlook the job Kaylon Williams did in running the team tonight. He finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. Let's just say we will keep the triple-double alert out for him because he will eventually get another one to add to his resume. Kyle Kelm was very good - making 6-of-7 to get to his 13 points as well.

Key Stats: The Panthers dominated the boards (42-20) which led to an impressive 16-2 edge in second-chance points and overwhelming 34-8 advantage in points in the paint.

News and Notes: The defense has been superb - holding their third opponent under 50 points - something done just four times in all of 2004-05 (the last time UWM held at least three under 50). Also, the fifth opponent under 60 to match the season tally from a year ago.

Up Next: UWM continues its two-game swing vs. the Chicago league schools when it welcomes UIC Saturday at the Cell at 1 p.m.

Postgame Report: Milwaukee at Bradley

2011-11-28T23:02:00.004-06:00

Game #5 – Milwaukee 71, Bradley 67

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: The Panthers had four players in double-figures, so it was actually a difficult choice to pick just one. Angela Rodriguez went off for a season-high 21 points, Sami Tucker posted her second-straight double-double (17 & 12) and Courtney Lindfors and Emily Decorah were in double-figures. A case could even be made for Alex Klawitter who hit a huge three down the stretch and calmly sank two free throws - on her first two attempts of the season no less - to put the game away.

After much debate, it goes to Tucker. Hear her postgame radio interview HERE with Scott Warras.

Key Stats: The Panthers could have buried the Braves by halftime, but 14 turnovers made it close. UWM came into the game averaging just 12 turnovers but were forced into 24 tonight. For perspective, they did come up with 21 of their own but did actually lose the turnover battle for the first time this season.

News and Notes: Milwaukee had 27 made free throws on the season coming into tonight's game. The Panthers went 28-for-39 tonight alone. Composure down the stretch was key, going 6-for-8 from the line in the final 94 seconds.

Up Next: UWM continues its five-game road trip with a contest at Western Michigan Saturday. Game time is set for 6 p.m. CST.

WBB: Milwaukee at Bradley

2011-11-28T17:25:00.002-06:00

Catch all of the updates from assistant SID Chris Zills, sitting courtside at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria, Ill., as the Panthers take on Bradley University.

This place is impressive ... opened last year from what I was told. I am sitting up with radio guy Scott Warras this evening and here is our view.

Follow along on Twitter - @sidzills
I will post updates all game long and take questions as well.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Arkansas-Little Rock

2011-11-27T14:37:00.001-06:00

Game #6 – Milwaukee 59, Arkansas-Little Rock 54

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: James Haarsma took over when the Panthers needed him most Saturday night. He put Milwaukee ahead for good with a three-point play with just over two minutes remaining and wound up scoring nine of Milwaukee’s final 10 points.

Key Stat: The Panthers got it done from long distance, knocking in 12-of-24 from three-point range. The 12 made 3’s marked a season-high. At one point in the game, UWM had made its 12 threes but just a pair of two-point field goals.

News and Notes: Milwaukee allowed just 54 points as the Trojans shot just 34.5 percent from the field. That means four of UWM’s first six opponents have failed to get to 60 points and the Panthers have held all six opponent to less than 44 percent shooting from the field … Kaylon Williams had seven more assists Saturday night, sending him past 200 in his brief Panther career … Haarsma’s 17 points marked a UWM high … the Panthers had five different players make two or more three-pointers in the game … UWM had just six offensive rebounds, the first time this season the Panthers did not reach double figures in the category … Milwaukee is 5-1 for the first time since starting the 2004-05 season 6-0 … the Panthers’ five wins in November equal the most in the month in school history, as UWM also won five November games in 2009-10 … Milwaukee’s two true road wins in the month are the most since 1999-2000, when Bo Ryan led the Panthers to wins at Central Michigan and UMKC in his first season at UWM.

Up Next: UWM is home Thursday opening Horizon League play against Loyola.

WBB: Milwaukee at Western Illinois

2011-11-26T16:29:00.004-06:00

Catch all of the updates from assistant SID Chris Zills, sitting courtside at Western Hall in Macomb, Ill., as the Panthers take on Western Illinois.

Follow along on Twitter - @sidzills
I will post updates all game long and take questions as well.

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Michigan State

2011-11-24T20:40:00.001-06:00

Game #5 – Michigan State 68, Milwaukee 55

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: James Haarsma had another good night for the Panthers. He tallied 13 points and had eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end. He continues to average a double-double (11.2 points/10.2 rebounds) on the season.

Key Stats: Free throws, free throws, free throws. The foul line was the difference Wednesday, as Michigan State outscored Milwaukee, 22-6, from the charity stripe.

News and Notes: Milwaukee was outscored from the foul line, 22-6, with the Panthers whistled for 28 fouls to 19 for the Spartans … UWM actually made more field goals (22-21), scored more in the paint (26-24) and tallied more second-chance points (16-6) … the 68 points the Panthers allowed were the most UWM has given up this season, while the 55 points scored marked an early-season low … Milwaukee also made just five 3-pointers only three days after knocking in 11 in the win over Texas Southern … Kaylon Williams has now led the Panthers in scoring in two-straight games … Shaq Boga had eight points to go with four rebounds and two assists ... Demetrius Harris played a collegiate-high 19 minutes ... Milwaukee had 12 more offensive rebounds and now has 73 offensive boards in five games, having reached double figures in the category in each contest … UWM had never played Michigan State before Wednesday night.

Up Next: UWM goes back on the road this weekend, playing at Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday.

Volleyball Numbers

2011-11-23T14:53:00.000-06:00

As the Panthers get ready to find out their destination and opponent for the NCAA Tournament, it’s a good time to see how UWM is stacking up nationally.

First, in the latest NCAA RPI, Milwaukee is up to 50. Three of its four losses have come to teams in the top 40, with Northern Illinois (17), Western Michigan (35) and Marquette (39) all in that groups. UWM also has notable non-league wins against IPFW (75) and Wyoming (82).

In the latest NCAA statistics, the Panthers’ 25-4 record is tied for ninth in winning percentage with Purdue and Illinois. UWM also ranks 32nd nationally in kills, 40th in blocks and 46th in assists. Individually, Kayla Price is 40th in assists with Morgan Potter 66th in digs. Rachel Neuberger (58th) and Mackenzie Millis (80th) are in the top 100 nationally in blocks.

Finally, Milwaukee’s 18-match winning streak is the fourth-longest current streak in the country. Northern Iowa and Hawai’I have each won 21-straight matches, while Maryland-Eastern Shore has won 19-straight.

Postgame Report: Michigan State at Milwaukee

2011-11-22T23:10:00.004-06:00

Game #3 – Milwaukee 57, Michigan State 70

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: The Panthers had three players in double-figures, but Sami Tucker's 15 points and nine rebounds was just off a double-double and a key to keeping the team in the game. Also, after an uncharacteristic slow start, it was good to see Angela Rodriguez hit for a season-high 13 points and hopefully will be back on track.

Key Stats: It was a solid effort for the Panthers all night, but again, the key to the game was that 13-0 run by Michigan State that started with 6:44 left in the first. UWM played the Spartans basket-for-basket the rest of the way.

News and Notes: Once again, Milwaukee continues to take care of the ball. For the third game in a row, it had fewer turnovers than its opponent. Tonight the count was 16-12 and the season total stands in at 56-36. UWM leads the Horizon League in turnover margin at an impressive +6.7.

UWM had a positive assist-to-turnover margin at 14-12, with Kiki Wilson pacing the team with six assists compared to three turnovers.

Up Next: UWM starts a tough five-game road trip that extends into December (next home game is Dec. 15) with a contest at Western Illinois Saturday. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m.

Horizon League Tournament News and Notes

2011-11-20T22:54:00.001-06:00

Semifinals – Milwaukee 3, Valparaiso 0 (25-21, 28-26, 25-17)

Finals – Milwaukee 3, Cleveland State 0 (25-15, 25-21, 25-16

Semifinal Recap and Stats
Final Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: Elizabeth Egerer certainly deserved tournament MVP honors for her great play on offense in each of UWM’s two wins. She was the team-leader in kills in both outings, collecting 12 kills Saturday and 15 kills Sunday.

Key Stats: Milwaukee’s defense has been excellent all season and the Panthers never let either of their opponents get on track offensively. Saturday, Valpo hit just .087 as Milwaukee collected 10 blocks and 70 digs. Then Sunday, Cleveland State hit just .102 while committing 19 hitting errors. In fact, the Vikings hit negative in the second set and all-league performer Kara Koch had nine kills but eight errors.

