May 15, 2002

MILWAUKEE - UWM head basketball coach Bruce Pearl has been named the winner of the Milwaukee Press Club's Headliner Award.

Pearl, who was honored along with Marquette head coach Tom Crean, received the award at a dinner ceremony this past Saturday at Potawatomi Bingo and Casino.

The award is presented annually by the press club to a local figure whose accomplishments grabbed headlines during the previous year. Previous winners of the award, which is not limited to sports, include Bud Selig, Mike Holmgren and Jane and Lloyd Pettit.

This past season, his first at UWM, Pearl was named the Horizon League Coach of the Year. He became the first UWM men's basketball coach to ever win league coach of the year honors. He led the Panthers to a 16-13 mark this year, their best since the 1992-93 season. UWM won 11 league games and finished in second place - both school bests. Plus, the 16 wins equal the most for a first-year head coach in UWM's 106-year basketball history.

Pearl was also a part of two other award-winners during the evening. He was the subject of two pieces on UWM's Panther Vision that won first place and honorable mention honors for "Best Sports Story" in the College Television category.