Just over a month before the start of the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball season, Greg Gard made a major change to his coaching staff. Kirk Penney had played an instrumental role in transforming Wisconsin's offense, but he stepped away to return home to his family in New Zealand and pursue personal business opportunities.
Greg Gard's push to boost Wisocnsin Badgers recruiting overseas hasn't been a secret. He's brought assistant coaches like Lance Randall and Kirk Penney, who have ample connections in Europe and Oceania, and landed at least one international high school recruit in the 2024, 2025, and 2026 classes.
The Badgers are keeping one of their assistants on the staff for the upcoming year. The Wisconsin Badgers are retaining Kirk Penney as a special assistant to the head coach, the team announced on Friday.