2023 www.pjstar.com. Phone: (614) 921-7430 | Fax: (614) 921-7431. If we were healthy, I think we would have. Bradley did not field basketball teams for the 194344 and 194445 seasons. When I work out, when I'm in the car, all the time. Pickup at the park, you lose, you sit. I don't know if they factor in health I wish they would. Wilkins in transition right away. Jones is believed to be the first coach to move from Illinois State to rival Bradley without a stop somewhere else in between. "It's crazy how it all worked out. He's an experienced, good coach. Colleges came calling the summer after his sophomore year, and Wardle's goal of becoming a Division I basketball player seemedlikely. Title. 2022-23 Klein Oak Basketball. Three drives by the Atlanta star in the final 2 1/2 minutes were . Jones brings coaching experience from the Missouri Valley Conference, Big Ten and Big Sky to the BU staff, filling the void created when longtime assistant coach Drew Adams left earlier this month for Cincinnati. * Brian Wardle, Bradley $708,920; Dan Muller, Illinois State $564,000 . PEORIA, IL - A rising star in the coaching profession, Northwestern Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Kate Popovec has been named the 10th head coach in Bradley University Women's Basketball history, according to an announcement from Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds Wednesday morning. Having fun: Top-seeded Bradley mens basketball team gears up for Arch Madness tournament run, Bradley mens basketball team wins showdown for MVC crown, Henry hits milestone as streaking Bradley mens basketball team sets up showdown for MVC season title, Q&A: Edgar discusses strong fall attendance at Peoria Civic Center heading into the holiday season, Sommerville, Les share memories of Bradleys 2005-06 Sweet 16 run ahead of Hall of Fame induction. "He was the only one on the team who knew all the plays, he'd tell players where to be and what to do. PEORIA The Bradley Braves opened the Missouri Valley Conference awards season with a couple of honors on Tuesday, then turned it into a trophy haul on Wednesday. It's really hard to score and I love competing in it, because it's a challenge every day. Bradley assistant director of athletic communications Jason Veniskey, who handled men's basketball, baseball, soccer and cross country, is moving on to a sports information role at Mizzou. Here is a look at Brian Wardle, the Bradley University Braves men's basketball head coach. Across the street lived the Devine family. We couldn't let them get 3s. Chris Bradley joined Ensworth in 2009 as an Assistant Athletic Director and became the Head Wrestling Coach in 2011. Guard Duke Deen was named to the MVC All-Newcomer team. And we stayed healthy, knock on wood, this whole regular season and that's what led to a consistent play, and guys being stars in their role. Then turned to hoops. And winning wasn't like this gratifying feeling at all. [1] Bradley's current head coach is Brian Wardle. More Videos. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. They've worked really hard. Does Bradley deserve to go? I'm very grateful, humbled. [1], Bradley's current head coach is Brian Wardle. Bradley opened the 2018-19 season by defeating Penn State in the Cancun Challenge Championship as the Braves claimed their first regular-season tournament trophy since 1983. List of Bradley Braves men's basketball head coaches. Lede AI Sports Desk. After graduating from Marquette in 2001 with a bachelors degree in communication studies, Wardle played professionally for two seasons in the NBA Development League and Continental Basketball Association, before beginning his coaching career as Director of Operations at Marquette from 2003-05. ST. LOUIS, Mo. A 2006 graduate of Division III Lawrence University in Wisconsin, Bradley played for Hillsdale College head coach John Tharp during the coach's tenure with the Vikings prior to coming to Hillsdale in 2007-08. On March 10, 2019, Wardle led the Braves to the NCAA Tournament by winning The Missouri Valleys Arch Madness Tournament. All the hugs on the court and everything like that, you thought about it but now that you've experienced it? I felt confident. He'd see her every time he came into town. "I always tell the team, 'No individual accomplishments happen without the team around you.' "I don't care what anyone says: That's the identity of our program. Bradley has continued to thrive under Wardles leadership since the championship runs. "I don't get Coach of the Year, Rienk first team All-Conference, Malevy Defensive Player of the Year, Zek Most Improved team, Ja'Shon Sixth Man, all the guys, all the honors, none of that happens if we don't all work together," Wardle said. Wardle is married to the former Lecia Schuetz, a soccer student-athlete during her collegiate career at Marquette. Staff Directory Members By Category/Department; Name Title Phone Email Address Twitter; Brian Wardle: Head Coach 309-677-2668 309-677-2668 What's your take on that? "That's something he'll always remember, it's a memory our team will remember. As Wardle