April 11, 2001

MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has named Bruce Pearl its new head men's basketball coach, UWM Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher announced today.

Pearl comes to UWM from the University of Southern Indiana, an NCAA Division II school in Evansville, Ind. He replaces Bo Ryan, who resigned March 29 to take a similar post at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"Bruce Pearl is a champion in every sense of the word," Zimpher said. "He focuses his student-athletes on academics AND basketball, instills a winning attitude in those student-athletes, and approaches his work with a deep commitment to the campus and community. Bruce is an outstanding addition to the Wisconsin athletic scene, and we are proud to have him right here at UW-Milwaukee."

"Coach Bruce Pearl is a perfect fit for our athletics program and the institution," Athletics Director Bud Haidet said. "He brings a proven record of success in coaching. He is also known for his expertise in community relations, and will serve as an ambassador for Panther athletics and the university. He is an all-around winner."

"This is a great time to be at UWM and to help bring the men's basketball program up to the level of excellence that the university enjoys," Pearl said. "I have a passion for coaching and working with young people, and I believe the foundation is set for the program to compete for championships."

Pearl, 41, has been the head coach at Southern Indiana for the past nine seasons. During Pearl's tenure, USI won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1995 and finished second in the nation in 1994.

This season, USI finished 26-4 and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship. His team was also ranked number one in the country for the sixth time in seven seasons, and USI advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth straight time.

He is 231-46 in his nine seasons, and his 83.6 percent winning percentage makes him the winningest coach currently in Division I college basketball. Pearl also reached the 200-victory plateau at one school sooner than any basketball coach in history, shattering the original NCAA record held by Everett Case of North Carolina State, when it took him just 240 games to claim 200 wins.

In 1995, Pearl was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches Coach of the Year. He was twice named Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year, while also being named the NABC Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year twice.

Pearl's coaching talents have been recognized nationally. In Sport Magazine's May 1999 issue, Pearl was listed as one of the "Five Head Coaches on the Rise," placing him in a group with Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech), Mike Brey (Notre Dame), and Buzz Peterson (Tennessee).

Pearl, who also served as Coordinator of Athletic Development at USI, annually raised over $500,000 for the university, and spurred unparalled growth in the Varsity Club and other booster organizations. Pearl's marketing efforts and success on the basketball court also led to the sell-out of every chairback seat for USI home games.

Prior to going to USI, Pearl was an assistant coach for Dr. Tom Davis at the University of Iowa. During Pearl's six-year stay at Iowa, the Hawkeyes received five NCAA Tournament berths, advancing to the Elite Eight (1987) and the Sweet 16 (1988). Pearl helped Dr. Davis compile a 129-63 record in those six seasons, and he was recognized in 1988 as one of the top Division I assistants in the country by Basketball Weekly.

In leaving Iowa, Pearl ended 14 years as an assistant to Davis. Prior to joining Davis at Iowa, Pearl was Davis' assistant coach at Stanford, and at the age of 23 was promoted to Associate Head Coach for Stanford. In 1984, Stanford posted a 19-12 record, ending a streak of 20 straight losing seasons. Pearl and Davis helped lay the groundwork for the resurgence in men's basketball at Stanford.

As an undergraduate at Boston College, Pearl was Davis' administrative assistant for men's basketball. The Eagles were Big East Conference champions in 1981, reaching the Sweet 16, and in 1982 the Eagles advanced to the Elite Eight.

Pearl received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Boston College in 1982, graduating Cum Laude. He is working toward his master's degree at the University of Iowa.

Pearl and his wife, Kim, have two daughters, Jacqui (15) and Leah (7), and two sons, Steven (13) and Michael (5).