The UW-Milwaukee Panthers are absolutely done with last season. That 2025-26 campaign was a brutal, injury-plagued mess they’re eager to flush, finishing 12-20 overall and 8-12 in the Horizon League. But don’t sleep on them turning the page, because this reshaped roster is coming back with a chip on its shoulder that you can feel from here.
Last Season’s Nightmare Fuels This Season’s Fire
Remember that 2025-26 squad? They were picked to win the Horizon League, for crying out loud. Then a brutal string of injuries hit their top guys *before* the regular season even started. It was a gut punch, no doubt. Coach Bart Lundy is straight up about it, saying, “We did go through the adversity.” He even pointed out that Wright State, who was picked seventh or eighth last year, ended up winning the league and is picked first this year. So yeah, take preseason picks with a grain of salt. But Lundy knows that tough season was a “good challenge” and they’re going to “reap some of those benefits this year,” not just in player development, but because “that little chip is definitely there.” You love to hear it.
Familiar Faces, Fresh Fire, and a Brewers Blueprint
This isn’t just about the team, though. Senior forward Danilo Jovanovich knows what that chip feels like personally. The guy played 17 games last season with a bum shoulder before finally getting surgery. Even with limitations, he still dropped 12.4 points and grabbed 6.1 rebounds per game! He tossed his name in the transfer portal, realized “it kind of really sucks,” and opted to return to UWM. Why? To prove everyone wrong. He’s heard the talk about him being underestimated or injury-prone, and he’s not having it. Jovanovich is ready to “have a great year” himself and help the team “go to the tournament.” Then there’s Marquette transfer Tre Norman, who averaged just 2.0 points in 8.8 minutes there. He’s looking to show everyone, including some folks just up the street, exactly what kind of player he really is. Coach Lundy is even looking to the Milwaukee Brewers’ World Series run as inspiration for building teams in this wild NIL and transfer portal era. He thinks “the Brewers are just the best thing going” across all sports, praising their management and front office as a model. When your coach is looking to a small-market success story to build his team, you know there’s a plan.
The Road Ahead: Overlooked But Not Out
The Panthers definitely aren’t getting an easy ride this season. Their nonconference schedule is stacked with road games, including two against top-25 teams. And with the Milwaukee Brewers tearing it up in the World Series, the Panthers might feel a bit overshadowed in a major-league city already packed with sports. But you know what? That just adds to the fire. This reshaped roster, mixing veterans, transfers from powerhouses like Marquette and Syracuse, and young talent, has a serious Wisconsin flavor. They’re eager to prove that being overlooked is just fuel for their fight.
What’s on the line for these Panthers? A chance to make the tournament, for the city and for the program, just like Jovanovich said. With that undeniable chip on their shoulder and a new-look roster, this team could be the surprise story of the season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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