searched for ways to help his team deal with the COVID era, the coach turned to what he knows. The Braves won the regular-season Missouri Valley Conference championship for the first time in 27 years with a 73-61 win over Drake before a sellout crowd of 10,458. That 15-0 stretch there that you went on really put the game into your grip. "Brian Wardle hopes to carry success to Bradley from UW-Green Bay", "Wardle Named Green Bay Head Basketball Coach", "A reporter wouldn't hype Bradley University's "brand," so it pulled his basketball credential", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brian_Wardle_(basketball)&oldid=1142453232, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 13:14. Please take a moment to donate now and fund the local news our community needs. Bradley announced Versace's death in a news release Saturday morning, hours before the Braves finished the regular season with a 79-55 win over Valparaiso at Carver Arena. But hey, I can still play. Brian and his sister, Amy, both played collegiately. They were based in Las Vegas, and had an agent who booked them for lounge shows in Vegas and Reno. (Manual High)/DePaul, Robbie Avila, Indiana St. C 6-10 Oak Forest, Ill. (Oak Forest High), Michael Duax, UNI G/F 6-6 Dubuque, Iowa (Dubuque Hempstead), Conor Enright, Drake G 6-0 Mundelein, Ill. (Mundelein High), Ja'Kobi Gillespie, Belmont G 6-0 Greeneville, Tenn. (Greeneville High), Cade Tyson, Belmont F 6-7 Monroe, N.C. (Carmel Christian High), Cade Tyson, Belmont F 6-7 Monroe, N.C. (Carmel Christian High), Xavier Johnson, S. Illinois Sr. G 6-1 Germantown, Md. Wardle is the first Bradley coach win league honors since Jim Molinari in 1996. They compete as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.The Braves are currently coached by Brian Wardle and play their home games at Carver Arena.. Bradley has appeared in nine NCAA Tournaments, including two Final Fours and national championship . This is the first conference tournament championship for Bradley since 1988, and the first trip to the NCAA Tournament for Bradley since 2006. Bradley associate director of athletic communications Jim Rea recently left as well, for a job outside sports. Bradley head coach Brian Wardle works the second half against Valpo during the Missouri Valley Conference championship game at Enterprise Center on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Then the guys would come in at 10:30, and we do our film and walkthrough. 8 seed Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament in St. Louis. "My dad gets things done fast, great quality and price, so we had to use him. Kind of reset a little bit in that timeout, and we did that. He's been in the signage business for 45 years. Prior to taking over the Braves program in 2015, Wardle compiled a 95-65 overall record at Green Bay, a five-year run that culminated with consecutive 24-win seasons and three-straight postseason appearances. We eat at 11, and then I go home and relax and then come here and the best part was driving in. Men's Basketball Head Coach. Born in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, Wardle played for Marquette from 19972001, ending his career as the third-leading scorer in school history. [3] Tenure. "I believe in this team, and I like this team against anybody. "I've done this a long time, and expanding to doing other things is great, the more I can learn the better for me. Moline opened with a 23-10 advantage over Bradley-Bourbonnais through the first . Leons piled up 50 steals and 49 blocks to become just the fourth player in MVC history to record a 40-40 effort in those categories. Brown left the team partway through the 191920 season; Allen coached the last six games of the season. I love proving people wrong. Versace leaves behind two adult children. Underwood has made six appearances in the NCAA Tournament, with a seventh precluded by . "But he was a no-nonsense guy, competitive, worked really hard. Was there any fight to get back because of the COVID year, where you guys made the tournament? We've won Arch Madnesses back to back, we've checked those boxes. "We backed a member of the New Vaudeville Band with its song, Winchester Cathedral (a 1966 song by the British band that went to No. "You're right. Your support truly makes a difference. "I had stopped playing baseball, stopped playing football, was really focused on basketball. Gus Bradley also is back With my bad hip, I definitely don't sleep well, I'm tossing it turning and up a lot. And I think this group has done that.". "Then about a week ago, Brian Wardle called me. And being able to get guys a round of applause and get them out of the game in the last minute was big for me. It was just a big game for everybody.". So last night I probably slept six straight hours. Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. ATLANTA -- Returning to the . Alec Brown was the 50th overall selection in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns after the 7-foot-1 center was named the 2014 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and finished fifth in school history with 1,678 career points. