Jeter Welcomed To UWMApril 12, 2005 MILWAUKEE - In the packed UWM Union Ballroom Tuesday afternoon, another era of Panther basketball got underway. Rob Jeter was formally introduced as the 20th men's basketball coach in school history, and the fifth since the program moved to the Division I ranks for good in 1990. He did so in front of a large number of familiar faces, having coached at UWM for two seasons under Bo Ryan. He also has deep ties across a state he has played and coached in, years after his dad played for the Green Bay Packers. Jeter, who has spent the past four seasons at Wisconsin as an assistant coach and associate head coach under Ryan, addressed the more than 250 supporters and media members at Tuesday's event by sounding grateful for the opportunity and excited by the challenge of leading a program with expectations higher than ever before. "I am excited about this new challenge. The eyes of the country are on Milwaukee as a result of what these young men have accomplished, because of what Coach (Bruce) Pearl and his staff have done," Jeter said. "I feel very fortunate, very proud that I get to lead this team into continued success here and into the new direction that we are going to head." With the Panthers coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, excitement over basketball at UWM is at an all-time high. So are the expectations, with Milwaukee-area sports fans and the campus community growing used to the Panthers competing at a high level and winning. Jeter is taking those expectations in stride. "My dad and my mom have always set high standards for us," Jeter said. "The guy that I played for, coached with (Bo Ryan), we've always had high standards. I have always had high standards for myself, personally. So, I think we are just going to continue the success and expectations that have begun and the things I have begun. We are just going to blend those things together and continue to have fun and have success. "I think these young men want to win. Every time they go on to the court they want to win. Every time I step on to the court I want to win. Every time I wake up in the morning I want to be better than I was yesterday." Chancellor Carlos Santiago believes UWM has found the right man in keeping the Panther program on top. "Two weeks ago, we met with the press and indicated that we were going to go out, work as hard as we could and get the best coach for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I believe we have done that," Santiago said. "We are proud to be at this point where our program is very successful. The success of the program and the athletes in that program, as well as our other sports programs, really brought a lot of attention to the institution. And, there was a lot of interest in this particular job. "In my first conversations with Rob Jeter, I was very impressed with his commitment, not only to athletic excellence, but also to academic excellence. We agreed immediately that those are priorities to this institution. He has been not only a part of growing significant programs, as in Platteville and Madison, but also maintaining those programs. Now we are really proud that he is joining us." For athletic director Bud Haidet, who headed the search that brought Jeter to UWM, the reasons for the choice were extensive. "We couldn't be happier to have Rob lead our program," UWM Athletic Director Bud Haidet said. "He has been the associate head coach for a perennial top-25 team and he has contacts with high school coaches throughout Wisconsin, across the Midwest and beyond. He has a tremendous mentor in Bo Ryan and he is respected immensely in all basketball circles. He also has experience at UWM and was a big part of laying the foundation for the success we have enjoyed. We're certain we've picked a winner on and off the court." Jeter said his relationship with Haidet was a big reason taking over the program at UWM was the right fit. "I just want everyone to know how proud I am to be the new head coach at Milwaukee. A lot of it has to do with Bud," Jeter said. "I've always had a special relationship with Bud and his wife, Beth. He was very instrumental in getting me back. If it wasn't for Bud, maybe I would be coming back to try and stop some of these young men, rather than teach them to go on and win more games." Players at the event Tuesday expressed excitement over their new leader. "Me personally, I was excited," senior-to-be Adrian Tigert said. "I've known coach Jeter a little bit. He was on the staff with coach Ryan that recruited me. He did a lot of the job recruiting me. From that point, I am excited. I think everyone is excited to get back to doing things together. Everyone had been doing things on their own. But now we can get together and start working on things for next season." "I think coach Jeter is a great coach," senior-to-be Chris Hill said. "He recruited me (to UWM). He's the main guy that got me to come here. But I never did get the chance to be coached by him, obviously he got the job in Madison. I think he is a great coach and I am happy with the job Bud Haidet did to bring him back here." And, much discussed in the changeover of head coaches has been UWM's style of play. The Panthers became well-known for their pressure defense and up-tempo offense. While Jeter has made it known he will stress fundamentals, good