Marquette head baseball coach Sal Bando Jr. has resigned from the position, according to a letter written by Bando Jr. that was posted on social media during the morning hours of Thursday, April 9.
“On Thursday, April 2nd, I was forced to resign as Head Varsity Baseball Coach at Marquette University High School, a program I have led for the past 15 years,” Bando Jr. wrote on X.
“An anonymous letter was sent to our Athletic Director and the WIAA stating that I coached five of our players in the offseason. We were informed by the WIAA that one of three outcomes would follow: the five players would be removed from the team, the coaches would be removed, or the team would be rendered postseason ineligible.”
Bando Jr. said his decision to resign was “very simple,” writing that “it has always been about the kids,” before noting his position as a full-time instructor at Prospect Training Academy. PTA is a training facility located in Oak Creek that specifies in development of baseball athletes from ages 9-17.
“This has never been a secret,” Bando Jr. wrote. “I have been fully transparent about my role – it is publicly listed on our website, and coaches throughout the Greater Metro Conference, including WIAA district representatives, have been aware of it.”
The WIAA rule states coaches cannot have any coaching contact with any athletes that they will be coaching (except their own children) during restricted times. The coaching restrictions apply to all sports during the school year, except during the respective sport’s season. The rules also state there is no distinction between varsity and junior varsity coaches, meaning JV coaches cannot coach varsity athletes during restricted times and vice versa. The lone exception to the rules is that varsity and JV coaches can have coaching contact with students who have just completed eighth grade or any preceding grade up until those eighth graders actually start their freshman (ninth grade) year.
Bando Jr. also mentioned the situation the Marquette baseball program faces as the 2026 WIAA spring season is officially underway.
“As a result of this situation, the 2026 MUHS Varsity Baseball team has lost its head coach, pitching coach, their culture, program, traditions, momentum and vision,” Bando Jr. wrote. “It has negatively impacted and hurt 22 student-athletes, devastated me and appeased one nameless coward.”
Marquette’s athletic department provided an official statement on Bando’s situation, saying it took immediate action once it was made aware of a potential violation.
“Marquette University High School has become aware of a WIAA rule violation involving the participation of five baseball student-athletes in a camp that included MUHS coaches on staff. Upon learning that this would constitute a violation, school leadership took immediate action. Under WIAA regulations, this violation would render our baseball program ineligible for postseason competition unless we took corrective action. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to make an immediate change to our baseball coaching staff,” the statement said.
“WIAA rules governing coach-athlete contact have continued to evolve in recent years alongside broader changes in youth athletics, including the expansion of coaching contact days and updated guidance around camps and clinics where school coaches may interact with their athletes outside of the season. We take full responsibility for ensuring our staff and students are current on all applicable rules, and we are committed to stronger training and communication practices going forward to prevent future violations.”
Bando Jr. was hired in 2010 at his alma mater and had held the position for the last 15 seasons for the Hilltoppers. The Toppers won four WIAA summer league state titles in 2012, 2014, 2020 and 2021 under Bando Jr. He was the son of former Milwaukee Brewers third baseman and eventual general manager Sal Bando, who died at the age of 78 after a five-year bout with cancer in 2023.
After a stellar senior season with Oklahoma State University where he played in the 1993 College World Series with the Cowboys, Bando Jr. joined the St. Louis Cardinals farm system. Following his playing career, Bando Jr. coached at UW-Parkside from 1998-2001 before becoming the head coach at High Point University in North Carolina from 2002 to 2008.
(This story has been updated with a statement from Marquette University.)
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Sal Bando Jr. resigns as Marquette head baseball coach
Reporting by Michael Whitlow, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
