Milwaukee, WI
UW-Milwaukee, Bart Lundy agree on five-year contract extension through 2029-30 season
UWM coach Bart Lundy discusses basketball tournaments other than NCAA
In this era, there are many complicating factors for a team like UWM considering post-season options after missing the NCAAs.
In this day and age when uncertainty reigns in college basketball with the transfer portal and Name, Image and Likeness having changed the game in so many ways, the UW-Milwaukee men’s team can now count on some long-term stability at a very important position.
Head coach.
Bart Lundy, who is the first coach since Bruce Pearl (2004-07) to lead the Panthers to three consecutive 20-win seasons, has signed a five-year contract extension that will keep him at UWM through the 2029-30 season.
It’s a pact that will pay the 53-year-old Lundy $430,000 annually, up from the $350,000 he had been making on the deal he originally signed in March 2022, and includes a number of lump-sum incentives for individual and team achievements.
“‘If we can keep him, we’re going to do it,’” is how director of athletics Amanda Braun described the thinking in pre-emptively constructing and presenting Lundy with the extension, which was finalized in closed session by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents last week.
“In the last three years we’ve solidified a really strong foundation – and not just competitively. He makes great decisions. He brings in great young men. He’s got a stable staff that we’ve worked hard to keep together. For me, that right there is exactly what we need for our future.
“Yeah, we hoped we would perform better, finish the season differently this year, but that’s OK. It’s a couple swings here and there, and that stuff happens. But it’s not a flash in the pan. Twenty-three years as a head coach.
“He’s legit.”
The gesture meant a lot to Lundy, who has gone 63-38 (.642 winning percentage) overall and 40-20 (.667) in Horizon League play – tops over that span for any current coach in the conference – during his time on the East Side.
“It shows my commitment to being here for the long haul,” Lundy said. “And the way that I operate is, when people show loyalty, I try to be at least that loyal, if not multiplied. So, the fact that Milwaukee wants me to be their basketball coach, and they’re committed to me, that means the world to me and makes me not only energized but determined to prove them right and to do everything within my power to make this the best possible basketball program for the university.”
Lundy and the Panthers recently concluded a 22-11 campaign that was equal parts gratifying and frustrating as after being picked to win the Horizon League in the preseason, they finished tied for second in the regular-season standings at 14-6.
That was good enough to earn a first-round bye in the Horizon League tournament, but third-seeded UWM opted to play its quarterfinal home game against sixth-seeded Oakland on campus at the Klotsche Center and ultimately fell by a score of 72-64.
It was the second time in as many years the Golden Grizzlies ended the Panthers’ season; in 2024 UWM advanced to the Horizon League tournament title game in Indianapolis and led Oakland with under 3 minutes to play before running out of gas and losing, 83-76.
Coming that close to its first NCAA tournament berth since 2014 and not cashing in was immensely disappointing. Now, after taking that body blow this past season, Lundy left no doubt it has to be March Madness or bust for the program moving forward.
“That’s the next step, without a doubt. And we’re right there,” he said. “With the turnover and rosters, it becomes more difficult to say, ‘Hey, we’re building toward that,’ because you’re going to have some roster turnover, you’re going to lose some of your players, and most likely, your best players.
“But so is everyone else at our level. All 15 of the all-league guys are gone (in the transfer portal). We’ve had the same staff all three years, so we’re finding a way to have consistency there, knock on wood. And then if we can maintain pushing forward with our administration and stay right on the edge of all the things that are happening fast in college basketball, I feel great that we’ll be at the top of the Horizon League.”
Indeed, Lundy will once again need to rebuild after losing his top five scorers – three to the portal (Themus Fulks, Jamichael Stillwell and Erik Pratt) and two to completed eligibility (AJ McKee, Kentrell Pullian).
The losses of Fulks, UWM’s scoring and assists leader, and Stillwell, one of the nation’s leading rebounders who was named first team all-Horizon League and the conference’s newcomer of the year, to Central Florida for lucrative NIL deals leave especially large voids to fill.
