MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin men's basketball head coach Greg Gard announced a pair of changes to his coaching staff on Monday, sharing the resignation of Special Assistant to the Head Coach Kirk Penney and the addition of former Badger standout Brad Davison.

Penney steps away from his basketball coaching role after spending two seasons on the Badgers bench. Davison returns to Madison as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach for the Badgers after spending the last three-plus seasons playing professional basketball overseas.

"Our entire team and staff are grateful for the two seasons Kirk was able to spend with us and I thank him for his impact on Wisconsin Basketball," Gard said. "He is a legend of this program and it was fun to see him extend the impact he had as a player to then a coaching role. As a father and husband myself, I fully understand the importance of being present with your spouse and young kids, which quite frankly, is a non-negotiable in the game of life. I fully support Kirk's decision to step away from coaching to be in New Zealand on a more full-time basis to grow his business entrepreneurial goals and most certainly be there with his family. We all understand the sacrifices he has made by living and working here while his family is half a world away, and I'm excited for him to be back home with Audra and the kids.

"Kirk will always have a place in our program and I'm looking forward to finding ways to keep him included in what we are building."

A member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame thanks to his tremendous playing career with the Badgers, Penney made an incredible impact during his time at UW. Wisconsin made the NCAA tournament in both seasons with Penney on the bench, owning a record of 49-23 (.681). Penney helped the Badgers average 80.9 points per game in 2024-25, the program's best mark since 1971-72. UW also led the Big Ten Conference in three-point makes (9.9 per game) and led the country in free-throw shooting (82.6 percent). 

"It has been an absolute thrill to be back with Wisconsin Basketball and I'm grateful for the opportunity from Coach Gard and the entire staff," Penney said. "I'm looking forward to staying connected to the program, but it's time for me to be with my family in New Zealand. My wife and children have been so accommodating and it feels like the right time to step away from the Badgers to be home. I'm also excited to continue pursuing current and new private business opportunities in New Zealand. We have built a powerful roster and an incredible staff at Wisconsin and big things are ahead. I can't wait to watch them compete this season and help in any way possible."

Davison now begins his coaching career at Wisconsin, where he helped the Badgers win two Big Ten championships and earned the 2022 Big Ten Medal of Honor.

"Adding Brad Davison to our staff is an absolute win," Gard added. "He was the heart and soul of our program while he played here and he has stayed connected even while playing professionally over the past four years in Europe. He has a terrific basketball mind, one of the best leaders I've ever coached, and we know we are adding someone who will dedicate every ounce to this team. He's a winner and will not only add valuable perspective, but he will also have the ability to connect with the guys in our locker room from day one. We can't wait to have Brad back on the court and in our program with us."

"I am incredibly grateful to return to the University of Wisconsin with my family," Davison said. "This is a special place that means the world to me. I can't wait to serve this program and to continue to raise the high standard of Wisconsin Basketball."

A native of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Davison joins the Badgers after a professional career that saw stints with Nevėžis Kėdainiai (Lithuania) in 2022-23, HLA Alicante (Spain) in 2023-24 and Obradoio (Spain) in 2024-25 campaign. Davison returned to HLA Alicante for the first few weeks of the 2025-26 season before pursuing his coaching career. 

One of five players in UW history with 1,500 points, 500 rebounds and 300 assists, Davison enjoyed a stellar career with the Badgers. A second-team All-Big Ten selection his final year in Madison, Davison ranks sixth in program history in career wins with 101 points with 1,827 during his five years in Madison. He also holds the school record for most 300-pointers made and set then-UW freshman records for free-throw percentage (81.8) and three-point makes (60). 

A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Davison was a Senior CLASS First-Team All-American in 2021 and was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2018. His 161 games played rank second in school history. 

Davison earned a bachelor's degree from Wisconsin in business management and human resources and a master's degree in educational leadership.