Head coach Bart Lundy has announced the following promotions for members of the Milwaukee men’s basketball staff.
Jake Williams has been elevated to a role as Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator; Ben Walker to Associate Head Coach; Jose Winston has been elevated to Associate Coach; Mike Winans new title will be Assistant Coach/General Manager; and Michael Cooper will now be serving as Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development.
All five members have been on staff since Lundy’s arrival in March of 2022 and have played a critical role in the impressive resurgence of the program the past two seasons, winning 20-plus games in back-to-back winters for the first time since 2004-05 and 2005-06.
“As the first staff in school history to begin their tenure with back-to-back 20-win seasons, I would like to thank Jake, Ben, Jose, Mike, and Michael for their hard work and dedication,” Lundy said. “The consistency and continuity of our staff leads to winning. Even these promotions do not fully express our gratitude for their work and sacrifice. We have the best staff in the country in my opinion.”
The first season for the group resulted in MKE’s first 20-win season in seven years, its first postseason appearance in nine years, and the first postseason victory for a Milwaukee squad in 17 years after it knocked off Stetson in the first round of the CBI.
“We would like to announce the promotion of Jake Williams to Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator,” Lundy said. “Jake’s hard work and dedication have led to the recruitment of all-league players, great practices, and excellent opponent scouting. Jake is a ‘get-things-done’ coach and we are grateful for his efforts the past two years and what he will do into the future for the Panthers.”
“We would like to announce the promotion of Ben Walker to Associate Head Coach,” Lundy said. “Ben has been an integral part of our success. He is a terrific role model for our guys and brings a positive outlook and attitude to all we do in the program. Ben’s experience has been crucial to our success and he will continue to be a positive influence on our staff and players.”
The team rewrote the record book that first year under Lundy, setting new program records in total points (2,659), blocks (186, which also was fourth in the NCAA), field goals made (944), field goals attempted (2,062), total rebounds (1,330), and rebound average (39.1, good for 15th in the NCAA), while leading the Horizon League in with a .408 field-goal defense that finished as the second-lowest in school history.
“Next is the promotion of Jose Winston to Associate Coach,” Lundy said. “Jose has had many experiences in basketball as a career, but this was his first collegiate coaching job. Over the last two seasons, Jose has proven to be a great addition to the Panther program. His growth within his role has been amazing to watch. He is a great role model for our players, he is an excellent on-the-court coach, and his selfless yet tough demeanor makes him an excellent team member.”
This past campaign, the Panthers were at it again, riding a late-season surge to a memorable postseason run that came up just one game short of the NCAA Tournament after falling in the championship game. That success was built by the entire staff, whether working behind the scenes or in the public eye.
“We would like to announce the promotion of Mike Winans to Assistant Coach/General Manager,” Lundy said. “On a day-to-day basis, I am not sure what I would personally do without Mike. Not only does he get his duties done, but also anticipates what needs to be done and does it. His conscientious work is a staple of our program. The General Manager title truly reflects his day-to-day impact.”
At 20-15 overall last winter, it marked the 12th 20-win season in program history. The team battled all season despite numerous injuries to starters and bench players alike, producing six different victories in which they dug out of double-digit deficits to claim wins.
“We would also like to announce the promotion of Michael Cooper to Assistant Coach/Player Development,” Lundy said. “Michael is the one coach who followed me here from Queens. He has been invaluable with his corporate knowledge, work ethic, and will to win. He does a tremendous job thinking outside the box on ways to keep us on the cutting edge in our program and our player development. These new NCAA rules allow a young coach like Michael to continue to develop on the court and on the road.”
Milwaukee again added more entries to the record book, establishing new marks in total points (2,782), field goals made (980), field goals attempted (2,198), three-point field goals attempted (861), total rebounds (1,364), and offensive rebounds (473), while adding runner-up entries in rebound average (39.0 rpg) and blocked shots (155). Plus, the offense finished with a scoring average of 79.5 points per game – the highest for a Milwaukee team since 1992-93.
