MILWAUKEE – On Tuesday, Milwaukee women's basketball head coach Kyle Rechlicz announced that John Pfaffl has been named as the program's Associate Head Coach.
 
With a successful athletics career rooted in the Milwaukee area, Pfaffl joins the Panthers after serving as the Director of Athletics at Pius XI Catholic High School. During his two-year tenure, he oversaw all aspects of the school's athletics program.
 
Prior to his time at Pius XI, Pfaffl held various roles at Cardinal Stritch University, most notably serving as head women's basketball coach from the 2010-11 season through 2022-23.
 
"John brings a wealth of experience to our team," commented Rechlicz. "We have known each other since my arrival to Milwaukee, and he has been a trusted colleague for many years."
 
"He has won a lot of games throughout his career," Rechlicz added. "I know that he will push our staff and team to be better. He built his program by valuing relationships and his principals align with our Panther Family Culture, and we are excited to welcome him and his family to Milwaukee Basketball."
 
Pfaffl compiled a head coaching record is 252-120 (.677 winning percentage) overall, with a 147-66 mark (.690) in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. He was named CCAC Coach of the Year in both 2011 and 2012.
 
His team reached for the 2014 NAIA Division II Final Four, finishing the season with a 27-7 record and an 18-game winning streak. The Wolves fell to No. 1-ranked St. Francis (Ind.) in the national semifinals.
 
In addition to the Final Four appearance, the Wolves qualified for a pair of Elite Eights and advanced to the Sweet 16 on eight occasions during his tenure. Overall, his teams made 23 national tournament appearances, including a stretch of 18 consecutive berths from 2001-19, spanning his time as both assistant and head coach.
 
Pfaffl's teams also excelled academically and were active in the community. Student-athletes earned numerous academic honors while regularly participating in service initiatives, including work with Special Olympics, the United Way Women's Shelter, and the Milwaukee Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
 
Pfaffl began his coaching career at the youth level before moving on to football at Pius XI and girls' basketball at St. Mary's Academy. He later joined Cardinal Stritch as an assistant coach under Rich Panella.
 
In 1994, Pfaffl was hired full-time at Stritch as the sports information director. He also led the men's and women's cross country teams and served as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's basketball programs.
 
After 15 seasons in those roles, he became Director of Recreation, Intramurals, and Facilities while continuing as an assistant with the women's basketball team. During that time, the women's team posted a .809 winning, won 16 regular-season titles, and made 14 appearances in the NAIA Division II Tournament. The men's team posted a .688 winning percentage, won six regular-season titles, and qualified for the tournament six times.

In addition to his coaching and administrative roles, Pfaffl served as an adjunct instructor, teaching courses in physical education and sport management.
 
A Milwaukee native, Pfaffl was a multi-sport athlete at Pius XI before beginning his collegiate football career at Lawrence University in Appleton. He later transferred to Milwaukee to complete his undergraduate degree in health science and went on to add a postgraduate degree in sport management from Cardinal Stritch.