After three years as the Rangers' top assistant coach, Luke Reigel earned a promotion to head coach during the 2003-04 season. Reigel is the sixth head coach in school history. 

In his first year as head coach, the Rangers posted an 8-19 overall record. The team raised their record to 10-18 in 2004-05, before making the jump to 15-13 in 2005-06, which marked the first time in 16 years the program posted a winning record. The 2006-07 season brought about the Rangers most successful season since they joined NCAA Division II with the Rangers posting 19-13 record and drawing their first NCAA Tournament bid. Reigel has led the Rangers to three consecutive winning seasons (2005-2008), which is something the program has not enjoyed since the 1985-88 seasons.

During Reigel’s tenure as Head Coach, UW-Parkside recorded one of the most noted wins in school history by defeating NCAA Division I opponent Illinois-Chicago. This renowned team had been the Horizon League Conference champions the previous season. After leading the Rangers to their first NCAA appearance, Reigel was named the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coach of the Year for the 2006-07 season. 

Coach Reigel has been instrumental off the court in his goal of helping the UW – Parkside basketball program become a first class program in all aspects. Reigel has implemented an academic program for the Rangers that have led the Men’s Basketball team to the highest team GPA in school history. He has also quadrupled the size of the Ranger Booster Club and launched the annual UW-Parkside Men’s Basketball Golf Outing, which continues to grow each year and raise significant funds to support the Rangers. Reigel has also been instrumental in the growth of programs that are directed to teach the youth of southeast Wisconsin and northern Illinois the fundamentals of the game of basketball.  
 

Reigel is also instrumental in various marketing aspects for the Athletic Department at UW-Parkside. The Ranger mentor has a winning background that can be traced back to his high school playing days under his father and current UW-P assistant Tom Reigel. Coach Luke Reigel, a native of Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, started all four years for his father at Wilmot High School where together they won the Wisconsin state championship in 1991, finishing with a perfect 27-0 record.

BACKGROUND

Reigel then went on to play college basketball at UW-Stevens Point for two seasons before transferring to UW-Platteville where he completed his playing career for the current Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan. Reigel’s success followed him while he was at UW-Platteville. He finished his college playing career with an astounding record of 79-9, while also winning an NCAA Division III national championship ring in 1995.

After his playing career, Reigel coached at Platteville High School for three seasons. During the 1997-98 season, he took over as head coach of the Hillmen. After three successful seasons in the high school ranks, Reigel migrated back to the college scene. He returned to UW-Platteville where he was an assistant coach for two seasons. During the 1998-1999 season, the Pioneers captured another NCAA Division III national championship.