Brian Wardle and Bradley University finished up a bit of business on Friday so the head coach of the Braves men’s basketball team can get to some unfinished business with his Missouri Valley Conference program.
Wardle, 45, agreed to a multi-year contract extension, the length and terms of which Bradley declined to disclose. If past contracts are any indication, the new deal likely will keep him at the helm through the end of the decade.
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“I was telling my players the other day, trust plus production equals playing time,” Wardle said. “Well I’ve worked to build trust all over campus, with administration, coaches, players, and we’ve grown this program.
“So I look at this contract as having earned more playing time.”
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Wardle and the Braves earned back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2019 and 2020, the latter berth wiped out when the tournament was cancelled because of the COVID pandemic. He finished the 2024-25 season by leading Bradley to its third straight NIT berth.
Bradley head coach Brian Wardle and the Braves bench clap for their team as they battle UTSA in the first half of their nonconference basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated UTSA 85-72.
“It’s been a great 10 years, although I feel like it’s been split into two halves because of COVID,” Wardle said. “It took something away from us. I’m still a coach with a chip on his shoulder, a coach for whom details matter and building a culture in our program matters.
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“I’ve had great players and great coaches here, guys who are just great in the locker room and help build and maintain a high standard. And I have a boss in Dr. Chris Reynolds (BU vice-president for intercollegiate athletics) who has supported the program and helped me.”
The path to elite program
Bradley Braves head coach Brian Wardle holds up a piece of net for the crowd after cutting it down in celebration of winning the MVC championship with a 73-61 defeat of Drake on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 at Carver Arena.
Wardle inherited scorched earth when he took over the basketball program in 2015-16. He opened with a team that had 10 freshman and was the youngest roster in NCAA Division-I basketball.
From there he built a team that won back-to-back MVC Tournament championships in his fourth and fifth years at the helm. The Braves are 55-23 in Valley conference games over the last four seasons, and have finished among the top three in the standings the last three seasons.
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“My wife (Lecia) and I have loved being in Peoria, we’ve raised our kids here and we enjoy the community support so much,” said Wardle, 45. “It’s home to us.
“On the court, we’re going to keep recruiting championship character. I’m getting better as a coach and I feel like my best years are still ahead of me.”
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Wardle has entrenched his name in the Bradley record books. He has 14 MVC Tournament wins, most-ever by a BU coach. His 100 regular-season Valley wins are second in BU history only to Jim Molinari (110). Wardle is 187-147 overall at Bradley, and that win total is fourth on the program’s all-time list. His 334 total games at the BU helm are third most.
RON JOHNSON/JOURNAL STAR FILE PHOTO Bradley head coach Brian Wardle directs his players during aN MVC game with ISU last January at Redbird Arena in Normal.
Bradley signed him in 2015-16 to take over a basketball program that was on the ropes. The Braves signed him to a five-year deal in 2018, and as it expired, gave him a multi-year extension at the end of the 2022-23 season.
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He signed that extension in the summer of 2023, and two years later now has inked another multi-year deal.
“We are excited to have announced Brian Wardle’s contract extension,” Reynolds said. “Brian works tirelessly to maintain qualities in our men’s basketball program that reflect the attributes of our outstanding and hard working community.
“We can’t wait to welcome our fans back to Carver Arena this upcoming season and are grateful for all of the support we receive from BU fans in the Greater Peoria metropolitan area and around the country.”
(This story has been updated with additional information)
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Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley basketball head coach gets contract extension from university