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Bradley was 8-0 when Wardle wore these shoes. Highlighted by a 68-55 win at then No. Bradleys Malevy Leons was named the leagues Defensive Player of the Year. I've always said there are two types of coaches, those who are humbled and those who are about to be.". Beyond that connection is a basketball coach'slife story from a musical family led by a father who played in a traveling band, to a boy helping out in his father's signage business whileeating Italian beef lunches, to a young man riding his bike to area parks to play pickup basketball games. Jones worked for Alford at Missouri State, where he was an administrative assistant for a Bears team in 1998-99 that advanced to the Sweet 16. "My strength is player development and game-planning," Jones said. "We wanted it to carry on," Wardle said. His Braves put together the nation's third-longest active home win streak at 17 games, and head into Arch Madness on a 10-game overall win streak and with the No. When you have that as a coach, you know, you have a chance and I just believe that we were going to win this thing and win three in a row to end it and they did, too. Now, we'd like to get back and win some games. Fact by fact, story by story. "He liked to golf. Getting ready for who we might play. F 6-6 Saskatoon (Athol Murray College of Notre Dame), *Tytan Anderson, UNI So. The Braves added their second regular-season tournament crown under his watch (and just the sixth in school history) with the 2021 Sun Bowl Invitational title. "But when we face them, I'm old enough and been around long enough to know it's a job, it was a tough circumstance. High-majors can sometimes overcome it with depth and players that they have, but you miss a Reink Mast. "I know they are talented, but I'm even more impressed with the character of the kids here. 15 Miami, Wardle's final Green Bay squad followed with a 24-9 record in 2014-15 and earned an at-large selection to the NIT after finishing as runner-up in the Horizon League regular season and postseason tournament. (AP Photo/Michael Woods). * Private institution that did not list how much it paid its women's basketball coach in its Tax Form 990 . To replace Noonan, Georgetown hired Bradley Adams as both head football coach and athletic director on Jan. 17. Arch Madness: What to watch for Bradley at the MVC tournament. Bill didn't have any sons, so we gave his name to Brian as a middle name, to carry it on.". You have permission to edit this collection. But they still go in there and they kind of rake that ball out with their hands, and they do a good job of that. When (Henry) hit that dunk and Malevy hit that corner 3, I mean felt good that that crowd was energizing us and energizing us defensively, too. He was selected by the Boston Celtics in the first round (23rd pick overall) of the 1981 NBA draft.Born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, Bradley was a 6'5" shooting guard from the University of Wyoming.He played in three National Basketball Association (NBA) seasons, from 1981 to 1984, with the Celtics . Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com, Jack Watkins, right, works at the scorer's table at a Missouri Valley Conference tournament game in 2019 as Bradley coach Brian Wardle chats with referee Gerry Pollard. Bradley University head men's basketball coach Brian Wardle has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year during the MVC Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 1, in downtown St. Louis. Bradley Beal scored 37 points and Kyle Kuzma added 28 as the short-handed Wizards stifled Trae Young and the Hawks when it mattered most. The Bradley Braves men's basketball team represents Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition. STA00221PO23 . Gr. At Lawrence, Bradley was a starter and helped the Vikings to two NCAA tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 berth in 2005-06. Born in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, Wardle played for Marquette from 1997-2001, . @CoachAmie5. Sycamores ake 4 free throws to cut to 70-64. Conference regular season and conference tournament champion She has been on the Hilltop since Travis Mays was named head coach in 2016. The Washington Wizards spoiled Quin Snyder's Atlanta coaching debut, getting 37 points from Bradley Beal and 28 from Kyle Kuzma in a 119-116 victory over the Hawks. Nate Kennell shared the Sixth Man of the Year honor with UNI's Spencer Haldeman in 2019. 1 seed and outright regular-season champion for the first time since 1996. You take the COVID year out, we've got a lot of success in February, March. 0. 