Kirk Penney, an All-Big Ten standout who helped lead Wisconsin to a pair of Big Ten titles and was part of a Final Four run, returned to the Badger bench as Special Assistant to the Head Coach. The 2025-26Â season will mark his third season coaching at Wisconsin.
Joining the UW staff in 2023-24, Penney made an immediate impact through his focus as an offensive analyst on staff. Wisconsin averaged 74.7 points per game, the program’s highest scoring average in 30 years. In fact, the Badgers finished the year ranked 17th in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency, rising as high as No. 4 during the season (per KenPom.com). Facing the third-toughest schedule in the country, Wisconsin stacked up 22 wins and earned yet another NCAA tournament berth for the 23rd time in the last 25 tournaments.
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| KIRK PENNEY |
| Hometown |
| Auckland, New Zealand |
| Family |
| Wife, Audra |
| Daughters, Olivia and Ava; Sons, Ben and Josh |
| Education |
| B.A., Landscape Architecture, Wisconsin, 2015 |
| Coaching Experience |
| Special Assistant to the Head Coach, Wisconsin (2023-present) |
| Director of Player Development/Coaching Staff Consultant, Virginia (2019-2020) |
| Playing Experience |
| Illawarra Hawks, 2015-16 |
| Baloncesto Sevilla, 2015 |
| Trabzonspor, 2013-14 |
| TED Ankara Kolejliler, 2012-13 |
| Baloncesto Fuenlabrada, 2011-12 |
| Sioux Falls Skyforce / San Antonio Spurs, 2010 |
| New Zealand Breakers, 2007-10 |
| Žalgiris, 2006-07 |
| Maccabi Tel Aviv, 2005-06 |
| L.A. Clippers, 2004-05 |
| Miami Heat, 2003-04 |
| University of Wisconsin, 1999-2003 |
Penney was an All-Big Ten standout as a player at Wisconsin, winning a pair of Big Ten titles with the Badgers and was part of a Final Four run. An honorable mention AP All-American as a senior in 2003, Penney became the first Badger to earn consecutive first-team All-Big Ten honors (2002-03) since Ab Nicholas in 1951-52.
A member of the UW Athletic Hall of Fame, Penney finished his career at Wisconsin ranked second in school history in career 3-pointers made (217). He scored 1,454 points at UW, which currently ranks 14th in school annals.
In 2024, Penney was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2024. Penney was honored for serving New Zealand with distinction at two Olympic Games and four FIBA Basketball World Cups. He became just the second Kiwi to be inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, following coach Pero Cameron who received the honor in 2017.
Penney represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games (2000 and 2004) and four FIBA World Cups (formerly known as the FIBA World Championships). He was part of New Zealand’s memorable fourth-place finish at the 2002 World Championships, averaging 16.9 points per game and shooting 45.5 percent from 3-point range. Penney ranks 12th all-time in scoring at the FIBA World Cup, scoring 447 points in 27 games (16.6 points per game).
Penney became the second New Zealand native to play in the NBA, appearing with the Miami Heat in 2003 and Los Angeles Clippers in 2005. He also had professional experience playing in Spain, Israel, Lithuania, Germany, Turkey and Australia.
Penney earned his undergraduate degree in landscape architecture from Wisconsin in 2015.
He and his wife, Audra, are parents to their daughters, Olivia and Ava, and sons, Ben and Josh.
