Baldwin hired as coach
Northwestern aide will replace Jordan
UW-Milwaukee is turning to yet another well-regarded Big Ten assistant coach to run its men’s basketball program.
Patrick Baldwin is being hired to take over for LaVall Jordan, who left UWM to become coach at Butler University on June 12, the school announced Tuesday afternoon.
Baldwin, who will turn 45 on Aug. 22, will be the third coach in three seasons at UWM. It is his first headcoaching job.
“Patrick has played a major role in the resurgence of a successful program and is ready to take the next step as a head coach,” UWM athletic director Amanda Braun said in a statement.
“We are very happy that step will be taken at UWM and as a Panther. He is very familiar with the Horizon League and the Midwest and will continue to build on the foundation we have put in place.”
Baldwin comes to UWM from Northwestern, where he was the top assistant to Chris Collins. The Wildcats are coming off a 24-12 season that culminated in their firstever trip to the NCAA Tournament.
He was one of the finalists for the UWM job that ultimately went to ex-Michigan assistant Jordan last April, according to a source.
Baldwin will be introduced at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the Union Art Gallery.
“I want to thank Amanda Braun and Chancellor (Mark) Mone for affording me the opportunity and honor to serve as the head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee,” Baldwin said.
“I am extremely excited about this opportunity to lead a program that has a great tradition of winning, resources to help facilitate our ascension in the Horizon League and commitment from the entire administration.”
A native of Leavenworth, Kan., Baldwin is a
Northwestern alum and ranks in the top 20 in program history in several categories. He played for the Wildcats from 1990’94, was a three-time team captain and named Big Ten defensive player of the year as a senior.
After playing professionally in Bosnia and Croatia, Baldwin began his coaching career at Division II Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. His first Division I coaching job was at UW-Green Bay, where he was a member of Tod Kowalczyk’s staff from 2002-’04.
Among other interviewees for the UWM job, according to a source, were Tennessee State coach Dana Ford and
Northern Iowa assistant Kyle Green.
In addition to his time at UWGB, Baldwin has previous Horizon League experience as an assistant at Loyola from 2004-’11. From there, he went on to a two-year stint as an assistant at Missouri State before winding up at his alma mater.
Northwestern won a school-record 24 games this past season.
It’s expected Baldwin will sign a five-year deal with UWM. Jordan also signed a five-year deal and was being paid $350,000 a year. UWM is due a $700,000 buyout that was triggered by his resignation.
Baldwin is married to a
former Northwestern volleyball player, Shawn, and the couple has four children. His oldest son, Patrick, is considered one of the top incoming highschool players in the country (2021 class).
He takes over a program that finished 11-24 overall and last in the 10team Horizon League with a 4-14 record. The Panthers did make an unexpected run in the Horizon League tournament before finishing a game shy of earning their fifth NCAA Tournament bid.
Among his initial tasks at UWM will be to construct a staff and determine whether any current players or signees intend to transfer. Jordan lost what would have been his top three returning scorers to transfer heading into last season, leaving him woefully short on experience, size and scoring.
Redshirt junior guard Brock Stull was the Panthers’ best player in 2016’17, and led the team in scoring and rebounding. Junior guard Jeremiah Bell, sophomore forward Bryce Nze and sophomore guard August Haas were also key contributors.
All four members of UWM’s incoming recruiting class are signed, but one or more may choose to depart. The class consists of Dylan Alderson, a 6foot-5 guard from Clarkston, Mich.; 6-1 guard Caleb Nero of Tulsa, Okla.; 6-5 guard Carson Newsome of Waukegan, Ill.; and 6-9 forward Vance Johnson of Calumet City, Ill.
Johnson will have two years of eligibility after transferring from Northeast Community College in Norfolk, Neb. while Alderson, Nero and Newsome all arrive with four years of eligibility.
It’s been another tumultuous off-season for UWM. In addition to Jordan’s resignation and Baldwin’s hiring, the school also pursued leaving the Horizon League for the Missouri Valley Conference in April.
The MVC added Valparaiso, another Horizon League member, instead.