News and Notes: UWM won its seventh league tournament title and will advance to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time … the Panthers have now won 18-straight matches overall … Milwaukee has beaten Cleveland State in the league final three times in the last four years … the Panthers are the first team to win the title on their homecourt since 2001 … UWM was also the winner that year … Elizabeth Egerer was named the tournament MVP and was joined on the all-tournament team by freshmen Julie Kolinske and Kayla Price … Kolinske had 21 kills in the two matches, including 13 in the final Sunday … Morgan Potter had 34 digs in the two matches … the Panthers won all 18 of their matches against league opponents this season, sweeping 11 of those contests … UWM is now 25-9 all-time in the league tournament … the Panthers hit .308 against Cleveland State, the fifth time this season Milwaukee hit above .300 … Milwaukee has now held its opponent under .150 hitting 18 times this season.

Up Next: The Panthers get a full weekend off and do not return to action until a match at Valparaiso Nov. 11.

Weekend Report - IUPUI and Texas Southern

2011-11-20T22:42:00.001-06:00

Game #3 - Milwaukee 62, IUPUI 49
Game #4 – Milwaukee 73, Texas Southern 38

IUPUI Full Recap and Stats
Texas Southern Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: The Panthers actually had great success this weekend thanks to incredible balance, but Kaylon Williams will get the nod for his overall play. Friday he had eight assists and eight rebounds to go with six points. Sunday, he led the way with 16 points to go with six assists and five rebounds. Most importantly, he has directed an offense that has already seen seven different players reach double figures in points.

Key Stats: There isn’t much to complain about when it comes to the Panthers’ defense. Friday, UWM held IUPUI to 30 percent shooting from the field, including just 5-of-26 in the second half. Sunday, the Panthers allowed Texas Southern to shoot just 35.6 percent from the field. Over the second half Friday and the first half Sunday, UWM allowed just 11 made field goals.

News and Notes: UWM is 4-0 for the first time since 2004-05, when the Panthers started 6-0 … Milwaukee has had seven different players reach double figures in points with Kaylon Williams joining that group Sunday … the 38 points allowed are the fewest the Panthers have allowed since giving up just 21 against Mount Senario in December of 2000 … the 38 points are the fewest UWM has allowed to a Division I team since moving back to Division I in 1990 … the 35-point margin of victory is the biggest for the Panthers since a 41-point win over Youngstown State in 2006 … Kyle Kelm set a collegiate-high with 10 rebounds Sunday … Shaq Boga made his first collegiate basket and also dished out five assists.

Up Next: UWM hits the road for a pair of games next week, starting with a Wednesday night contest at Michigan State.

Live Blog: W-Soccer v. Ohio State (NCAA Second Round)

2011-11-18T14:59:00.001-06:00

Women's Soccer v. Ohio State

Postgame Report - Milwaukee at Northern Illinois

2011-11-15T00:57:00.003-06:00

Game #2 – Milwaukee 59, Northern Illinois 57

Full Recap and Stats

Player Of The Game: James Haarsma was awfully good Monday night. Fresh off a nine-point, 17-rebound outing against Southwest Minnesota State Saturday, the junior transfer had 15 points and 12 boards Monday. He also made a key 3-pointer late in the second half, his second 3 of the young season.

Key Stats: If the Panthers were going to have a bad night on the offensive end, they picked a good night to do it because their defense was up to the challenge. UWM limited Northern Illinois to just 37 percent shooting for the game while forcing 23 turnovers. NIU also made just two 3-pointers.

News and Notes: Milwaukee is 2-0 for the first time since the 2008-09 season … the win was Milwaukee’s 16th true road win in the last two-plus seasons … this was the first of two games against the MAC this season, with the Panthers playing at Western Michigan in early January … James Haarsma has now been in double figures in rebounds in two-straight games. The last player to reach double digits in three-straight games was Marcus Skinner in 2008 … Haarsma also had his first double-double in a Milwaukee uniform … UWM didn’t shoot it well during the second half, making just 8-of-31. That included starting the half 2-of-15 … the Panthers did have four different players reach double figures in points for the second-straight game.

Up Next: UWM is back home for a pair of games this weekend. The Panthers host IUPUI Friday and Texas Southern Sunday.

Milwaukee v. Illinois State Match Report

2011-11-13T00:15:00.000-06:00

#15/11 Milwaukee 3, Illinois State 1
NCAA Tournament First Round
Nov. 12, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. I chose Apple for the game, but she is only representative of how the team played tonight. They all came out on a mission and Hagen set the tone with her decisive goal in just the fourth minute. She also had a flurry of chances late, having two point-blank headers being saved shortly before setting up goal No. 2 with a blast from the top of the box.

NOTES: Hagen has extended her own school records of points in a season (now 58) … Keara Thompson’s assist was her 12th of the season and tied for second-most in school history … Hagen is now 10th with her ninth assist of the season … she is also up to 26 career assists, tied for second-most in school history … Thompson is fifth with 25 … Thompson is also up to fifth in school history with 61 career points and tied for sixth with 18 goals … Hagen has a school-record 11 game-winning goals this season, equal to the second-most in school history for a career … Thompson tied a school record with her 86th game played … Hagen is third with 85 games, but has started every game and is tied for second with 85 starts … Jamie Forbes’ shutout was her 11th of the season, third-most in school history, and the 20th of her career, which is second … she also broke the school record with her 18th win this season … the Panthers broke the school record of 18 wins, set in 2008 … they also had previously advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round after ties (and PK shootouts) in 2005 and 2006 … their NCAA record is now 1-8-2 … Milwaukee is also 7-3-2 all-time against Illinois State … Hagen is now ninth in NCAA Division I history with 92 career goals and is now 17th with 210 points … the attendance was 757, the fourth-largest crown in team history.

Up Next: The Panthers take on Ohio State Friday in the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Location is TBA.

Live Blog: Women's Basketball vs. Wisconsin

2011-11-11T18:56:00.002-06:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the women's basketball game against Wisconsin at the Klotsche Center.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight!

Women's Basketball vs. Wisconsin

Laur Leads Carolina Giants to BSNF Finals

2011-11-09T14:17:00.004-06:00

Former UWM women's basketball player Lindsay Laur has spent the past few months playing professionally for the Carolina Giants in Puerto Rico.

She ended up playing a very key role for the team this year, earning a starting spot and finishing the season as the team's leading scorer. Laur posted some impressive statistics during the regular season. She went 120-for-227 (.529) from the floor, 14-for-41 (.341) from three-point range and 73-for-84 (.869) from the free throw line. Her 355 points and 168 rebounds were easily the highest total on the squad (second was 198 points/109 rebounds), averaging 16.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

In addition, she recorded 58 assists and 29 steals.

Last night, she was the hero for the Giants, hitting the game-winning shot with under 10 seconds left to send her team to a 79-78 win and a 3-to-2 series victory in the semifinals and on to the championship round. She finished the game with 24 points.

Milwaukee v. Wright State Match Report

2011-11-06T19:32:00.001-06:00

#15 Milwaukee 5, Wright State 1
Horizon League Championship
Nov. 6, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. The day seemed to belong to Apple. She assisted on the first two goals and scored the last two. She maintained her reputation for coming up big in the championship game, scoring multiple goals for the fourth-straight year.

NOTES: Hagen is now tied for ninth in NCAA Division I history with 91 career goals … her 207 points are now 18th … Milwaukee has averaged 5.0 goals per game over the last four league title games … Hagen caps her tourney career with 11 goals and four assists in four championship games … her 24 goals ties the records she set as a freshman in 2008 and tied in 2009 … the 56 points eclipsed the 54 points she had as a freshman for the school record and the 55 points Loyola’s Cynthia Morote-Ariza had that same season for the league record … Jamie Forbes’ 17 wins ties Erin Kane’s school record set in 2008 … the senior class is the first in school history with four NCAA Tournament berths … the class also broke the school record for wins over four years with 60 … Keara Thompson is now tied for eighth in school history with 17 career goals, Laurel Ragalie moved into a tie for ninth with her 16th … Thompson now has 58 career points, sixth-most in school history … Hagen’s two assist give her a career-best eight this season and 25 for her career, fourth-most in school history … the Panthers are now 20-6-5 against Wright State all-time and 5-1-2 against the Raiders in tourney play … Milwaukee is 6-3-4 in league title games and 27-7-6 overall in the league tournament all-time … three of Kelly Lewers’ four goals this season have been game-winners … UWM’s 54 goals are third-most in school history … Thompson appeared in her 85th-straight game, tying Taylor Powell’s school record … she is tied with four others for the second-most games played in school history with 85 … Hagen is right behind with 84 appearances and is now third with 84 starts.

Up Next: The Panthers head to the NCAA Tournament. They find out their first round opponent Monday.