While strides have been made in terms of resources for keeping players on campus with the Panther Future Fund, the reality is Lundy and UWM will continue to face an uphill battle to keep players they identify and develop when larger programs can offer far more money and exposure.
“I do see those challenges,” said Lundy, who also lost star BJ Freeman to Arizona State last offseason.
“I think they’re enormous challenges. We don’t have some of the things in place with revenue sharing that obviously a lot of universities are going to have. But at the same time, I’m doggedly optimistic that we have the right pieces in place to compete and that we will find a way to attack these challenges one way or another.
“It may not be as easy as some others have it, but I think our administration is on the right page. And we have good synergy with everything going on in the city, and I believe that we’ll be able to surmount any challenges at our level that we’ll face.”
Braun believes Lundy is uniquely qualified to continue navigating the madness.
“Being a head coach right now with everything you have to deal with is just incredibly difficult,” she said. “He has that foundation to build on with this craziness. He knows the decisions to make. He knows what to pay attention to, what not to pay attention to. What to deal with and tolerate and what not to, and and that goes a long way in a long season.
“These are young people you’re dealing with, and he just has a great feel that way. I trust his judgment.”
Under terms of his extension, Lundy can also increase his base salary if the team meets certain grade-point-average requirements and finishes first through third in conference play. There are also retention bonuses possible each year if the team meets GPA requirements and finishes in the top eight in the league.
If Lundy accepts another collegiate or professional basketball coaching position, there would be a buyout amount of $450,000 if he leaves between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026; $350,000 between May 1, 2026 and April 30, 2027; and $250,000 between May 1, 2027 and April 30, 2028.
UWM also has the right to reduce or waive a buyout at its discretion.
“The building blocks are in place,” Braun said. “We’ll just keep, one step at a time, putting the right things in place and making the best decisions we can.”
The Milwaukee Brewers were one of the more active teams in the league this offseason and it was one of the more shocking storylines to follow all winter.
They opted to trade Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets, which was a blockbuster deal, but it was expected. Peralta was on an expiring contract, and the Brewers were unlikely to be able to land a long-term deal with him. Milwaukee would much rather have control of Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams for the next five to seven years rather than a singular year of Peralta.
But they also traded Isaac Collins to the Kansas City Royals and Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox. The Collins deal was a head scratcher, but the Durbin deal was the most shocking move of Milwaukee’s offseason.
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The Brewers traded Durbin and two other infielders to Boston in exchange for Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan. Harrison is the biggest addition of the trade. Drohan has already flashed dominant potential this spring. Hamilton, who struggled last season, seemingly has the full belief of Brewers manager Pat Murphy.
David Hamilton could soon become a star for the Brewers
“He’s got so much ability in there, and he’s got experience, and he might be a utility player but I think he can be really good for us. I think he can take his offensive game to a whole other level,” Murphy said when talking about Hamilton, per Brewers beat writer Adam McCalvy.
Last season, Hamilton slashed .198/.257/.333 with a .590 OPS and a 63 OPS+. It was his third year in the big leagues and his second full year at the level and he’s yet to post an OPS+ over 100. But he’s still been worth 3.6 WAR over the last two years because of his defense and baserunning. The issue has been his bat. Even when he hit .248 in 2024, his OPS was under .700.
But Murphy seemingly believes Hamilton could take the next step at the plate, which would set him up to be a very good platoon infielder and versatile bat. He has the chance to quietly develop into a star with the Brewers if he can get his OPS over .700 and closer to .750. Obviously, this isn’t going to be easy, but Murphy seems to believe he’s closer to this breakout than many fans assume.
MILWAUKEE – Landmark Credit Union Live, Milwaukee’s newest concert venue, opened its doors on Friday. And with the Bucks playing next door at the same time, the whole area was hopping.
What they’re saying:
Fans flocked to Fiserv Forum to watch the team play the New York Knicks, and music lovers stood in line to see Rainbow Kitten Surprise on the opening night of Landmark Credit Union Live.
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“Very busy, very crowded the bars and restaurants,” said Ashley Evans. “That’d be great to add to the city again, to continue to bring more tourists out.”
