Bio

University of Wisconsin-Platteville Coach Jeff Gard guided his fifth squad to the NCAA Division III playoffs in the 2023-24 season where the Pioneers advanced to the Elite Eight, a school first since 1999’s National Champions.

Currently sitting 11^th all time, Gard is the most winning active head coach in the WIAC following his 15^th season at the helm of the Pioneers and sits seccond in program history behind Bo Ryan (1985-1999).

In March of 2024, the Pioneers’ decisive 95-75 victory over Case Western Reserve in the Sweet 16 game also marked Gard’s 250^th career victory at UW-Platteville. Gard earned WIAC Coach of the Year, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District Coach of the Year and the D3Hoops.com Central Region Coach of the Year.

Gard added the esteemed achievement of coach of the 2024 NABC National Player of the Year in senior Logan Pearson. Pearson became just the second player in UW-Platteville’s rich basketball history to earn the award, joining 1999’s Merrill Brunson.

The Pioneers finished the 2023-24 season ranked 5th in the nation and with a 26-5 record. UW-Platteville also captured both the WIAC regular season and tournament championships, another first since 1999.

The Elite Eight appearance, where the Pioneers fell in overtime to the 2024 National Champions, followed a 14-12 season where UW-Platteville rebuilt and developed after graduating a senior class which advanced to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

In the 2021-22 season, he guided the Pioneers to a 22-6 record and a fourth straight trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs. UW-Platteville finished the season ranked 5th in the nation.

Gard received national accolades in 2019-20 after leading the Pioneers to a 23-5 record and a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Gard earned WIAC Coach of the Year, the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District Coach of the Year, the D3Hoops.com Central Region Coach of the Year, and the national Jack Bennett Man of the Year honor.

The 2019-20 Pioneers finished 12-2 in the WIAC, claiming their second title in three years.  They were also regular-season champions in 2017-18 and were the 2018-19 WIAC post-season champions.

Gard is known not only for his work on the court but also within the community for his generous efforts of being a servant leader.  Whether it be though his team’s community service within the Tri-State are or his newest adventure in the fight against cancer, Gard is doing his best to assist those in need.  His family’s most recent adventure has taken place in “Garding Against Cancer” and the “Iowa County Cancer Coalition”, to help with the fight against cancer right within the state of Wisconsin. All money raised remains in Wisconsin — working to find a cure, advance treatment options, and promote the welfare of patients.

He has had nine players surpass the 1,000-point plateau. He has also coached four All Americans: Logan Pearson in 2023-24, Carter Voelker in 2019-20, Robert Duax in 2017-18 and Chas Cross in 2013-14.

Since his arrival, the Pioneers have participated in-season tournaments in Colorado Springs (2017-18), San Antonio, Texas (2015-16), Raleigh, NC (2014-15), Las Vegas, Nev. (2013-14, 2018-19), Pasadena, Calif. (2012-2013) Columbus, Ohio (2011-12); Dallas, Texas (2010-11 and 2019-20); and Phoenix, Ariz. (2009-10). 

The Pioneers have faced off against three Division I opponents: University of Illinois-Chicago (2012), University of Wisconsin (2013 and 2016), and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (2014). 

Gard was named the 13th head coach in Pioneer history on June 9, 2009, after serving as an assistant with the Pioneers for the previous six seasons including his final two as the associate head coach.   Within a short amount of time Gard made history by winning 64 games in his first four seasons at the helm of the Pioneers, the most in school history in a coach's first four years.  During Gard’s six seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, the Pioneers were 103-56, won the 2004-05 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, beat NCAA Division I Bradley 84-79, earned the school’s first national number one ranking in December 2008 in 10 seasons and made the 2009 NCAA III playoffs, the school’s first berth since winning its fourth national championship in 1989-99. The Pioneers advanced to the second round of the 2009 playoffs, beating Hope (Mich.) 83-59 before falling to host Wheaton (Ill.) 74-69 in overtime.

Gard was an assistant at Lakeland College in Sheboygan for two seasons, helping the Muskies to a 35-18 record and back-to-back Lake Michigan Conference championships. 

The Iowa-Grant native and UW-Platteville graduate spent three seasons as an assistant coach at one of Wisconsin’s prep powerhouse’s, Cuba City, under legendary Coach Jerry Petitgoue, and one year at Southwestern High School.

Petitgoue, former Pioneer coach and Wisconsin Coach Bo Ryan, and Paul Combs are cited by Gard as outstanding influences.

Gard graduated from UW-Platteville in May of 2001 with a bachelor’s in Physical and Health Education and earned his Master’s in Education at UW-Platteville in 2005.

He is the younger brother of former UW-Platteville assistant coach and current University of Wisconsin Head Coach Greg Gard. The son of Connie, and the late, Glen Gard of Cobb. Gard and his wife, Amy, daughter Hannah and son Vincent reside in Platteville.