Match Report - Horizon League Final Home Weekend

2011-10-30T21:17:00.000-05:00

Match #24 – Milwaukee 3, Youngstown State 0 (25-16, 25-10, 25-16)

Match #25 – Milwaukee 3, Cleveland State 1 (25-23, 25-15, 11-25, 25-14)

Youngstown State Recap and Stats

Cleveland State Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: Rachel Neuberger had an excellent weekend both offensively and defensively for the Panthers. She hit .432 and averaged 3.00 kills per set, while on defense she averaged 1.43 blocks per set.

Key Stats: Milwaukee’s offense continues to be excellent and it was again this weekend. The Panthers hit. 282 in their two wins, averaging nearly four kills per set more than their opponents.

News and Notes: The Panthers clinched their 12th Horizon League regular season title with Saturday’s win … UWM has now won 14-straight matches this season and 23-straight regular season league matches overall … Milwaukee’s 14-0 start in league play is its best-ever league start … the Panthers have now won nine of their 14 league matches in three sets and have dropped just six sets in league play this season … Milwaukee clinched its 14th 20-win season in 16 years … the Panthers are now 38-2 at home in the regular season against league opponents under Susie Johnson … UWM has won 23 of its last 24 matches with Youngstown State … the Panthers have won 10 of their last 11 against Cleveland State and the Vikings have not beaten UWM in Milwaukee since 1992 … Hannah Blanchard had a collegiate-best 15 kills in Friday’s win over Youngstown State … showing off their excellent balance, the Panthers won both matches despite Kerri Schuh not reaching double digits in kills in either contest … UWM had 12 blocks in the three-set win over Youngstown State.

Up Next: The Panthers get a full weekend off and do not return to action until a match at Valparaiso Nov. 11.

Milwaukee v. Green Bay Match Report

2011-10-28T23:02:00.001-05:00

#15/18 Milwaukee 7, Green Bay 0
Oct. 28, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. In her last regular season home game, Apple gave the home fans something to cheer about with a hat trick. Her first goal was a header off a Helen Steinhauser corner kick. Then, she earned and converted a penalty kick. Less than two minutes later, she fought for another goal.

NOTES: Milwaukee has won nine-straight meetings with Green Bay and now leads the all-time series 22-6-1 ... the Panthers' seven goals are a season-high and their most since scoring eight in an 8-0 win Oct. 9, 2009 ... Aug. 28 of that season was also the last time the team scored six goals in a half ... UWM's 16 wins this season ties the 2006 team for second-most in school history. The school record is 18 (2008) ... while the hat trick was the first of the season for Hagen, it was the fifth of her career ... she now has 22 goals and 50 points on the season, both are third in school history behind her 2008 and 2009 totals ... she is also up to 87 career goals, cracking the NCAA Division I all-time top-10 at #10 ... she is up to 201 points, 19th in history ... the Panthers finished league play 8-0 for the second time (2009) and wrapped up a sixth perfect league season ... they also scored 28 goals in league play (including 12 by Hagen). The next most goals by a team in league play was nine by two teams ... the team now has 48 goals this season and is tied for fifth in school history ... the Panthers have won their last nine Senior Day games and are 14-1 under Moynihan on Senior Day.

Up Next: The Panthers host the 2011 Horizon League Championships Nov. 4-6 at Engelmann Stadium.

Overseas List To Date

2011-10-26T08:43:00.002-05:00

A handful of former Panthers have found homes in Europe or South America for the 2011-12 basketball season.

So far, at least six players are on rosters for this year.

Dylan Page - CHORALE DE ROANNE BASKET - France-ProA

Clay Tucker - LOTTOMATICA VIRTUS ROMA - Italy-SerieA

Boo Davis - SAN MARTIN CORRIENTES - Argentina-LigaA

Ricky Franklin - LUSITANIA ANGRA PATRIMONIO MUNDIAL - Portugal-LPB

Anthony Hill - BARREIRENSE CEPSA - Portugal-LPB

Derek Durham - ESC TRAPPES SAINT QUENTINS EN YVELINES - France-NM2

A handful of others may also sign contracts for a spot overseas by the end of the calendar year.

What The Preseason Basketball Magazines Are Saying

2011-10-26T08:42:00.000-05:00

A number of preseason men’s basketball magazines have hit newsstands. So how are the Panthers stacking up?

Athlon picks the Panthers to be fourth in the Horizon League and has Tony Meier on its All-Horizon League First Team. Freshman Shaquille Boga is among “The Next 200” in the Class of 2011.

Athlon thinks the Panthers will be tested by its non-league schedule this season. The magazine has Wisconsin 14th in the country, Marquette 17th and Michigan State 19th. Plus, Texas Southern is picked to win the SWAC and IUPUI is one of the favorites in the Summit League.

Lindy’s also has UWM pegged for fourth in the league and puts Kaylon Williams on the all-league second team while also naming him the most versatile player in the league.

The Sporting News has the Panthers second in the league to Detroit with Tony Meier on the all-league team. That publication also highlights another UWM non-league opponent, with Western Michigan picked as the favorite in the MAC West.

2011-10-23T16:58:00.000-05:00

Illinois State 3, #10/9 Milwaukee 1
Oct. 23, 2011 – Aledaide Street Field (Normal, Ill.)

Woman of the Match: Krissy Dorre. Krissy scored UWM's only goal and was a threat up top throughout the game.

NOTES: Milwaukee still leads the all-time series with Illinois State 6-3-2 … this was just the Panthers’ fourth game played on natural grass this season (3-1) … Sarah Hagen’s goal-scoring streak ended at eight games, second-longest in school history … this was UWM’s first road loss of the season (6-1) … when ISU scored in the 7th minute, it was just the second first-half goal the Panthers have allowed this season and was just the second time they trailed during a game.

Up Next: The Panthers host Green Bay Friday.

Live Blog: Milwaukee @ Illinois State

2011-10-23T11:03:00.000-05:00

Women's Soccer @ Illinois State

Match Report - At Wright State/Butler

2011-10-22T17:43:00.001-05:00

Match #22 – Milwaukee 3, Wright State 0 (25-16, 25-8, 25-14)

Match #23 – Milwaukee 3, Butler 0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-23)

Wright State Recap and Stats

Butler Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: Kerri Schuh another excellent all-around weekend for the Panthers. She hit .412 while averaging 4.33 kills per set. She then added 3.33 digs and 1.50 blocks per frame. Saturday alone, she had 16 kills and 15 digs in the three-set sweep of Butler.

Key Stats: Milwaukee’s blocking efforts really set the tone for the Panthers this weekend. UWM wound up averaging 2.83 blocks per set in the two wins, limiting its two opponents to a .092 hitting clip.

News and Notes: UWM has now won 12-straight matches this season and 21-straight regular season league matches overall … the Panthers have also won 15-straight league road contests … Milwaukee’s 12-0 start in league play is its best-ever league start … the Panthers have now won eight of their 12 league matches in three sets … Milwaukee has won 20 of its last 21 matches against Wright State … the Panthers’ .407 hitting percentage against Wright State was its best of the season ... it is also the best Milwaukee has recorded in a league match … the Panthers hit .317 in the two matches of the weekend while limiting its opponents to a .092 hitting clip.

Up Next: The Panthers return to the Klotsche Center next weekend for their final two regular season home matches. UWM entertains Youngstown State Friday at 7 p.m. before Cleveland State visits Saturday at 4 p.m.

Live Blog: Men's Soccer at Valparaiso

2011-10-22T17:34:00.001-05:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the men's soccer game against the Crusaders in Valparaiso, Ind.

Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday night!

Men's Soccer at Valparaiso

Milwaukee v. Loyola Match Report

2011-10-21T14:32:00.001-05:00

#10/9 Milwaukee 3, Loyola 0
Oct. 20, 2011 – Loyola Soccer Park (Chicago, Ill.)

Woman of the Match: Kelsey Holbert. Kelsey scored the game-winner in just the sixth minute to give the Panthers the only lead they needed. It was a nice goal as she blasted it inside the far post. Her third goal of the season and second winner. All three of her goals were UWM's first of the game.

NOTES: Milwaukee now leads the all-time series with Loyola, 19-2-3 ... Sarah Hagen's eight-game goal-scoring streak is the second-longest in school history (nine games) ... Keara Thompson scored her 16th career goal, tied for ninth-most in school history ... With a goal and assist, Hagen moved up to 21st in NCAA Division I history with 195 career points ... Jamie Forbes returned from injury (she missed one game) to collect her ninth shutout of the season, tied with her freshman season (2009) for fourth-most in school history ... her 18 career shutouts are also fourth ... the Panthers were outshot for just the fourth time this season and are 3-1 in such games ... Milwaukee's nine-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest in school history ... the team has scored 2+ goals in each of the nine wins, matching the longest multi-goal streak in school history (2008) ... during the streak, UWM is outscoring opponents 27-4.

Up Next: The Panthers play at Loyola Wednesday.

