Milwaukee native Bruce Weber, who coaches the Kansas State men's basketball team, is one win away from college basketball's coveted Final Four.
Weber is a graduate of Marshall High School and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
His older brother Ron, a longtime high school basketball coach who lives in Waupaca, said Bruce always had a scrappy and energetic personality.
"He was a hard worker, he always stayed positive, and he was always battling and working hard," Weber said.
"We talk about his teams battling and fighting. That's what Bruce was like his entire life," he said.
Bruce Weber's 9th-seeded Kansas State Wildcats knocked off no. 5 seed Kentucky Thursday evening.
Now, they'll play Loyola University on Saturday night with a berth in the NCAA Tournament semifinals on the line.
Weber's longtime friend and high school classmate Carl Fiasca drove to Atlanta, Georgia, to see the game in person.
"He's got that Milwaukee spirit, where you just get it done," Fiasca said of Bruce. "His greatest attribute is his relentless effort."
Ron Weber said he gets very nervous watching Bruce coach.
"Sometimes I have to look away, or turn the TV off for a little bit," Weber said.
But he also relishes his younger brother's successes.
"It's been really rewarding and great to see, and I'm just so, so happy for him," Weber said. "I'm so proud of him, and how hard he's worked to get there."
A win Saturday night would send Weber to the Final Four for the second time during his college head-coaching career.
His 2004-05 Illinois Fighting Illini team made a run to the national title game before losing to North Carolina.