“This is going to be amazing. I’ve been wanting to see them for a very long time, so I’m very excited,” said Rachel Lococo.
Fans line up for the official opening of Landmark Credit Union Live
Landmark Credit Union Live can host up to 4,500 people. Friday night’s show was sold out, drawing fans from places like Chicago, Minnesota, Iowa and elsewhere.
“Some people have driven from Indiana, so there’s a lot of people coming out tonight,” said Kade McCane, who came from Madison. “Honestly, really exciting to be among the first people who get to be there, and for RKS to be among the first people who will ever perform here, I hope this venue gets huge and big and becomes very popular.”
The excitement was felt all around Milwaukee. Even the competition rolled out the welcome mat.
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“Our goal to grow as a city means that a lot of things have to happen. This is the very, tiny, small work that has to happen,” said Gary Witt, president and CEO of The Pabst Theater Group, which runs six nearby venues.
“The introduction of any new business in the city, especially one that pays attention to the fact that we have spent 24 years growing the live culture economy in the city of Milwaukee, says to me that we’ve done our job.”
Witt said live entertainment is an industry Milwaukee’s economy has been dependent on coming from visitors like those who turned out Friday.
The Source: FOX6 News interviewed the people in this story and referenced prior coverage related to the opening of Landmark Credit Union Live.
Drone view shows Milwaukee’s County Courthouse
Built in 1931, Milwaukee’s historic County Courthouse is in dire need of repair and upgrades. Here’s a recent drone view of the MacArthur Square building.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office will not move forward on a potential deal to use facial recognition technology, Sheriff Denita Ball announced Friday.
In a statement on Feb. 27, Ball said after “thoughtful evaluation” and “meaningful dialogue” with community stakeholders and leaders, she decided to stop pursuing a contract with Biometrica, a Las Vegas-based company whose technology allows authorities to compare photos to a large database of photos for matches.
“While we recognize the potential of this software as an investigative tool, we also recognize that trust between the MCSO and the people we serve is important,” she said.
“My discussions with local advocates highlighted valid concerns regarding how such data could be accessed or perceived in the current national climate. This decision is not a retreat from innovation but rather an understanding that timing matters, too,” Ball said.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Feb. 17 that the Sheriff’s Office was on the verge of signing off on the use of facial recognition technology after news broke at a community advisory board meeting held by the office.
The update on the office’s sign-off on an intent to enter into a contract with Biometrica blindsided local officials and advocates because it contradicted earlier claims that the office had not moved forward with a controversial contract.
At the time, supervisors on the county’s judiciary and legislation committee called for more information from the Sheriff’s Office about the nature of the then-potential contract.
Supervisor Justin Bielinski, who chairs the committee, said Ball’s decision to step away from the deal was good news, but said he was still feeling wary.
“I would like to see more I guess,” he said of the two paragraph statement from Ball. “At what point would she reconsider, right?”
County Executive David Crowley, who is running for governor as a Democrat, had also voiced concerns about a possible contract when news came to light earlier this month.
After learning of Ball’s decision to not move forward with Biometrica, Crowley thanked community members who voiced concerns about facial recognition technology, saying he will “continue doing everything in my authority to ensure our residents’ First Amendment rights, civil liberties, and personal data are protected.”
In recent months, Milwaukee politicians and residents rebuffed local law enforcement’s efforts to pursue the use of such technology at both the city and county levels, with many citing concerns over racial bias and unjust surveillance of residents.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors voted last summer to recommend the development of a policy framework for the use of facial recognition technology as worries about its use by local law enforcement grew in the community.
The policy emphasized that the use of such technology doesn’t “suppress First Amendment-related activities, violate privacy, or otherwise adversely impact individuals’ civil rights and liberties,” and called for a pause on acquiring new facial recognition technology until regulatory policies were in place to monitor any existing and new surveillance technology.
In early February, the Milwaukee Police Department paused its pursuit of facial recognition technology after almost a year of pushback from activists and some public officials at public meetings. The department also noted that community feedback was a part of its final decision as well as a volatile political climate amid the federal government’s immigration crackdown.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
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