Milwaukee Athletics

Milwaukee Director of Athletics Bud Haidet made many contributions to Panther Athletics during his 21 years (1988-2009) in charge of the department, and those contributions will forever be remembered in the naming of the "Athletics Hall of Fame" after Haidet. 

Haidet was officially inducted into the hall in the Class of 2009 and learned of the renaming in the following spring, just prior to his official retirement from the University.

The renaming of the hall of fame also kicked off an initiative to redevelop the hall of fame in the concourse of the Klotsche Center. The display includes the names of all inductees into the hall while also including a video screen that can show highlights of past and present Panther athletic events. With the opening of the athletic department's practice facility in 2023, the Hall of Fame has since been placed in a more prominent viewing area on the east side of the facility facing the main athletics offices.

After being hired in 1988, Haidet led Milwaukee to unprecedented athletic and academic heights. He guided the program from NAIA status back to NCAA Division I competition and then established the Panthers as a powerhouse in the Horizon League.
 
Along the way, Haidet helped MKE Athletics build a national reputation, highlighted by a men's basketball run to the Sweet 16 in the 2005 NCAA Tournament. The Panthers won the Horizon League's McCafferty Trophy five times under Haidet, while with him in charge Panther teams won 85 conference regular-season and tournament championship titles, while Panther coaches claimed 67 league coach of the year honors over that time span.
 
Milwaukee teams also excelled on the national stage. Panther squads made 27 NCAA Tournament appearances while Haidet was the Director of Athletics, and individual MKE athletes appeared in the track & field national championships on seven different occasions.
 

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Complete Milwaukee Hall of Fame List

Nomination Ballot

Nomination Criteria

 

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