OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — After transforming UW-Oshkosh into one of the premier programs in Division III women’s basketball, head coach Brad Fischer is stepping away to pursue a coaching opportunity at the NCAA Division I level.
Fischer departs as the winningest coach in program history, ending a 14-year tenure that included 315 victories, six Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.
His departure comes on the heels of another historic season. The Titans finished 28-4 in 2025-26 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four for the second consecutive year.
"Over the last 14 years, this place has become home," Fischer said in a statement. "It's where I met my wife, where I built lifelong friendships, and where I had the privilege of coaching remarkable young women who made me a much better coach and person every day."
Fischer compiled a 315-80 overall record and a 145-48 mark in WIAC play during his time in Oshkosh. His .797 winning percentage is the best in program history, and he became the first WIAC basketball coach — men's or women's — to lead a team to 13 consecutive 20-win full seasons. That surpassed Bo Ryan's former mark of 12 straight at UW-Platteville.
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When Fischer arrived in 2012, the Titans had not posted a winning season or finished higher than fifth in the conference standings since 2006. The turnaround was immediate.
UW-Oshkosh won 20 games in Fischer's first season and returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 for the first time in 14 years after capturing the WIAC Tournament title.
The program remained a conference and national contender for more than a decade.
The surge of the UWO women's basketball program led by Fischer directly coincided with the turnaround of the Titans men's program, which included a DIII National Championship in 2019. Matt Lewis, who also stepped down from his post earlier this offseason, helped engineer that turnaround.
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Under Fischer, the Titans won five WIAC regular-season championships and five conference tournament titles. Oshkosh reached the NCAA Tournament in all but one full season after 2013 and advanced to the national semifinals in each of the last two seasons.
Assistant Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Darryl Sims credited Fischer with elevating the program while making an impact beyond basketball.
"Brad's accomplishments speak for themselves," Sims said. "He transformed our program into one of the premier women's basketball programs in Division III, but what makes Brad truly special is the way he developed young women into leaders, professionals and champions in life."
Fischer also oversaw one of the most successful stretches of player development in school history. During his tenure, Titans earned 25 All-WIAC First Team selections, four conference player of the year honors and 17 All-Americans.
Current standout Paige Seckar added another milestone this season, becoming the first player in program history to earn D3hoops.com Region Player of the Year honors.
While Fischer said he is excited for the next step in his coaching career, he emphasized the relationships built in Oshkosh as the lasting legacy of his time with the program.
"For 14 years, I gave everything I had to this university, this program and the young women who wore our uniform," Fischer said. "In return, UW-Oshkosh gave me far more than I could ever repay."
UW-Oshkosh officials said a national search for the program's next head coach will begin immediately.
