Western Michigan's basketball program dates to 1913, and the Kalamazoo school competes in the Mid-American Conference. The Broncos have been a steady MAC competitor with occasional conference titles and postseason appearances.
The Broncos name was adopted in the 1930s, representing the wild, unbroken bronco horse — a symbol of untamed spirit and competitive energy.
Winning the 2014 MAC Tournament under coach Steve Hawkins, earning an NCAA Tournament berth and revitalizing fan interest in the program.
Western Michigan's University Arena sits inside Read Fieldhouse, named in 1963 for Herbert 'Buck' Read, the winningest coach in program history, who led the Broncos from 1922 to 1949 — including an undefeated 17-0 season in 1929-30.
The Western Michigan Broncos compete in the MAC and hold an all-time record of 1402–1355 (.509 winning percentage) across 111 recorded seasons dating back to 1913-14.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10-21 | 4-14 (MAC) | Dwayne Stephens | |
| 2024-25 | 12-20 | 9-9 (MAC) | Dwayne Stephens | |
| 2023-24 | 12-20 | 9-9 (MAC) | Dwayne Stephens | |
| 2022-23 | 8-23 | 4-14 (MAC) | Dwayne Stephens | |
| 2021-22 | 8-23 | 4-16 (MAC) | Clayton Bates | |
| 2020-21 | 5-16 | 4-12 (MAC) | Clayton Bates | |
| 2019-20 | 13-19 | 6-12 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2018-19 | 8-24 | 2-16 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2017-18 | 17-15 | 9-9 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2016-17 | 16-16 | 11-7 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2015-16 | 13-19 | 7-11 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2014-15 | 20-14 | 10-8 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2013-14 | 23-10 | 14-4 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2012-13 | 22-13 | 10-6 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2011-12 | 14-20 | 6-10 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2010-11 | 21-13 | 11-5 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2009-10 | 18-15 | 8-8 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2008-09 | 10-21 | 7-9 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2007-08 | 20-12 | 12-4 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2006-07 | 16-16 | 9-7 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2005-06 | 14-17 | 10-8 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2004-05 | 20-13 | 11-7 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2003-04 | 26-5 | 15-3 (MAC) | Steve Hawkins | |
| 2002-03 | 20-11 | 10-8 (MAC) | Robert McCullum | |
| 2001-02 | 17-13 | 10-8 (MAC) | Robert McCullum | |
| 2000-01 | 7-21 | 7-11 (MAC) | Robert McCullum | |
| 1999-00 | 10-18 | 6-12 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1998-99 | 11-15 | 6-12 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1997-98 | 21-8 | 14-4 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1996-97 | 14-14 | 9-9 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1994-95 | 14-13 | 9-9 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1993-94 | 14-14 | 7-11 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1992-93 | 17-12 | 12-6 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1991-92 | 21-9 | 11-5 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1990-91 | 5-22 | 2-14 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1989-90 | 9-18 | 3-13 (MAC) | Bob Donewald | |
| 1988-89 | 12-16 | 6-10 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1987-88 | 12-17 | 7-9 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1986-87 | 12-16 | 7-9 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1985-86 | 12-16 | 7-11 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1984-85 | 12-16 | 7-11 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1983-84 | 4-22 | 2-16 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1982-83 | 5-23 | 3-15 (MAC) | Vern Payne | |
| 1981-82 | 15-14 | 8-8 (MAC) | Les Wothke | |
| 1980-81 | 15-13 | 10-6 (MAC) | Les Wothke | |
| 1979-80 | 12-14 | 7-9 (MAC) | Les Wothke | |
| 1978-79 | 7-23 | 3-13 (MAC) | Dick Shilts | |
| 1977-78 | 7-20 | 4-12 (MAC) | Dick Shilts | |
| 1976-77 | 14-13 | 8-8 (MAC) | Dick Shilts | |
| 1975-76 | 25-3 | 15-1 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | AP #10 |
| 1974-75 | 16-10 | 8-6 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | |
| 1973-74 | 13-13 | 5-7 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | |
| 1972-73 | 8-18 | 2-10 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | |
| 1971-72 | 10-14 | 5-5 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | |
| 1970-71 | 14-10 | 5-5 (MAC) | Eldon Miller | |
| 1968-69 | 11-13 | 6-6 (MAC) | Clarence "Sonny" Means | |
| 1967-68 | 11-13 | 5-7 (MAC) | Clarence "Sonny" Means | |
| 1966-67 | 10-14 | 4-8 (MAC) | Clarence "Sonny" Means | |
| 1965-66 | 8-14 | 4-8 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1964-65 | 8-16 | 3-9 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1963-64 | 10-14 | 6-6 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1962-63 | 12-12 | 7-5 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1961-62 | 13-11 | 6-6 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1960-61 | 10-14 | 4-8 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1959-60 | 13-11 | 5-7 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1958-59 | 2-20 | 1-11 (MAC) | Don Boven | |
| 1957-58 | 5-19 | 1-11 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1956-57 | 8-13 | 4-8 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1955-56 | 11-9 | 7-5 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1954-55 | 12-10 | 9-5 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1953-54 | 10-11 | 4-5 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1952-53 | 12-9 | 6-6 (MAC) | Joseph Hoy | |
| 1951-52 | 16-8 | 9-3 (MAC) | Bill Perigo | |
| 1950-51 | 13-9 | 4-4 (MAC) | Bill Perigo | |
| 1949-50 | 12-10 | 6-4 (MAC) | Bill Perigo | |
| 1948-49 | 12-10 | 4-6 (MAC) | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1947-48 | 12-10 | 1-2 (MAC) | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1946-47 | 17-7 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1945-46 | 15-7 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1944-45 | 8-10 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1943-44 | 15-4 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1942-43 | 15-4 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1941-42 | 12-8 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1940-41 | 10-8 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1939-40 | 10-9 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1938-39 | 7-10 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1937-38 | 6-12 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1936-37 | 13-4 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1935-36 | 15-3 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1934-35 | 11-5 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1933-34 | 12-5 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1932-33 | 14-3 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1931-32 | 14-5 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1930-31 | 14-3 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1929-30 | 17-0 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1928-29 | 11-8 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1927-28 | 9-8 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1926-27 | 16-2 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1925-26 | 15-4 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1924-25 | 17-4 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1923-24 | 13-8 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1922-23 | 17-6 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1921-22 | 11-6 | Ind | Herbert W. Buck Read | |
| 1920-21 | 12-5 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1919-20 | 8-3 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1918-19 | 11-4 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1917-18 | 8-4 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1916-17 | 7-6 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1915-16 | 9-7 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1914-15 | 7-5 | Ind | William Spaulding | |
| 1913-14 | 4-4 | Ind | William Spaulding |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|