Live Blog: Milwaukee @ Loyola

2011-10-20T10:20:00.002-05:00

Okay... I think I got the Live Blog issue fixed. Kick off is at 7 p.m. from Loyola Soccer Park. - kc

Women's Soccer @ Loyola

Milwaukee vs. Wright State Match Report

2011-10-15T23:48:00.002-05:00

Milwaukee 2; Wright State 2 (OT2)
Oct. 15, 2011 - Engelmann Stadium

Man of the Match: I give the nod to junior Cody Banks, who ended up with assists on both of the UWM goals in the match. Another top nominee would be senior Robert Refai, who netted his seventh goal of the season - the highest total for a UWM player since Neil Dombrowski had nine in 2005.

Offensive Charge: The UWM offense continues to find the net, scoring two more goals to give the team 25 goals on the season. For perspective, the Panthers tallied 17 goals in all of 2010 and just 12 in the 2009 campaign. The team recorded 17 more shots tonight with senior Ross Van Osdol getting credited with his first assist of the season - making him the 14th different Panther to record at least a point this year.

Up next: The Panthers head to Valparaiso next Saturday night, starting at 7 p.m.

Milwaukee v. Butler Match Report

2011-10-15T21:03:00.001-05:00

#12 Milwaukee 4, Butler 1
Oct. 15, 2011 – Butler Bowl (Indianapolis, Ind.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. Apple scored two goals, including a free kick shot that was described in the box score as "sick." It was a bomb from the 21 yard line (31 yards to goal) that went upper 90 and might have been still going up when it hit the net. She finished with nine shots, as many as Butler had.

NOTES: Milwaukee leads the all-time series with Butler, 21-6-2 … the Panthers have won eight-straight meetings in Indianapolis … Sarah Hagen has now scored goals in seven-straight games, tied for the second-longest streak in school history (with herself) … Natalie Fettinger made her first collegiate start … she is the sixth freshman to make a start for the Panthers this season … Morgan LaPlant’s goal was the first of her career and Vienna Behnke’s assist was her first … Krissy Dorre and Laurel Ragalie scored points in a second-straight game with assists … Hagen now has 85 career goals, 13th-most in NCAA Division I history … her 192 points cracked the are now tied for 22nd all-time ... Forbes was the last player on the team who had played every minute this season ... UWM is one win away from clinching at least a share of the league regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the league tournament.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 1285+ minutes (None)

Up Next: The Panthers play at Loyola Wednesday.

Match Report - Weekend At Loyola/Green Bay

2011-10-15T19:59:00.001-05:00

Match #20 – Milwaukee 3, Loyola 1 (25-23, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16)

Match #21 – Milwaukee 3, Green Bay 2 (17-25, 16-25, 25-11, 25-22, 15-12)

Loyola Recap and Stats
Green Bay Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: It hasn’t always been easy this season to pick out just one player of the week for the Panthers, and that has been a good thing. But this weekend Kerri Schuh played like the Horizon League Player of the Year and in many ways carried the Panthers to their two wins. Friday at Loyola, Schuh had 23 kills and hit .583 in Milwaukee’s four-set win. Then Saturday, Schuh led the way with 20 kills while adding 16 digs and seven blocks in the five-set victory at Green Bay. Schuh leads the Panthers in kills, is second in digs and is one of three players averaging better than a block per set.

Key Stats: Defense is a big key for Milwaukee and it was UWM’s defense that came through when it counted late in each match. Friday at Loyola, the Ramblers hit just .152 in the third set and .088 in the fourth frame. Then Saturday at Green Bay, the Phoenix hit -.075 in the third, .220 in the fourth and .071 in the fifth. In the win over the Phoenix, UWM had just 22 digs total in the first two sets, then had 59 over the final three frames.

News and Notes: With Cleveland State’s loss at home to Butler Saturday, Milwaukee is now two matches ahead of the Vikings in the loss column. Every other team has at least three losses … UWM’s 10-0 league start has tied its best league start in school history. The Panthers also opened the league campaign 10-0 in 2003 … UWM has now won 13-straight league road matches … the Panthers have won 19-straight league regular season matches overall … Milwaukee has won 12 in a row over Loyola and 17 of its last 18 over Green Bay … Mary Beth O’Brien entered the match with Green Bay in the fourth set and tallied six kills … Kerri Schuh has now passed 1,100 career kills … this is the first time in her career she has collected 20-plus kills in consecutive matches … she is the first Panther to collect back-to-back 20-plus kill outings since Becky Peters did it in 2008 … Peters had 24 kills against Oregon State and 20 against Wright State that year.

Up Next: UWM heads back to the road next weekend, playing at Wright State Friday night and at Butler Saturday afternoon.

Live Blog: Milwaukee @ Butler

2011-10-15T16:00:00.003-05:00

Sorry... we are having live blog technical issues. For goal scoring information, follow Kevin Conway's Twitter feed -- twitter.com/@k_conway2.

2011-10-09T16:54:00.000-05:00

#12 Milwaukee 3, Youngstown State 0
Oct. 9, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Krissy Dorre. Since joining the team during the season, Krissy has shown a steady improvement. Wednesday was her best performance of the season, topped then by her game Sunday. She tallied her first collegiate goal and assist against YSU. More importantly, she is emerging as another dangerous scorer for Milwaukee.

NOTES: Milwaukee is now 11-0 all-time vs. Youngstown State ... Keara Thompson's two assists give her 24 for her career, tied with Nicole Sperl for fourth in school history ... her now 54 career points put her seventh all-time ... Sarah Hagen returned from a one-game absence and extended her goal-scoring streak to six games, tied for fourth-longest streak in school history ... with her 83rd career goal, she now has sole possession of 15th in NCAA Division I history for goals scored ... with 11 assists this season, Thompson leads the league and is fifth in school history for a season ... Hagen's now 16 goals this season are tied for fourth, giving her the top four goal-scoring totals in school history ... UWM's seven-game winning streak is its longest since a nine-game streak in 2009.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 1285+ minutes (Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers hit the road to play at Butler in Indianapolis next Saturday.

Match Report - Horizon League Weekday Series

2011-10-06T11:46:00.001-05:00

Match #18 – Milwaukee 3, UIC 0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-17)

Match #19 – Milwaukee 3, Valparaiso 2 (20-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-10)

UIC Recap and Stats

Valparaiso Recap and Stats

Player Of The Week: Morgan Potter has a stellar week in the back row and passed a career milestone, as well. Potter went past 1,000 career digs in Wednesday’s win over Valparaiso, becoming just the ninth Panther in the school’s Division I era to do so. She averaged an astounding 6.62 digs per set in the two victories during the week, collecting 21 against UIC and 32 vs. Valpo. The 32 marked the fourth-most in a five-set match in school history.

Key Stats: Defense was again a key for the Panthers this week. UWM averaged three blocks per set in two matches, including 13 blocks in a three-set win over UIC Tuesday. The blocking – and an average of 17.62 digs per set – helped Milwaukee limit its two opponents to a .150 hitting clip.

News and Notes: Wednesday’s win marked the 100th in the UWM head coaching career of Susie Johnson … the Panthers are now 36-2 in home regular season league contests under Johnson and 68-13 against league opponents overall … UWM’s 8-0 start to the league schedule is its best since 2003, when the Panthers started 11-0 … Milwaukee has now won 17-straight and 31 of its last 32 regular season league contests … Wednesday marked the fourth time in the last five seasons that UWM and Valpo have played a five-set match … UWM is now 24-12 in five-set matches under Susie Johnson … the Panthers came back from a two-set deficit for the first time since 2007, when Milwaukee did it three times … Elizabeth Egerer averaged 4.50 kills per set in the two wins, including a collegiate-best 23 in the win over Valparaiso … UWM did have its streak of six-straight 3-set wins snapped Wednesday. When Milwaukee lost the first set to Valpo, it marked the first loss of a set since Sept. 16.

Up Next: UWM gets the weekend off and then starts the second half of league play at Loyola (Oct. 14) and Green Bay (Oct. 15).

Milwaukee v. Valparaiso Match Report

2011-10-05T22:42:00.000-05:00

#14/12 Milwaukee 3, Wright State 1
Oct. 1, 2011 – Alumni Field (Dayton, Ohio)

Woman of the Match: Keara Thompson. With Sarah Hagen unavailable, Thompson stepped up as an offensive leader. Her hustle set up Kelsey Holbert's first career goal and she came back with a great free kick score.

NOTES: Milwaukee is now 13-0 all-time vs. Valparaiso ... Hagen's consecutive start streak ended at 77 games ... Thompson surpassed the 50-point mark for her career and now has 52 ... she took sole possession of both fifth in school history for career assists (22) and 10th in goals (15) ... Morgan LaPlant made her second start of the season ... the shutout was the seventh of the season for Forbes and the 16th of her career ... the Panthers have now won six-straight games for the second time this season.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 1195+ minutes (Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers host Youngstown State Sunday at Engelmann Stadium.

