Walter Meanwell (1991) | UW Athletic Hall of Fame

UW Athletic Hall of Fame

The Leeds, England, native came to Wisconsin in 1911 as Director of the Gymnasium
Became the head men's basketball coach in 1912 and led his squad to three straight Big Ten championships and an overall record of 44-1
Led UW to 29 consecutive wins, a school record, before losing the 1913 season finale at Chicago
Recorded an impressive 246-99-1 (.712) record in 20 seasons on the UW bench
Coached Wisconsin to eight outright or shared Big Ten championships
His 1912 and 1914 Badgers were both 15-0, the only two undefeated seasons in UW history
Left the UW in 1917 but returned to Madison to resume his coaching career in 1920-21
Credited with launching modern basketball's emphasis on finesse and offensive strategy and developed the famous "criss-cross, pivot and pass" offense
Named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Wisconsin State Athletic Hall of Fame and the Madison Pen and Mike-Bowman Sports Foundation Hall of Fame
Nicknamed the "Little Doctor"