Kyle Rechlicz is new Panthers women's basketball coach

MILWAUKEE -- Kyle Rechlicz started out as a Hoosier, became a Badger and is now a Panther. New UW-Milwaukee women's basketball coach Rechlicz was named the Panthers successor to Sandy Botham, the winningest coach in program history is a dream come true for the native of Indianapolis and she plans to take full advantage of it.

"It is a dream come true and I am so thankful to the administration for giving me the opportunity to make my dream come true here at UWM. With the values and everything that we want to instill as a team, I know that we will be back on top. It might take some time and hopefully everybody can be a little patient, but we are going to work exceptionally hard to ensure that our goals come true," Rechlicz said.

If history is any indication, Rechlicz will be a success. As Kyle Black, she was a co-captain and key member of the Wisconsin Badgers teams that went to the NCAA tournament in 2001 and 2002. The former Big Ten Academic All-American had coaching stops at Dayton and Cleveland State before returning to her Alma Mater as a Badgers assistant last year.

Core values matter to Rechlicz, and so does winning.

"Winning is fun and I am one of the most competitive people I think in the state of Wisconsin. I was actually just talking to the team and pretty much told them I am the best shooter in the room, so be ready for those shooting contests," Rechlicz said.

Rechlicz's husband, David, found that out when he met her at Wisconsin on the basketball court, as a member of a men's team that practiced against the women when they were coached by Jane Albright.

"Pretty soon he is talking about this girl from Indiana and her name is Kyle and Jane Albright set them up and they did a three-on-three shooting contest and I believe Kyle won, and so Dave had to buy her dinner, and the rest of it is history!" Ginny Rechlicz, David's mother said.

"I just saw her shoot a couple threes and I thought, this is someone I should talk to. It was the best decision I ever made to stay with it. She might not have always wanted me around, but I guess I was persistent," David Rechlicz said.

Now, Kyle and David are a family. Panthers fans can expect to see their daughter, Payton, near her mother's bench, which excites her!

So is Payton's other grandma, Anne Black and her paternal grandpa, Rick. He's proud too. "Words can't express. It's one of those things that I didn't dream this at all. We were happy that she took the job in Madison, and you know how I am about family and to have them around me and now, this. I am a lucky guy," Rick Rechlicz said.

The guess here is that in time, the UWM basketball family may feel the same way when it comes to Coach Rechlicz.