Aug. 25, 2009

MILWAUKEE - As another sports season begins for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, fans can now follow the Panthers in a long list of new ways.

Online coverage of the Panthers now includes an official presence on Facebook and Twitter, expanded student-athlete blogs, an increase in audio podcasts on the new Panther Podcast page and brand-new video content through You Tube and the Horizon League Network.

Links to all of the new and expanded features are available at the main athletics website - uwmpanthers.com.

Below is a summary of the new online features to help fans follow Panther athletics.

Panther Podcasts
Panther fans can hear directly from UWM coaches and student-athletes by checking out Panther Podcasts.

The series of audio features starts in earnest this fall, as head coaches from women's soccer, men's soccer and volleyball will share their thoughts weekly. The first "Susie Johnson Show," featuring the head coach of the Panther volleyball team, debuted Monday as UWM is getting ready for its season-opener with nationally-ranked Iowa State. The initial "Mike Moynihan Show," featuring the head coach of the Panther women's soccer team, will be available later today after UWM has wrapped up the first weekend of the regular season. Meanwhile, the debut of the "Jon Coleman Show" will then come Monday (August 31), just before Milwaukee squares off with Marquette in the season opener.

All three podcasts will be updated each Monday throughout the season.

Additional podcasts will be available throughout the fall sports season, with features on in-season sports added during the winter and spring campaigns.

Links to the podcasts will be available within a sport's weekly release and on the Panther Podcast page of UWM's athletic website.

Student-Athlete Blogs
UWM student-athletes will be providing inside access to their teams during the 2009-10 season.

This fall, Nick Gerard-Larson of the men's soccer team, Sam Trawitzke of the volleyball team and a variety of players from the women's soccer team will be blogging, giving fans a new perspective on the Panthers.

Additional student-athlete blogs will be added throughout the winter and spring seasons.

All three blogs are part of the Verizon Wireless Panther BlogZone. Throughout the season, the BlogZone is updated with news items, alumni notes, links to coverage of the Panthers in the media and live blogs created from Panther events by UWM's communications staff.

You Tube/Video
Video content featuring Panther athletics will now be available through both the Horizon League Network's Milwaukee page as well as on the official UWM Athletics page on You Tube.

Already, videos featuring UWM women's soccer coach Mike Moynihan recapping the Panthers' first two matches of the regular season are available on You Tube. Extensive pregame, postgame and feature coverage will be available throughout the season.

HLN is currently undergoing a site renovation, but upon completion fans will be available to find extensive UWM video and audio coverage at the site.

These features are in addition to continued live event coverage, which will resume in October with fall sports league contests and will again feature extensive coverage of UWM men's and women's basketball.

Fans can locate the Panther by visiting the UWM Athletics You Tube page.

Facebook and Twitter
Fans that still don't have enough coverage of UWM Athletics can now follow the Panthers on both Facebook and Twitter.

The Panthers' marketing staff will maintain the department's Facebook page as an outreach to fans and UWM students. Go to Facebook and search Milwaukee Panthers to find UWM's page.

Meanwhile, you can now locate the Panthers on Twitter. Twitter updates will feature event reminders, ticket specials, sponsor updates and breaking news.