UWM men predicted to finish second in Horizon League, BJ Freeman named to first team

Coming off a surprising 22-win season under coach Bart Lundy, the UW-Milwaukee Panthers are now going to be the hunted instead of the hunters.

UWM on Tuesday was picked to finish second in the Horizon League preseason poll by a vote of coaches, sports information directors and media members.

The Panthers received 10 first-place votes and 397 points, finishing behind Northern Kentucky (18 and 435) and just ahead of Wright State (12 and 392).

Rounding out the top five were Cleveland State (one and 362) and Youngstown State (three and 342).

UWM, which finished 22-12, recorded the program's first 20-win season in seven years, first postseason appearance in nine years and first postseason victory in 17 years after beating Stetson in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational.

The Panthers were the 10th-most improved team in the NCAA in 2022-23, winning 12 more games than the year before, and their 14-6 mark and second-place finish in the regular-season Horizon League standings were their best efforts since winning the regular-season title in 2010-11.

Additionally, junior swingman BJ Freeman was named first team all-Horizon League after averaging 18.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game last season. He led the team in scoring, rebounding and free-throw percentage (83.1%), and his 18.2 points per game average was the highest for a UWM player in 20 years.

Wright State guard Trey Calvin was named the preseason Horizon League player of the year. He was joined on the all-League first team by teammate Tristan Enaruna, Marques Warrick of Northern Kentucky and Trey Townsend of Oakland.

UWM women chosen sixth

UWM's women's team was predicted to finish sixth in the 11-team conference, netting 59 points. The Panthers are coming off an 11-19 season and 8-12 finish in the Horizon League, which tied them for seventh place.

UW-Green Bay earned all 11 first-place votes and 121 points as the preseason pick to win the Horizon League.

Kendall Nead, a junior guard who started all 30 games and led the team in scoring last season at 11.1 points per game, was the only Panthers player to earn individual recognition as she was chosen for the second team.