Milwaukee Women’s Soccer Is Ninth In This Week’s RPI

2011-10-05T14:37:00.000-05:00

The Milwaukee women’s soccer team is ninth in the latest Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) released by the NCAA Wednesday.

The Panthers have been nationally ranked for much of the season and improved their RPI standing one spot over the No. 10 rating they had in the first RPI released last week.

Milwaukee also features some nationally-ranked players, as the NCAA released updated statistical rankings earlier this week.

- Sarah Hagen has 15 goals and 34 points in 12 games this season. She leads the league and is No. 2 in both goals per game (1.25) and points per game (2.83). Her eight game-winning goals, already a school record, are two more than any other player in the country. Her 15 goals are tied for third nationally and her 34 points are fourth.

- Keara Thompson shares the league lead with eight assists. She is tied for sixth in the nation for total assists and is tied for seventh in assists per game (0.67).

- Jamie Forbes leads the league in goals against average (0.65), save percentage (.860) and shutouts (6). Her GAA is 29th and save percentage is 34th.

- As a team, Milwaukee’s winning percentage of .917 is sixth in the country, while the Panthers are also 24th in save percentage (.871), 27th in goals against average (0.65), 32nd in goals per game (2.33) and 39th in shutout percentage (0.5).

The Panthers are in action today, hosting Valparaiso at 7 p.m. at Engelmann Stadium.

Live Blog: Men's Soccer at Michigan State

2011-10-04T10:27:00.001-05:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the men's soccer game at Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich.

Kick-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. CST Tuesday!

Men's Soccer at Michigan State

Men's Soccer Players Make Top 20 List

2011-10-03T13:02:00.003-05:00

The topdrawersoccer.com website has a "Players To Watch" feature and this week highlights the Horizon League.

Milwaukee has three players on the list: senior Keegan Ziada (pictured) and freshmen Gerardo Saavedra and Adam Hutchinson.

The website link is available HERE.

Here is the full list:
1 Tony Walls / Midfielder / Wisconsin-Green Bay
2 Ivan Stanisavljevic / Midfielder / UIC
3 Austin Oldham / Forward / Butler
4 Gerardo Saavedra / Midfielder / Milwaukee
5 Eric Frazier / Forward / UIC
6 Jesus Torres / Forward / UIC
7 Adekunle Oluyedun / Forward / Butler
8 Stefan Antonijevic / Defender / Valparaiso
9 Justin Laird / Midfielder / Wright State
10 Jordan Burt / Defender / Butler
11 Keegan Ziada / Midfielder / Milwaukee
12 Bryce Rockwell-Ashton / Forward / Wright State
13 Aslinn Rodas / Midfielder / Cleveland State
14 Zach Steinberger / Midfielder / Butler
15 Derek Zuniga / Midfielder / Wright State
16 Admir Suljevic / Forward / Cleveland State
17 Ya Ya Toure / Forward / Detroit
18 Adam Hutchinson / Defender / Milwaukee
19 Manual Conde / Midfielder / Cleveland State
20 Craig Feehan / Goalkeeper / Wright State

Milwaukee v. Wright State Match Report

2011-10-01T23:16:00.000-05:00

#14/12 Milwaukee 3, Wright State 1
Oct. 1, 2011 – Alumni Field (Dayton, Ohio)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. Sarah had two goals for the third time in five games and has had the game-winning goal and her hand in multiple goals in each of the last five games.

NOTES: Milwaukee avenged its regular season loss at Wright State last season and now leads the all-time series with the Raiders, 19-6-5 … Demi Price made her first start of the season in place of Makenzie Gillaspie, who suffered an injury against Detroit last Sunday … Hagen extended her school record with her fifth-straight game-winning goal … her five-game goal scoring streak is the fifth-longest streak in school history (she owns the top five streaks) … she has 8 goals and 2 assists in that time … she now has 82 career goals, tied for 15th in NCAA Division I history … she is also up to 185 career points … Keara Thompson moved into a tie for fifth in school history with her 21st career assist … she is also up to 49 career points, putting her on the verge of becoming the eighth player in school history with 50 points … the Panthers played on a Saturday for the first time this season … UWM scored at least three goals in a game for the sixth time this season … Thompson and Hagen combined on a goal for the 22nd time in their careers.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 1105+ minutes (Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers host Valparaiso Wednesday at Engelmann Stadium.

Match Report - Horizon League Weekend #3

2011-10-01T20:06:00.001-05:00

Match #16 – Milwaukee 3, Cleveland State 0 (25-23, 25-20, 25-20)

Match #17 – Milwaukee 3, Youngstown State 0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-21)

Cleveland State Recap and Stats

Youngstown State Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: Once again UWM had great balance on offense and defense but the continued steady play of Rachel Neuberger grabs the honor this weekend. She was one of three players who averaged 2.6 kills per set or better this weekend, but she did not commit a hitting error in 35 attempts (.457 hitting clip). She also added eight blocks.

Key Stats: Last weekend it was the offense that stole this show, but this weekend it was the defense. UWM’s two opponents hit a combined .064 for the weekend, with Youngstown State hitting -.018. Milwaukee forced CSU and YSU into a combined 52 hitting errors and the Panthers averaged 3.33 blocks per set.

News and Notes: UWM is off to a 6-0 start in league play for the second-straight season … the Panthers have won 15-straight regular season league matches … Milwaukee has won 11-straight league regular season road matches … UWM tied a school record with its fifth-straight 3-set win … the last time that happened was 2006, and it has never before happened in league play … YSU hit -.018 Saturday, the first time this season UWM has forced an opponent into a negative hitting percentage. SIU Edwardsville hit negative against the Panthers last season, committing 34 hitting errors. The last time a league opponent hit negative against Milwaukee was UIC, which hit -.037 in 2007 … UWM had 10 service aces in the win Saturday, the first time it has reached double figures in the category since it had 11 against Alcorn State in 2009 … this was the first time the Panthers reached double figures in aces in a league match since 2008 (12 vs. Youngstown State) … the Panthers have now won five in a row and nine of their last 10 over Cleveland State … UWM has won 22 of its last 23 matches against Youngstown State … Morgan Potter is now up to 972 career digs.

Up Next: UWM heads back home for a pair of midweek matches, playing UIC Tuesday night and Valparaiso Wednesday.

Come Out and Cheer on the Panthers on Saturday!

2011-09-29T16:12:00.005-05:00

The Milwaukee men's soccer team has started Horizon League play 2-0 after a thrilling last-second double-overtime victory over Green Bay Wednesday evening.

Up next, the Panthers welcome Cleveland State to Engelmann Stadium Saturday night. Need another reason to come out and join the crowd? How about a nice freebie to the first 500 in attendance?? Kick off is 7 p.m. - be there!

Volleyball's National Numbers

2011-09-29T10:20:00.002-05:00

Now that we are halfway through the volleyball season - at least in matches played - the NCAA's statistical rankings start to take on a little more merit. And, this week's update finds the Panthers well represented.

As a team, UWM ranks 31st nationally in digs per set and 32nd in kills per set. Milwaukee is also 49th in assists per set and 51st in winning percentage.

On the individual stat lists, freshman Kayla Price is 47th in the country in assists per set (10.75), which Rachel Neuberger is 56th in hitting percentage (.357). Plus, Kerri Schuh is 95th in kills per set, particularly notable because of the great balance the Panthers have had on offense all season long.

Milwaukee vs. Green Bay Match Report

2011-09-29T00:12:00.006-05:00

Milwaukee 3; Green Bay 2 (OT2)
Sept. 28, 2011 - Engelmann Stadium

Man of the Match: It has to go to Cody Banks, who netted the game-winner to help UWM reclaim the Chancellor's Cup for the first time since 2007. He subbed into the game in the second overtime just minutes earlier and gave the Panthers one of their latest-ever victories as far as time left on the clock goes. In a night full of great endings in the sports world, the Panthers and Banks added to it.

Offensive Charge: The UWM offense continues to find the net, scoring three more goals to give the team 18 goals on the season. For perspective, the Panthers tallied 17 goals in all of 2010 and just 12 in the 2009 campaign. The team recorded 24 more shots tonight with Banks and Jamie Bladen each scoring, giving UWM its eighth and ninth different player to score goals this season.

Freshman in Net: Josh Rohde made seven saves and is now 2-0 in his first two collegiate starts. The second goal he allowed tonight came on a deflection and he made several highlight-reel saves to keep Green Bay out of the net.