1 seed. "I'm grateful to be the first. I'm a fast player now. "I was not very good in basketball for a while, I got cut from teams in fifth grade and sixth grade," Wardle said. The BCAM Hall of Fame inducted the first members in 1985. Ultimately that's our goal. We have five 20-win teams in the league. It was a passion. In his first seven seasons on the BU sideline, Wardle has built Bradley into a perennial Missouri Valley Conference contender, capped by winning back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020. You got a good healthy balance, can't be one-dimensional offensively. [4], National champion You might not play for another 30 minutes.". He met Brian Wardle's mom, Cindy, on a show stop in Chicago. Last chance! (Manual High)/DePaul, Cameron Henry, IndSt. Bradley is the No. Gr. A Bradley Athletics official revoked media access to a local beat reporter due to not "promoting the Bradley brand." His wife, Lecia, was born in Wisconsin but grew up in Sarasota, Fla. But Wardle has carried his name and life lessons with him. The first game Friday (at the MVC tournament) is always the hardest. ", Technology, trust and an 11-hour flight:How Bradley landed a unique 7-foot-1 recruit. I was kind of obsessed with the competition part of things. We weren't really in sync. Arkansas, Eric Musselman (4th season). A lot of people don't know this, but three games ago, before we went over to Southern Illinois, I put '16-4' up in the locker room, and I put the 'MVC Champs 2023' up on the practice gym wall. I love having Murphy in my name.". You know what Arch Madness is. "Everyone in the family worked in it. Our goal was to hold them to six 3s or less, and they had five. If you don't win this tournament? [3] In 2014, Wardle was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year. Bradley played basketball for the Arkansas Razorbacks under legendary Coach Nolan Richardson, and was a four-time letterman from 1996 to 1999. G 6-5 Indianapolis, Ind. 52-49 (W) Bradley vs. Lafayette County. University of South Carolina Upstate . Where were you during the court storming? "Now it's all digital. The Assistant AD for Marketing and Fan Experience serves to increase the awareness of the athletics department on-campus and within the greater Upstate region through various marketing initiatives, branding efforts, game day promotions, and corporate . Wardle was 6-foot as a freshman in high school at Hinsdale Central, a late-bloomer on the court. 1 seed and outright regular-season champion for the first time since 1996. Bradley University Men's Basketball Coach Brian Wardle about the team's Missouri Valley Conference title victory against Drake yesterday at Carver Arena. ', "It was a lot of fun to get on the train and go downtown with him, go to work with him and all the older guys messing with you all day and learn how to do blue-collar work. Jones was Big Sky Coach of the Year in 2017, and during his tenure coached four Lou Henson Mid-Major All-Americans, for all-district players and 12 all-conference honorees. Individual success has also become common under Wardles leadership and was most recently highlighted with the 2022 Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year and the programs first All-Valley First Team selection in 11 seasons. We'd go up to Wisconsin and he'd get up in the morning and swim the length of Kangaroo Lake, where we stayed, all the way to the other side and back. We were able to overcome it, but our defense our rebounding and I thought we had good shot selection, too. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam), Bradley head coach Brian Wardle, left, talks with Elijah Childs following an NCAA college basketball game against Northern Iowa in the championship of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, Sunday, March 10, 2019, in St. Louis. Analysis: Here are 3 reasons to be even more excited after Bradley's historic basketball victory. In his second season at Bradley, Versace became the first coach in Valley history to win the conference title after finishing in last place the season before. Is that the biggest thing you guys have going for you down there? I had never played golf before," Wardle said. UNI claimed the top seed and will face either Illinois State or Indiana State in Fridays first game, with the winner advancing to face the Bradley-Loyola winner. G 6-5 Indianapolis, Ind. "I was kind of uncoordinated, couldn't really dribble the ball real well. Smith after . No cause of death was given. The honor is presented to the leagues top reserve player. "Box 1 I wanted to check while being the coach at Bradley, no doubt. Goal's to get back to that NCAA Tournament and hopefully put ourselves in a position to win some games it's one day at a time, one game at a time. Bradley is the No. During his thirteen seasons as Bradley's head coach he won 197 games. No Braves player had won it outright. Jim Wardle says his son decided to play basketball when he reached second grade. The Braves have had 14 coaches in their 118-season history. You know, I usually drive in with about an hour 15, hour 20 ahead of time and to see all the fans already there, walking in and celebrating and screaming and yelling outside. Working in the sign shop instilled in the coach a type of work ethic and attention to detail that remains today. The 2022-23 Bradley Braves men's basketball season is off and running. And he knew all about Murphy's Sign Studio because he worked in there as a boy. Latest Topics. [3] Upon his