At Hinsdale Central, Wardle earned two all-state basketball honors and broke scoring and rebounding records in school history.
[2] After high school, Wardle played for Marquette University at guard from 1997 to 2001, under head coach Mike Deane from 1997 to 1999 and Tom Crean from 1999 to 2001.
As a senior in 2000–01, Wardle was Marquette's leading scorer with 18.8 points per game; he would end his college career as the no.
[3] After college, Wardle played in the NBA Developmental League and the Continental Basketball Association.
[6] Returning to Marquette, Wardle was director of basketball operations under Tom Crean from 2003 to 2005 and an assistant coach at UW-Green Bay from 2005 to 2010.
Prior to Bradley's NCAA Tournament game against Michigan State, Wardle was involved in a controversy that gained national attention.