Home Crowd: Another great crowd was on hand tonight, as 891 came out to Engelmann to cheer on the victory, including an enthusiastic student section that managed to join the Panthers' victory pile on the field following Banks' goal. The team is now averaging 868 fans through six home games.

Up next: The Panthers welcome Cleveland State Saturday night, starting at 7 p.m.

Vienna Behnke Makes UWM Singing Debut

2011-09-27T17:10:00.000-05:00

Milwaukee women's soccer freshman Vienna Behnke surprised her team by performing the national anthem before its Sept. 11 game against Wisconsin. We talked to Vienna about her singing debut, performing on September 11 and surprising her teammates with her gift. Stay tuned to the end for her uncut performance.

Milwaukee v. Detroit Match Report

2011-09-25T17:10:00.001-05:00

#15/12 Milwaukee 2, Detroit 1
Sept. 25, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. Sarah assisted on the first goal and scored the second. It was the fourth-straight game-winner for her. She finished the weekend with a pair of three-point games and now has 13 goals and 4 assists this season.

NOTES: Milwaukee is now 15-7-2 all-time against Detroit … Makenzie Gillaspie came out of a game for the first time this season when she suffered an injury and did not return in the 18th minute … this was the first game Milwaukee played in any precipitation this season … Hagen’s four-straight game-winners is a school record … three other times a player has scored game-winners in three-straight games … Hagen now has 80 career goals and 181 points … her goals are tied for 18th in NCAA Division I history … her assists are tied with Mara Thompson for fifth in school history … Keara Thompson is now seventh in school history with 20 assists and tied for eighth with 46 career points … Hagen already has seven game-winners this season, tying her own school record (2010) … her 30 points are already tied for ninth-most in a single season.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 1015+ minutes (Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers heads to Wright State next Saturday.

Match Report - Horizon League Weekend #2

2011-09-24T20:29:00.000-05:00

Match #14 – Milwaukee 3, Butler 0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-14)
Match #15 – Milwaukee 3, Wright State 0 (25-16, 25-15, 25-16)
Butler Recap and Stats
Wright State Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: You could pick any one of five hitters and not get much of an argument, but when the offense is that good it is hard to not pick the setter as the star. Kayla Price averaged 12.33 assists per set in the two wins, leading the Panthers to better than .300 hitting performances in both matches. Over the first four matches of league play, she is atop the assists chart. And, on the overall stat sheet, she is second in the league in the category.

Key Stats: There was nothing to complain about when it came to the Panther offense this weekend. UWM hit .335 over the two matches, committing just 22 hitting errors while averaging nearly 16 kills per set. Five different players averaged better than two kills for set and none of those players hit worse than .283 for the weekend.

News and Notes: UWM is 4-0 in Horizon League play for the second-straight season … the Panthers hit .351 Saturday against Wright State after hitting .317 in the win over Butler Friday. This is the first time Milwaukee has hit better than .300 in back-to-back matches since 2006 … that year, UWM hit .351 against Wright State on Nov. 11 and .301 against Youngstown State Nov. 17 … the Panthers also hit better than .300 in three-straight matches earlier that season, doing it in all three contests at a tournament at Alabama … Milwaukee is hitting .288 in league play so far this season … after winning eight matches in four or five sets to start the season, the Panthers have won in three sets three times in a row … UWM has won 18 of its last 19 against Wright State … the Panthers are now 35-4 at home against league teams under Susie Johnson … Morgan Potter has now reached double figures in digs 50 times in her career. She has 942 career digs … Rachel Neuberger (.750 vs. Wright State) and Mackenzie Millis (.700 vs. Butler) both set collegiate-bests for hitting percentage this weekend.

Up Next: UWM hits the road for the first time in league, heading to Ohio for the weekend. Action starts Friday night with a first-place showdown at Cleveland State.

Milwaukee v. Western Illinois Match Report

2011-09-23T23:37:00.001-05:00

#15/12 Milwaukee 4, Western Illinois 0
Sept. 23, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Laurel Ragalie. Laurel scored two great goals. Enough said.

NOTES: Milwaukee has now won both all-time meetings with Western Illinois ... Sarah Hagen is the fourth player in school history, and the first since 2006, to score game-winners in three-straight games for UWM ... she is the sixth player in school history to 20 career assists ... her other career totals include 79 goals and 178 points ... her goals are tied for 19th in NCAA Division I history ... Milwaukee scored a season-high four goals for the second-straight game ... its 31 shots and 13 corners are also season-highs ... Ragalie cracked the top-10 for goals scored in school history with 14 (tied for ninth) ... the Panthers debuted new black jerseys ... Jamie Forbes picked up her 20th career win, tied for fourth in school history ... her six shutouts this season are tied for sixth in school history ... Hagen is up to 27 points this season, already tied for 10th in school history.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 925+ minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers host Detroit Sunday.

Catching Up With Lindsay Laur

2011-09-22T13:49:00.002-05:00

Lindsay Laur signed a professional contract with the Carolina Giants of the National Superior Basketball League in Puerto Rico in mid-August.

She is now about a month into her first season as a pro and has played in all eight games the team has had. She leads the team in points with 134, averaging 16.8 ppg to go along with 8.3 rebounds per game.

Laur is 45-of-88 from the floor (.511), 8-of-21 from three-point range (.381) and, as usual, an impressive 20-of-23 (.870) from the free throw line.

She netted 26 points against San German Sept. 7, but then quickly eclipsed that season-high with a 27 point/9 rebound effort (9-for-13 from the floor) in an 81-72 win over Ponce Sept. 17.

Women's Basketball Photo Shoot

2011-09-21T11:16:00.004-05:00

The women's basketball team spent some time this morning in the studio and on the court at the Klotshce Center taking pictures that will eventually end up on the schedule poster and media guide cover. I thought I would add a few "behind the scenes" pictures to see what all goes in to the finished product.

Live Blog: Men's Soccer at UAB

2011-09-18T14:19:00.000-05:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the men's soccer game at UAB in Birmingham, Ala.

Kick-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday!

Men's Soccer at UAB

Match Report - Horizon League Weekend #1

2011-09-17T20:52:00.000-05:00

Match #12 – Milwaukee 3, Green Bay 1 (25-23, 25-15, 24-26, 25-23)

Match #13 – Milwaukee 3, Loyola 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-21)

Green Bay Recap and Stats

Loyola Recap and Stats

Player Of The Weekend: One of the great things developing recently for the Panthers is the variety of people stepping forward on offense, especially in the absence of starting outside hitter Elizabeth Egerer. Friday night, Milwaukee looked to the middle in its win over Green Bay, and senior Mackenzie Millis responded with a collegiate-best 17 kills. Saturday, Melissa Jansen stepped forward on the outside, collecting 11 kills as one of three players in double figures in the sweep of Loyola.

Key Stats: There isn’t much to complain about with UWM’s offense over the two matches this weekend. The Panthers wound up hitting .253, committing just 33 hitting errors over seven sets. Milwaukee had five players average at least two kills per set.

News and Notes: UWM has now won 16 of its last 17 against Green Bay … the Panthers have won 11-straight over Loyola … Milwaukee is now 33-4 against league teams at the Klotsche Center under Susie Johnson … the Panthers are 45-13 at home under Johnson overall … UWM has won 14 of its last 16 Horizon League openers … Mackenzie Millis’ 17 kills Friday were a collegiate-high and marked the third time this season she has been in double figures in kills … Millis now has 63 kills this season, surpassing the 59 career kills she started the year with … Taylor Golabowski’s 15 digs Friday marked a collegiate-best for the freshman … Morgan Potter’s 24 digs Friday tied her season high … Saturday’s win was the first three-set victory of the season for Milwaukee … UWM had 11 blocks, the third time this season the Panthers have reached double figures in the category … Melissa Jansen’s 11 kills against Loyola marked a season-high … Milwaukee has now had seven different players post at least one double-figure kill outing this season.

Up Next: UWM stays home for two more league matches, hosting Butler Friday and Wright State Saturday.

Milwaukee v. Cleveland State Match Report

2011-09-16T23:02:00.000-05:00

#17/11 Milwaukee 4, Cleveland State 0
Sept. 16, 2011 – Krenzler Field (Cleveland, Ohio)

Woman of the Match: Helen Steinhauser. Helen tallied a career-high three assists in helping pace the Panther offense.

