The Milwaukee Wave are an American professional indoor soccer team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that competes in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). Founded in 1984, they have been the oldest continuously operating professional indoor soccer team in the United States and are seven-time league champions, most recent being the 2018–19 champions of the MASL.
The team plays their games at the UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena. The team colors are black and yellow. The team has won seven league championships in their history, three in the NPSL, three in the MISL, and one in the MASL.
History The team was founded on August 3, 1984, as a member of the American Indoor Soccer Association and played in every season and incarnation of that league (see NPSL). They have also played in the Xtreme Soccer League and the second and third versions of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team is currently a member of the Major Arena Soccer League. Milwaukee also hosted the 2003 and 2006 MISL II All-Star Games.
Keith Tozer was the team's coach for 21 years before leaving to become United States national futsal team head coach. While with the Wave, he was the all-time winningest coach in North American indoor soccer, with six league championships and more than 700 wins.
The Wave played in the first season of the Xtreme Soccer League in the 2008 – 2009 season, but moved to the new Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2009–2010 season.
After the 2013–2014 season, the team announced that it was leaving the MISL along with five other teams and joining the MASL.
In 2014 the ownership group ROC Ventures, headed by Mike Zimmerman, became a partner in the team's ownership.
Just before the 2014–15 season began, the Wave replaced their traditional green artificial turf with a black turf to match the team's colors and marketing strategy. Reception by fans and the press was mixed but generally positive.
Players
Active roster
Inactive roster
Wave Hall of Fame inductees NameInductedYears playedPeter Knezic20091984–1990Art Kramer20091987–1991Steve Morris20091992–2002Victor Nogueira20091992–2003Todd Dusosky20091996–2007Michael King20091993–2008Tony Pierce20101985–1991, 1992–1993Pat White20111995–2005Lee Rogers20111986–1992Greg Howes20112000–2008, 2011–2012George Pastor20121986–1991Michael Richardson20121994–1995, 1996–2000Jimmy Banks20131987–1993Ricky Mobley20131993–2000
Retired numbers
No. Player Pos. Tenure Ref. Peter Knezic MF 1985–90 1992 Clubs: Knezic returns to Kickers at wisconsinsoccercentral.com. 9 Feb 2013 Steve Morris FW 1992–01 2002 Morris Has Jersey Retired By the Milwaukee Wave at Syracuse Athletics. 9 Apr 2002 Michael King FW 1987–09 2009 Milwaukee Wave to retire number of Mequon resident Michael King by BRIAN HUBER at GM Today Staff. Feb 12, 2009 Todd Dusosky FW 1996–07 2014 Troy Dusosky DF 2001–11 2014 Giuliano Oliviero DF 1995–97, 2005–14 2025 WAVE CLOSE OUT SEASON WITH HUGE WIN OVER AMBUSH SUNDAY NIGHT at milwaukeewave.com, 30 Mar 2025 Victor Nogueira GK 1992–03 2004 Wave spoils Nogueira's night with 9-4 win over Sockers at oursportscentral.com. 26 Mar 2004 Notes
Other notable former players Brian Loftin Jimmy Banks
Year-by-year League championsRunners-UpDivision championsPlayoff berth YearLeagueRecordPFPAFinishPlayoffsAvg. Attend.1984–85AISA13–272132486th, AISAdid not qualify2,114 1985–86AISA11–291892476th, AISAdid not qualify1,802 1986–87AISA12–301482224th, Northerndid not qualify2,316 1987–88AISA11–131031113rd, AISA3rd, Challenge Cup, 6–63,271 1988–89AISA24–163773552nd, AISALost Semifinal6,410 1989–90AISA21–193733532nd, NationalLost Semifinals7,369 1990–91NPSL II23–174534042nd, NationalLost First Round6,765 1991–92NPSL II18–224535344th, Nationaldid not qualify7,629 1992–93NPSL II17–235135095th, Nationaldid not qualify7,758 1993–94NPSL II20–204964864th, NationalLost First Round7,692 1994–95NPSL II23–175354593rd, NationalLost First Round7,108 1995–96NPSL II30–106104382nd, NationalLost Division Semifinals7,363 1996–97NPSL II26–145254722nd, MidwestLost Conference Quarterfinals7,975 1997–98NPSL II28–125934861st, CentralWon Championship7,903 1998–99NPSL II25–155184282nd, CentralLost Conference Semifinals8,453 1999–2000NPSL II31–136574831st, NorthWon Championship8,002 2000–01NPSL II24–165444521st, NationalWon Championship8,310 2001–02MISL II34–106634681st, MISLLost Championship6,665 2002–03MISL II28–85053171st, WesternLost Championship7,096 2003–04MISL II27–92351611st, CentralLost Championship6,012 2004–05MISL II24–152191731st, MISLWon Championship3,675 2005–06MISL II17–131931673rd, MISLLost Semifinal4,352 2006–07MISL II16–143973604th, MISLLost Semifinal4,618 2007–08MISL II22–84242972nd, MISLLost Semifinal4,367 2008–09XSL10–102362163rd, XSLNo playoffs4,563 2009–10MISL III14–62422011st, MISLLost Championship3,977 2010–11MISL III15–52661912nd, MISLWon Championship4,548 2011–12MISL III18–63562641st, CentralWon Championship3,955 2012–13MISL III21–53102302nd, MISLLost Semifinals5,069 2013–14MISL III16–43242032nd, MISLLost Semifinals4,907 2014–15MASL13–71601072nd, CentralLost Division Finals2,962 2015–16MASL13–71301143rd, CentralLost Division Finals3,504 2016–17MASL13–71351032nd, CentralLost Conference Final3,794 2017–18MASL17–51721241st, CentralLost Conference Final4,101 2018–19MASL21–3187971st, South CentralWon Championship4,023 2019–20*MASL14–6157962nd, EasternNo playoffs3,847 2021MASLDid not participate due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021–22MASL10-141461624th, CentralLost Quarterfinals3,026 2022–23MASL15-91541451st, EastLost Conference Final3,396 2023–24MASL15-91611374th, EasternLost Conference Final3,216 2024–25MASL14-101771445th, MASLLost Semifinals3,538 2025–26MASL15-91801443rd, MASLLost Championship3,163 Total779–511Pts % = .60413,42911,0085,137 * Regular season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Head coaches YearsName1984–1985, 1985–1986Dave Johnson1985–1987Mike Custer1987–1990John Dolinsky1990–1992Johan Aarino1992–2014Keith Tozer*2014–2025Giuliano Oliviero2025–PresentMarcio Leite
* Keith Tozer missed parts of the 1997–98 & 1999–00 season coaching the US Futsal team. Both times, Art Kramer filled in.
Owners Luis Antonio Ramos - Tony (1984) Ron Creten, Wayne Lueders, Dr. Christiansen (1985–87) Michael H. Bazelon (1987–2002) Charles Krause (2002–09) James Lindenberg (2009–2013) Sue Black (2013–2014) Mike Zimmerman (2014–present)
Arenas MECCA Auditorium 1984–1988 Bradley Center 1988–2003 UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena 2003–present
See also Milwaukee Wave United (former sister outdoor A-League squad in the early 2000s)
References
External links