MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee women's basketball, and the entire MKE Athletic Department, mourns the loss of Erika Sander, the first head women's basketball coach in the history of the WBB program, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this month.
 
"Erika was a fierce advocate for women student-athletes and a trailblazer here at UWM," Director of Athletics Amanda Braun said. "Anyone who met her knows what a force she was. I will miss seeing her at Panther events and will be forever grateful for the path she created for those of us who came behind her."
 
"Erika was one of the first Panthers to welcome me with open arms 13 years ago," WBB head coach Kyle Rechlicz said. "Her pride for Milwaukee both as an athletic department and university was unmatched. I have great memories of her at our games, golf outings, and the many lunches in between. I will forever appreciate her sarcastic honesty and her belief in me as a coach and our program."
 
Sander (1941-2025), a pioneer for women's sports at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was an assistant professor in the department of physical education when tasked with starting the women's basketball program in front of the 1971-72 season.
 
Sander coached the basketball team for five years while also essentially working as the women's athletic director, as the Panthers added gymnastics, fast-pitch softball, field hockey, and volleyball under Title IX. She had remained closely connected with the program since her coaching days and was regularly seen in attendance at games and team functions over the past 50 years as a fan and supporter of the program.