NOTES: Steinhauser is the 10th player in school history to tally three-or-more assists in a game. Her three are tied for the fourth most … Milwaukee is now 12-0 all-time vs. Cleveland State, outscoring the Vikings, 54-2, all-time … Sarah Hagen is now tied for 21st in NCAA Division I history with 78 career goals … the game-winner was her 23rd career and nation-best fifth this season … UWM’s four goals are a season high and four shots allowed a season low … Keara Thompson tied Hagen for sixth in school history with 19 career assists … Hagen made her 74th career start, tied for 10th in school history … Hagen has scored the game-winner in back-to-back games now six times in her career … Sara Stern started in place of Amy Kauffung. Kauffung broke her nose last Sunday and had started the first eight games … Friday’s game was the 500th in school history. The Panthers are 275-175-50 all-time … the win also the 90th league win since UWM joined the conference for the 1994 season … the previous best record in school history after nine games was 7-1-1 in 2008 … Milwaukee won its first league game for the 14th-straight season and is 16-1-1 all-time in league openers.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 835+ minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers return home to host Western Illinois and Detroit next weekend.

Milwaukee vs. Gardner-Webb Match Report

2011-09-16T22:43:00.003-05:00

Milwaukee 1; Gardner-Webb 2
Sept. 16, 2011 - West Campus Field (Birmingham, Ala.)

Man of the Match: Freshman Nick Langford recorded the first goal of his career and most of the people watching this one also expected it to be the game-winner. He finished with three of UWM's six shot attempts in the contest.

About that Goal: UWM had nine different players score goals a year ago. In just six games this season, Langford was the sixth different player to find the back of the net.

Another Late Lead: At 3-3-0, the Panthers have played well all season. They held a 1-0 lead until the final minutes tonight and also led Northeastern, 1-0, until late in the match in their last loss.

Scary Moment: Freshman Richard Johnson went down hard on a late collision and was motionless on the field for a brief time before getting up under his own power. I saw him after the game and he seems to be OK. We will see what his status is for Sunday.

Stat of the Match: After averaging close to 20 shots a game, the Panthers recorded a season-low six in tonight's game. The lowest previous total since the start of the 2010 campaign was nine against Wisconsin last season.

SID Side Note: It's not often I get to sit a few stories above the action for a soccer game, but tonight I had quite the seat atop a large set of scaffolding that made for an interesting night. In case you were wondering, see the picture below to see the staircase they have set up at UAB.

Up Next: The road does not get any easier for Milwaukee, taking on UAB Sunday to close out the weekend. The host Blazers knocked off #20 VCU, 2-1, in overtime, to improve to 4-0-2 on the season.

Live Blog: Men's Soccer vs. Gardner-Webb

2011-09-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

Join assistant SID Chris Zills for the live blog of the men's soccer game at against Gardner-Webb in Birmingham, Ala.

Kick-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday!

Men's Soccer vs. Gardener-Webb

Milwaukee v. Wisconsin Match Report

2011-09-11T22:14:00.002-05:00

#14 Milwaukee 2, #24 Wisconsin 1 (ot)
Sept. 11, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. "Apple" was a one-woman offensive display. She outshot Wisconsin on her own, 12-10, and scored both of UWM's goals. If it wasn't for some exceptional play by UW keeper Michele Dalton, Hagen would've finished with three or four goals.

NOTES: Milwaukee is now 6-19-5 all-time vs. Wisconsin ... Hagen now has five goals in five career games vs. Wisconsin ... the game-winner was her 22nd career, twice as many as any other player in school history ... she now has 76 goals and 171 career points ... her 76 goals are tied with England international Kelly Smith (Seton Hall) for 24th in NCAA Division I history ... today was UWM's second win over a ranked opponent (UW was #24 in Soccer America poll) ... Milwaukee finishes the regular season (so to speak) with a 3-0 record against the Big Ten ... the assists were the second career for Hannah Kaul and Mary Wandolowski ... Keara Thompson's assist was her fifth of the season and the 18th of her career, tied for seventh in school history ... today's attendance was the seventh-largest in school history ... the school record for shots in a game had been 12 by Cammy Polson Nov. 2, 1997 ... the previous best start in school history was 6-1-1 in 2008 ... Hagen's start was the 73rd of her career, 11th-most in school history.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 845+ minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers hit the road for the start of Horizon League play next Friday at Cleveland State

Match Report - Milwaukee vs. Marquette

2011-09-10T23:57:00.000-05:00

Match #10 – Marquette 3, Milwaukee 0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-22)

Full Match Recap and Stats

Player Of The Match: Rachel Neuberger was really the player of the weekend for the Panthers. Saturday night she did have nine kills and hit .381.

Key Stats: Marquette dominated the match on offense. The Golden Eagles hit .333 to UWM’s .154, and had 47 kills to Milwaukee’s 34.

News and Notes: This marked the first time all season the Panthers did not have a player in double figures in either kills or digs … Kerri Schuh now has 994 career kills … Rachel Neuberger and Morgan Potter earned spots on the all-tournament team for Milwaukee.

Up Next: UWM plays at Western Michigan Tuesday night.

Milwaukee Invitational All-Tournament Team

2011-09-10T23:48:00.001-05:00

A six-person all-tournament team was named by the participating coaches following the conclusion of the event Saturday night.

Ashley Beyer – Marquette (MVP)
Julie Jeziorowski - Marquette
Danielle Carlson - Marquette
Rachel Neuberger – Milwaukee
Morgan Potter – Milwaukee
Ashley Mell - Southern Miss

Marquette won the event with a 3-0 record, while Milwaukee was 2-1. Southern Miss finished 1-2 while Akron was 0-3.

Milwaukee vs. Marquette Match Report

2011-09-10T00:34:00.002-05:00

Milwaukee 2; Marquette 1
Sept. 9, 2011 - Engelmann Stadium

Man of the Match: This one goes to goalkeeper John Shakon, who made several brilliant stops among his seven saves to help UWM keep possession of the Milwaukee Cup. He did have his scoreless streak snapped at 261:28 when Marquette finally scored, but has been playing very well the past three games.

First Impressions: Senior Ross Van Osdol made his first appearance of the season, playing 31 minutes. He started in the midfield and recorded a pair of shots and moved to the back line when freshman Zach Stevenson left with injury. Freshman Nick Langford saw his first action, setting up Keegan Ziada's game-winner with a beautiful through ball late in the first half. Sophomore Robby Boyd also saw his first action, playing 14 minutes after starting the second half.

Streaks: The three-game winning streak is UWM's first since winning four in a row at the end of the 2006 campaign. At 3-1-0, it's also the best four-game start since a similar mark in 2003. A quick recap: 2010: 1-2-1; 2009: 1-3-0; 2008: 1-2-1; 2007: 0-4-0; 2006: 2-2-0; 2005: 2-1-1; 2004: 1-1-2; 2003: 3-1-0.

Up next: The Panthers welcome back Northeastern, which played Wright State to a 1-1 draw Friday before the Milwaukee Cup game. Kickoff is set for Sunday at 1 p.m.

Match Report - Milwaukee Invitational Day One

2011-09-09T23:59:00.000-05:00

Match #8 – Milwaukee 3, Akron 1 (20-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18)

Match #9 – Milwaukee 3, Southern Mississippi 1 (23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-23)

Akron Full Match Recap and Stats

Southern Miss Full Match Recap and Stats

Player Of The Day: Rachel Neuberger was great last weekend at Drake and has done nothing but continue that trend this weekend. She collected 14 kills and seven blocks in the win over Akron in the afternoon, then had 16 kills while hitting .481 in the victory over Southern Mississippi. For the season she is hitting .374 and is up to second on the team in kills.

Key Stats: Defense has always been a cornerstone of the Panthers’ success and those numbers got a little better again Friday. Against Akron, UWM recovered from allowing the Zips to hit .278 in the first frame by limiting them to hitting percentages of .108, .070 and .121 the rest of the way. Milwaukee also outdug Akron, 69-51. Then against Southern Miss, Milwaukee held the Eagles to a .088 hitting clip and collected 14.5 blocks. The Panthers also had 81 digs.

News and Notes: UWM will be playing for the Milwaukee Invitational crown Saturday. It is trying to win two in-season tournaments in the same year for the first time since 2007 … the Panthers’ 7-2 start is their best since 2007, when they were 8-1 after nine matches … UWM is now 4-2 all-time against Akron and 2-0 against Southern Mississippi … Mackenzie Millis equaled her collegiate-best with 10 kills against Akron and set a new collegiate-high with nine blocks against USM … after sitting out against Akron to assist in her injury recovery, Elizabeth Egerer returned to the lineup against USM and had 13 kills …. Kerri Schuh played in her 100th career match Friday night … Schuh is up to 987 career kills … Schuh and Neuberger have each reached double figures in kills in five-straight matches … Morgan Potter has been in double figures in digs in 14-straight matches.

Up Next: UWM hosts Marquette Saturday at 7 p.m.

Milwaukee v. Marquette Match Report

2011-09-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

#12 Marquette 1, #14 Milwaukee 0 (2ot)
Sept. 7, 2011 – Engelmann Stadium (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Jamie Forbes. Once again, Jamie came up big in goal. She made nine saves and was the KFC Man of the Match on the Fox Soccer Broadcast. With two tremendous saves in the first half, she set the tone for the defense in the game.