shots, and taking care of the basketball, he has also made it clear up-tempo basketball and pressure defense is part of the package. After all, the 1991 NCAA Division III National Championship team Jeter captained at UW-Platteville averaged 97.4 ppg while collecting an average of 15.8 steals per game. "We didn't have to ask him (if we would play the same style). He came out and told us that he played on teams that were up-tempo and that scored 90 (points per game)," Hill said. "We are going to press. We ran cutters under coach Pearl. So it is kind of the same system." For Jeter, the only adjective he really is concerned about having associated with his style of play is winning. "We'll dive after loose balls. We'll take charges. We'll take good shots. We'll press. We'll get after teams," Jeter said. "You'll see our point guard blast the ball up the court and all the things people appreciate, but fundamentally, we are going to be sound. I think people appreciate the little things and the fundamentals of the game and the tenacity with which our guys play the game." Additional comments by new head coach Rob Jeter "I am excited about this new challenge. The eyes of the country are on Milwaukee as a result of what these young men have accomplished, because of what Coach (Bruce) Pearl and his staff have done. I feel very fortunate, very proud by the fact that I get to lead this team into continued success here and into the new direction that we are going to head." On his relationship with UWM AD Bud Haidet "I just want everyone to know how proud I am to be the new head coach at Milwaukee. A lot of it has to do with Bud. I've always had a special relationship with Bud and his wife, Beth. He was very instrumental in getting me back. If it wasn't for Bud, maybe I would be coming back to try and stop some of these young men rather than teach them to go on and win more games." On getting into coaching "I got my degree in marketing. I thought I was going to make millions in the business world. That's what I set off to do. I just found myself coming back to basketball camps because of my experience with basketball. I truly never got it out of my system. I played in Europe for a year and started in the business world, and started to take time out of my schedule to come back (to Platteville) and do basketball camps. Finally, Coach (Ryan) said, `You're coming back to take your vacation and work camps, maybe you need to be a coach.' And, he gave me the opportunity to be a coach. From that day, I really seriously got involved with coaching. If I would have said 10, 15 years ago that this was the day I always dreamed of, at that point, I just thought about that day. What I needed to do to be a better coach that day. This is where I am, the head coach at Milwaukee. Did I dream about it? Maybe, at some point. I can't tell you when. But you know, now, it is a dream come true. I woke up this morning and said, `Wow, I'm going to my press conference.'" On expectations "My dad and my mom have always set high standards for us. The guy that I played for and coached with (Bo Ryan), we've always had high standards. I have always had high standards for myself, personally. So, I think we are just going to continue the success and expectations that have begun and the things I have begun. We are just going to blend those things together and continue to have fun and have success. I think these young men want to win. Every time they go on to the court they want to win. Every time I step on to the court I want to win. Every time I wake up in the morning I want to better than I was yesterday." How the last few days have been in deciding about the job and then taking the job? "First of all, with my wife and my son, we're expecting another in September. That was a big part of it. It was important that I came to a place, we came to a place, where my family feels comfortable. My wife is from Milwaukee. This is the perfect place for her. She is excited. I know a lot of these young men. I feel connected to those guys. Even though I was in Madison, I have always cheered for those guys, except for one game every year. I bet you can imagine what game that would be. But now, we get to fight that battle together." On what is exciting about Milwaukee "Everything. You talk about the city, the fans, the success they have had. You talk about the young men that are here. The people I have had the opportunity to be involved with (as an assistant at UWM). There are not many times you get a chance to join a program as a head coach, already knowing a lot of people, already knowing the great place that we have here, the great times everyone has here in Milwaukee and I feel very honored to be a part of that. To be a person that can lead a team to even more things. I'm excited about everything about Milwaukee. Now it will be tougher to schedule games (than it was when he was an assistant), but we'll find some people to play. We'll dive after loose balls. We'll take charges. We'll take good shots. We'll press. We'll get after teams. You'll see our point guard blast the ball up the court and all the things people appreciate, but fundamentally, we are going to be sound. I think people appreciate the little things and the fundamentals of the game and the tenacity with which our guys play the game."
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