hiring, Wardle became the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I basketball. Coach Wardle reflects on the milestone and history-making game including his thoughts on. I'm practice swinging, taking too long to hit my ball, and my grandfather was a very blunt guy, very direct guy. Did you automatically clinch a berth to the NIT with this win tonight? Wardle still remembers his time toiling in the familyshop. Unreal. The Rock Island native played for Northern Iowa and, after graduation, played pro basketball in Australia and Portugal. All rights reserved. All our kids and grandkids are athletic, but my wife and I were into music. The city I think will remember, people at the game. FIGHTERS: Klein Oak in Regional Semis. G 6-6 Louisville, Ky. (St. Louis Christian Academy), *denotes team "captain" as designated by the league's beat writers and media panel. If you watched us, I thought we were locked into DeVries and (D.J.) They ended up traveling all over the country, everywhere, says Wardle, but Alaska and Hawaii. Bradley C. Collier (VYPE) One of the most surprising teams in the UIL Playoffs are the Klein Oak Panthers. "But defense wins, and you got to have balance on offense this time of year. Provided. He went on to play collegiately at Marquette, helping the Golden Eagles to a pair of NIT appearances in 1998 and 2000. 2023 Hoops in the Heartland Reservations Form. It's experience wins and the big talk was that Drake, they have a lot of experience in the starting lineup, but one look at the box score: 16 points from the bench for you and Drake had two. championships, the final two when he became the first Black head coach in a major American sports league, died on Sunday. Very similar to my father in a lot of ways. I had no problem being alone, basketball was my outlet for a lot of things.". 309-677-2668. I tried to soak up the whole day, honestly, and the players. The appointment to coach was a promotion for Crouch, who was an assistant coach under Walraven for eight years after he spent two years as the boys basketball coach at Illini Bluffs. Women's Basketball Hitting the Road for SIU and Missouri State - Bradley University Athletics. Bradley has also led all schools during Wardles tenure with seven All-Freshman Team honorees and with four forwards named to the leagues Most Improved Team. "Man, I mean, we've had we had some big ones in 2020 not 10,000, not sold out though. I love 90's R&B. "Standup, high-character guy. Named the schools 14th head coach in March 2015, Wardle was first tasked with turning around a Bradley program that had not posted a winning conference record in the previous six seasons with the Braves finishing last in the Valley the year before his arrival. He played basketball at the YMCA, where the young players wore color-coded wristbands so they knew who to guard on the other team. Tonight and in the days to come we've got work to do. Rienk Mast was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team, while Leons earned second-team honors and also earned a spot on the Valley's All-Defensive Team. Turnovers were in stretches a little bit, and you guys overcame that though. Smith after . Men's Basketball at Session I - First Round 7 vs 10, 6 vs 11 March 2, 2023 6:00 PM. PEORIA The Bradley Braves filled their vacant assistant coach position with former Illinois State associate head coach Brian Jones on Wednesday afternoon. But I think getting Reink (Mast) back (from injury) and (Ja'Shon Henry). He posted a 73-87 record over parts of three seasons with the Pacers. Sr. G 6-6 Chesterfield, Va. (Lloyd C. Bird)/Lincoln Memorial, Lance Jones, S. Illinois Sr. G 6-1 Evanston, Ill. (Evanston Township), Rob Perry, Murray State Jr. G 6-4 Orlando, Fla. (Oak Ridge High)/Stetson. On he went to a coaching career, as an assistant at Marquette and Green Bay, then head coach at Green Bay and now at Bradley. 1 seed and outright regular-season champion for the first time since 1996. Coach. Brian Wardle won the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year award in a vote of media, coaches and SIDs, while senior forward Malevy Leons was named MVC Defensive Player of the Year. Brian helped out. "We're lucky to have them and they deserved these titles and the things that come with it. Is your case there if you need it? After the 2009-2010 season, Wardle was named head coach at UW-Green Bay. 2022-23 Men's Basketball Coaching Staff. "Not well, and not for long. Dressed in his red blazer, Bradley coach Brian Wardle sat down in the Carver Arena press room on Sunday and basked in the glow of a Missouri Valley Conference championship victory. "He was such a good man, he supported me a lot when I was younger. F 6-7 State College, Pa. (State College)/Princeton, Cade Tyson, Belmont Fr. It's a heck of a journey from a team that was 2-7 at one point on the road. Full Release (PDF) "My dad is very particular, a perfectionist, in the sign business, and so was my grandfather," Wardle said. ", More: How to watch Bradleyat the MVCtournament TV, tickets, game time. 76-65. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}.