Greg Polkowski is in his ninth season as the head coach of the Yellowjacket men's basketball program in 2025-26.
Polkowski and the Yellowjackets ended the 2024-25 season with an overall record of 12-13, featuring a 9-5 mark in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) action. Superior was led by the senior quartet of Reid Johnson, J'Vaun Walker, Andrew Kunelius and Joey Barker, pacing the team in most statistical categories. Johnson and Walker would receive postseason awards from the league at the conclusion of the campaign.
The 2023-24 campaign saw Polkowski lead his 'Jackets to an overall record of 18-9 while going 9-5 in UMAC play. The Yellowjackets entered the conference tournament as the No. 2 seed and advanced to the championship game for the second time in program history. Led by seniors J'Vaun Walker and Josef Fahrenholtz, the duo earned All-UMAC First Team and All-UMAC Second Team citations, respectively. Walker and Fahrenholtz spearheaded the offensive output, as both players eclipsed the 1,000-point mark mid-season. Under Polkowski, Fahrenholtz ended his career with a 93.0 free throw percentage, ranking fourth across NCAA Division III. Furthermore, UWS also led the conference in free throw percentage (77.4 percent), scoring defense (66.3 points) and turnover margin (48).
In 2022-23, Polkowski led his squad to its first-ever UMAC championship game as the No. 2 seed. UWS finished 17-10 overall, which is the second-best record in school history behind the 1978-79 team (21-7). The Yellowjackets traveled to Florida over winter break for the Basketball Destinations D3 Naples Shootout, where they would defeat No. 8 John Carroll 87-76 and Clarkson 55-46. The Florida trip sparked a seven-game winning streak as the team entered conference play, the longest winning streak with Polkowski at the helm. In the championship game, the Yellowjackets fell to Bethany Lutheran 93-75. Fahrenholtz was named to the All-UMAC First Team and J'Vaun Walker to the All-UMAC Second Team.
Polkowski's Yellowjackets finished the 2021-22 campaign with an overall record of 10-16 and 6-8 in UMAC play. UW-Superior would lose a heartbreaker in the UMAC quarterfinals to Bethany Lutheran by a score of 78-80. Xavier Patterson, Eli Vogel, and Mason Ackley would earn All-UMAC plaudits.
During the condensed 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yellowjackets finished with an overall record of 3-4. Ackley, Vogel, and Walker would earn All-UMAC honors for their efforts.
Polkowski led the Yellowjackets to a 16-10 overall mark in 2019-20, going 13-3 in the UMAC. UWS earned the No. 3-seed, falling to Bethany Lutheran in the conference semifinals. Milenkovic reached 1,000 career points against Martin Luther on Feb. 15 and the 'Jackets strung together a six-game winning streak in the middle of conference play from Jan. 25 versus Crown to Feb. 15. It represented the second-longest winning streak in the Polkowski era. Vid Milenkovic earned first team honors as a senior in 2019-20 and freshman Mason Ackley was honorable mention and on the all-defensive team.
The 2018-19 season saw Montroy Scott reach the 1,000-point plateau on Jan. 2 against Crown. UWS also won a season-best three consecutive games against North Central, Finlandia and Minnesota Morris from Jan. 12-19. The 'Jackets finished the season 6-19 overall and 4-12 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference. Montroy Scott and Mac Reykdal were second team and honorable mention picks in the conference.
Polkowski's first season featured non-conference victories over Marian at the UW-Stout Tip-Off Tournament Nov. 18 (his first career win) and against Luther Nov. 25. Superior also swept the season series from Martin Luther and won games against Northwestern and North Central, both at home. Shaq Coleman and Vid Milenkovic were named to the All-UMAC first team and honorable mention, respectively.
Polkowski took over the program following two seasons as the assistant coach at UW-Eau Claire (2015-17), where he worked under former Yellowjacket head coach Matt Siverling. During his time at UW-Eau Claire, Polkowski helped the Blugolds become one of the top teams in the nation, earning a national top-10 ranking during 2016-17.
Before his time at UW-Eau Claire, Polkowski was the head boy's basketball coach and a physical education instructor at Waukesha High School. There Polkowski increased his win totals each season and helped the Northstars win a region championship in 2015.
Polkowski's coaching career began at UW-Superior when he joined the staff of Dave Buchanan in 2008-09. Following that season, Polkowski moved with Buchanan to Carroll University, where he spent two seasons and helped the Pioneers to a 28-20 record and an appearance in the Midwest Conference championship game.
An alumnus of UW-Superior, Polkowski spent four seasons with the Yellowjackets as a player, appearing in 58 games from 2004-08.
A native of Goodman, Wis., Polkowski graduated from UW-Superior with a Bachelor of Science Degree in physical education. He followed that with a Master’s degree in education from Carroll in 2011. His family includes his wife Stephanie (Janigo), a 2006 UW-Superior graduate and former standout on the Yellowjacket women’s basketball team, and their two sons, William and Nolan.
| Polkowski at UW-Superior |
| Year |
W |
L |
Pct. |
| 2017-18 |
7 |
18 |
.280 |
| 2018-19 |
6 |
19 |
.240 |
| 2019-20 |
16 |
10 |
.615 |
| 2020-21 |
3 |
4 |
.429 |
| 2021-22 |
10 |
16 |
.429 |
| 2022-23 |
17 |
10 |
.630 |
| 2023-24 |
18 |
9 |
.667 |
| 2024-25 |
12 |
13 |
.480 |
| Total |
89 |
99 |
.473 |