NOTES: This was the 20th meeting between Milwaukee and Marquette and the eighth to go to overtime ... MU evened the all-time series at 7-7-6 ... this was UWM's first game against a ranked team as a ranked team ... the Panthers are now 11-5-1 as a ranked side and 2-26-5 against ranked foes in team history ... the attendance of 2,212 was a school record by over 900 fans ... initial research has the state record for a women's soccer attendance as 4,532 – Wisconsin vs. North Carolina (Sept. 4, 1995) ... Forbes and the Panther defense saw their shutout streak end at 398:03 ... Sarah Hagen also saw her goal-scoring streak end at four games.

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 648+ minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers stay home to host another in-state rival, Wisconsin, on Sunday. Kickoff is at 4 p.m.

Milwaukee vs. Western Michigan Match Report

2011-09-04T19:19:00.003-05:00

Milwaukee 4; Western Michigan 0
Sept. 4, 2011 - Engelmann Stadium

Man of the Match: Again, always good to have a handful of options, but have to go with freshman Gerardo Saavedra, who had a terrific goal on a free kick and also a beautiful assist on a corner kick that was headed in by freshman Richard Johnson. Saavedra was named the MVP of the 37th Panther Invitational for his efforts.

Between the Pipes: Junior John Shakon was at his best over the weekend, finishing with the ninth and 10th shutouts of his UWM career in the 2-0 and 4-0 victories.

Back of the Net: The Panthers are off to a fast start, scoring seven goals in their first three games of 2011. Saavedra and Refai both have two already and five different players have already found the back of the net.

Up Next: It doesn't get any bigger for the UWM schedule, taking on Marquette for the Milwaukee Cup Friday, with kick-off set for 7:30 p.m. at Engelmann Stadium.

Milwaukee v. Minnesota Match Report

2011-09-04T15:44:00.000-05:00

#22/20 Milwaukee 1, Minnesota 0
Sept. 4, 2011 – Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (St. Paul, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Jamie Forbes. Tiebreakers and technicalities abound in keeping Jamie from her rightful places as defensive MVP, but she can take solace in a job well done and Woman of the Match honors. She was great in goals, finishing with 11 saves, including a number of the highlight variety. Tied for second is the four-person defense of Makenzie Gillaspie, Mary Wandolowski, Emily Scott and Amy Kauffung. Great defensive effort all around. Oh yeah, Keara Thompson and Sarah Hagen connected on a nice goal, too... can I give it to the whole team?

NOTES: Milwaukee is now 3-7-2 all-time against Minnesota … it is also now 11-4-1 in games as a ranked team … the school record for best start to a season was 6-0 in 2008 … that was also the last season UWM was ranked … Hagen’s goal was the 21st winner of her career, 74th goal and 167th point—all school records … Keara Thompson’s assist was her 17th career, eighth in school history … with 43 career points, she is also in sole possession of 10th in school history … Forbes’ shutout was her 13th career clean sheet ... UWM is -27 in the foul department the last two games (40-13).

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 540 minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers return home for rivalry week. Marquette comes to Engelmann Wednesday for a nationally-televised game on Fox Soccer Channel. Then Wisconsin visits Sunday.

Live Blog: Milwaukee @ Minnesota

2011-09-04T09:55:00.000-05:00

Women's Soccer @ Minnesota

Match Report - Milwaukee @ Drake

2011-09-03T23:28:00.001-05:00

Match #6 – Milwaukee 3, Drake 1 (25-16, 25-16, 24-26, 25-18)

Full Match Recap and Stats

Player Of The Match: Rachel Neuberger had a great weekend and capped it with her best match of the season Saturday night. The sophomore middle blocker tallied 17 kills while hitting .552. She is now hitting .328 for the season and is tied for the team lead with 22 blocks.

Key Stats: Defense told the story for the Panthers Saturday night. UWM collected 93 digs in the win, with five players reaching double figures. Milwaukee limited Drake to a .077 hitting percentage.

News and Notes: UWM’s Drake Invite title is its first of an in-season tournament since the Panthers won Bradley’s tournament in 2008 … Rachel Neuberger’s 17 kills marked a collegiate-high, the third-straight match where a Panther set a new career best … Neuberger was joined by Kerri Schuh and Morgan Potter on the all-tournament team, with Schuh claiming MVP honors … Milwaukee’s 93 digs marked an early-season high, while Drake’s .077 hitting clip is the lowest mark by an opponent this year … Elizabeth Egerer did not play Saturday night because of an injury. She was also limited in Saturday’s earlier match after collecting 23 kills in Friday’s win over Wyoming … freshman Hannah Blanchard started in her place and had nine kills.

Up Next: UWM is home for the first time next week, playing four times at the Klotsche Center. Action starts Tuesday with a 7 p.m. contest against Northern Illinois.

Match Report - Milwaukee vs. IPFW

2011-09-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

Match #5 – Milwaukee 3, IPFW 1 (25-15, 25-22, 23-25, 31-29)

Full Match Recap and Stats

Player Of The Match: Kerri Schuh had an off-night Friday but responded in style Saturday morning. Last season’s Horizon League Player of the Year collected a collegiate-best 24 kills to go with 11 digs. And she hit .429, with just three errors in 49 attempts. The 24 kills are the most by a Panther since Becky Peters had 24 against Oregon State in 2008.

Key Stats: The Panther offense was stellar throughout the match. UWM hit .299 and had 68 kills. The fourth set was Milwaukee’s best on offense, as the Panthers had 23 kills and just three errors (.465).

News and Notes: UWM has now won three-straight matches … the Panthers’ 4-1 start is their best since the 2007 season, when Milwaukee started the year 14-1 … Kerri Schuh’s 24 kills reset her collegiate-high. Her previous best was 22, a number she had hit twice … Schuh’s 24 kills came one match after Elizabeth Egerer had 23. The last time the Panthers had two different players pass 20 kills in back-to-back matches was at the tail-end of the 2009 season, when Kerri Schuh had 22 against Butler on Nov. 14 and Jena Berg had 21 vs. Green Bay on Nov. 20. Becky Peters and Maddie Sueppel actually each had 21 kills in separate matches on the same day in 2008 (Aug. 29) … tonight, Milwaukee will be looking for its first in-season tournament title since 2008.

Up Next: UWM wraps up the weekend with a 7:30 match tonight against the hosts from Drake.

Milwaukee vs. Western Illinois Match Report

2011-09-02T23:04:00.004-05:00

Milwaukee 2; Western Illinois 0
Sept. 2, 2011 - Engelmann Stadium

Man of the Match: One could make an argument for several Panthers in this match. Freshman Gerardo Saavedra made his first collegiate goal a memorable one, netting the eventual game-winner on a great shot in the 75th minute. Senior Keegan Ziada was also very active, ending the night with a game-high eight shot attempts.

Youth is Served: UWM started, count 'em, six freshmen tonight, with Saavedra, Adam Hutchinson, Alex Megna, Richard Johnson, Laure Bell and Zach Stevenson all in the starting 11.

Taking Shots: The Panthers have now tallied an impressive 50 shots in two games this season. The 30 tonight is the highest tally since 32 against Cleveland State nearly five years ago - October 15, 2006.

Up Next: Milwaukee takes on Western Michigan at 3 p.m. Sunday and are in the driver's seat for the team title after play Friday evening.

Milwaukee v. Iowa State Match Report

2011-09-02T19:37:00.000-05:00

#22/20 Milwaukee 2, Iowa State 0
Sept. 2, 2011 – Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (Minneapolis, Wis.)

Woman of the Match: Sarah Hagen. Sarah scored one beautiful goal and assisted on Kelly Lewers' highlight goal in the game. She was continually a presence the entire game. Honorable mention: Everyone else that played because it was a good all-around effort.

NOTES: Hagen now has a league-best six goals this season … Milwaukee is 5-0 for the second time in school history (2008, 6-0) … Iowa State entered the game having not surrendered a goal this season (4 shutouts) … UWM is now 2-1 all-time against the Cyclones … the Panthers are now 10-4-1 when carrying a national ranking … the game-winner was Hagen’s 20th career … Hagen now has 73 career goals and 165 points … the assist was the 19th of her career and gives her sole possession of sixth in school history … Kelly Lewers’ goal was her third and the first time it wasn’t the winner … Jamie Forbes collected her third shutout of the season and the 12th of her career ... Forbes and Makenzie Gillaspie are now the only Panthers to play every minute this season (see below) ... UWM is -20 in the foul department the last two games (27-7).

Iron Woman Watch (Played every minute this season): 450 minutes (Gillaspie, Forbes)

Up Next: The Panthers close out the Minnesota Gold Classic Sunday against tournament hosts Minnesota.