UW assistant Oliver says he’s leaving Gard’s staff
MADISON – Wisconsin’s Greg Gard has a void to fill on his men’s basketball coaching staff.
Dean Oliver, an assistant at UW for the last seven seasons, announced Wednesday night he is leaving the staff.
A Message left with Oliver was not immediately returned but a source close to the program said his contract was not renewed for next season.
“It was an honor and a privilege to have coached here,” Oliver wrote on social media, “and while I am excited to take the next step in my career, I know that my experiences as a Badger will stay with me forever.
“Most of all, a huge thank you to all the incredible student-athletes, coaches and other staff that helped make my time here such a great experience.”
Oliver’s departure leaves UW with associate head coach Joe Krabbenhoft and assistant Sharif Chambliss.
Kirk Penney joined the staff before this season as special assistant to the head coach.
“I want to thank Dean for his dedication to our program over the last seven years,” Gard wrote in an email provided by UW. “He’s a talented coach and a tremendous person. I appreciate the impact he had on two Big Ten championship teams and countless wins and wish all the best for him and his family going forward.”
Copeland enters transfer portal
Wisconsin women’s basketball player Sania Copeland has entered the transfer portal.
The Next, which keeps track of entries into the portal., added the 5-foot-7 guard from Kansas City, Kansas, to its list Wednesday afternoon. Sources confirmed her departure to the Journal Sentinel.
Copeland is the third Badger on The Next’s list. Sophomore center Tessa Towers announced her departure from the program last month. Redshirt sophomore Sacia Vanderpool is also listed. Vanderpool will graduate from Wisconsin this spring and was not expected return to the program next season.
Towers and Vanderpool weren’t part of the Badgers’ rotation. Copeland ranked second on the team with 30.4 minutes per game and had emerged as the team’s top perimeter defender.
Her average of 7.3 points per game ranked fifth on the team while her average of 2.6 reboundsranked sixth and her 2.1 assist ranked third.
In UW’s season-ending loss to Saint Louis on Monday in the WNIT, Copeland scored five points and grabbed two rebounds before exiting the game with 2 minutes 16 seconds left in the first half with what appeared to be a concussion.
The game before that was one of her finest at Wisconsin. She hit seven of eight shots and tied a career high with 18 points in an 86-61 win over Illinois State last Thursday.