History
UWM's athletic teams are nicknamed the Panthers. UWM has had two mascots and nicknames: Cardinals (1956–1964) and Panthers (1964–present). Before 1990, the University's athletics program spent the majority of its history at the NCAA Division III and II levels, as well as several years at the NAIA level. All non-Division I sports moved to the NCAA Division I level for the 1990-91 academic year.
From 1998-2007, the Milwaukee Panthers have qualified for NCAA Tournaments at the team level a total of 24 times in six different sports, making Milwaukee the second most successful college athletic program in the state of Wisconsin (trailing only the Wisconsin Badgers of the Big Ten Conference).
The Panthers received national media attention with an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2005 Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament. Other sports that Milwaukee competes in include baseball, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross-country, men's and women's Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, men's and women's Swimming and Diving, and women's tennis.
In 1988, now retired Athletic Director Bud Haidet came to the school and quickly moved the program from NAIA to NCAA Division I. Milwaukee currently ranks 162nd out of all 336 NCAA Division I schools in this year's NACDA Director's Cup standings conducted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics(NACDA). Formerly known as the Sears Directors' Cup, the annual contest awards points for NCAA post-season appearances and performances in all sports. Milwaukee, which won the McCafferty Trophy as the Horizon League's all-sports champion four of the last six years, ranks eighth in the nation among non-Division I-A programs and second among institutions that do not sponsor football at any level. The Panthers have earned 75 total points through the fall and are just 3 points behind North Carolina State University. Milwaukee currently sits tied with several schools, including the University of Missouri, and holds a 2 point lead on Northwestern University. After picking up 50 points in women's soccer (NCAA Tournament 2nd round) and 25 points in women's volleyball (NCAA Tournament 1st round) in the fall, Milwaukee looks to maintain its edge on cross-city rival Marquette University (91st place) and catch Horizon League leader Youngstown State (66th) this spring.
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