The Bradley Basketball “Movement” will continue for at least five more years. Bradley University has extended the contract of men’s basketball coach Brian Wardle through the end of the 2022-2023 season, according to an announcement by Bradley Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Chris Reynolds.
“Brian is a tireless worker and has done a tremendous job of creating a culture of success within the men’s basketball program,” said Reynolds. “He has established a foundation that is producing positive results in all phases of the program and the entire Bradley Basketball community is excited about what lies ahead under Coach Wardle’s leadership.”
“We have made a lot of progress during our three years at Bradley, on and off the court,” said Wardle. “I couldn’t be happier to have the opportunity to complete our vision of building a program to last. I look forward to continuing to work with a great leader like Dr. Reynolds and my talented staff, as we move toward reclaiming the top spot in The Valley.”
In his first three seasons on The Hilltop, Wardle, 38, has directed a complete and rapid overhaul of the Bradley Basketball program. Wardle’s first Bradley team in 2015-16 was the nation’s youngest, featuring 10 true freshmen, but his program reboot has created a culture that has led to wins on the court, record academic achievement and consistent community involvement.
Since enduring a 5-win season in his first season at Bradley, Wardle has led the Braves to 33 wins the last two seasons, culminating with a 20-13 (.606) record in 2017-18. In his third year at the helm, Wardle led the Braves to their first 20-win season since 2008-09, as well as an upper-half finish in the Missouri Valley Conference standings and semifinal appearance at Arch Madness, both for the first time since 2010.
Bradley’s 13 home wins this season were the most in the regular-season at Carver Arena since 2007 and included a 69-67 victory Jan. 31 versus Loyola Chicago, the Ramblers’ only loss since January 3 and the only loss the entire season with guards Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson in the lineup. It is now Bradley’s first win against an eventual Final Four participant in the same season since 1975 (Louisville). The Braves also joined Loyola as the only two Valley teams to beat all nine league rivals at least once this season.
In addition to the team’s growing accomplishments on the court, Bradley’s men’s basketball student-athletes combined for a program-record 3.31 team grade point average during the 2017 Fall semester, extending the program’s streak to 13 consecutive semesters with at least a 3.00 GPA. Seven Braves qualified for the Bradley Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the fall by posting a minimum 3.30 semester grade point average, while Bradley’s 10 qualifiers for the 2017 MVC Honor Roll were the most among the league’s men’s basketball programs.
