MADISON, Wis. – After 17 years guiding the University of Wisconsin’s Athletic Department, Barry Alvarez has decided to step down as Wisconsin’s athletic director.
The third-longest tenured athletic director in a Power 5 conference and the sixth-longest tenured in major college sports, Alvarez will step down effective June 30, giving the University time to name his replacement before the start of the 2021-22 academic year.
“It has been an honor to be a part of Wisconsin Athletics and I take great pride in all we have accomplished over the last three decades,” Alvarez said in a statement. “From championships, to improvements on campus, to impacting thousands of student-athletes, it’s been a great ride. I’m grateful for the support, generosity, enthusiasm and loyalty of Badgers in the state of Wisconsin and beyond.
Alvarez, 74, was hired in 1990 to turn around a program that had gone 9-36 the previous four seasons. By year four, Wisconsin won its first Big Ten title in three decades and delivered the program’s first Rose Bowl title. Alvarez’s teams went on to win two more Big Ten titles and two more Rose Bowl victories.
Alvarez retired following the 2005 season, having gone 119-72-4 in 16 seasons, 9-4 in bowl games and posting six AP Top 25 finishes, including three in the top six.
Alvarez was voted into the state of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2009, the College Football Hall of Fame and UW Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010, and the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame in 2016.
He coached his final game in 2015 on an interim basis and guided the Badgers to an overtime victory over Auburn in the Outback Bowl.
“I wouldn’t be where I am or who I am today without coach Alvarez,” said UW defensive line coach Ross Kolodziej, who started 45 games on the defensive line under Alvarez and played on the 1998 and 1999 teams that won Big Ten and Rose Bowl titles.
“As an adult, he has been around or (had) a significant influence to my life for the last 25-plus years. The foundation from which I operate personally and professionally, learned a ton from him. And obviously for Wisconsin football and Wisconsin athletics in general, he has put the ‘W’ on the map. Obviously owe a ton to Coach Alvarez.”
Alvarez was hired as athletic director in April 2004 following the retirement of Pat Richter and took over the role full time in January 2006. He has hired three football coaches – Bret Bielema, Gary Andersen and Paul Chryst – and seen the program deliver 15 straight winning seasons.
The unprecedented success hasn’t been limited to football, as UW has won a combined 16 team national titles and 73 conference regular-season or tournament titles under Alvarez’s watch. The University’s other main revenue sport – men’s basketball – has made more Final Fours (two) than missed the tournament (one). Since the 1993-94 academic year, UW’s combined 49 appearances in bowl games (26) and NCAA men’s basketball tournaments (23) is the most of any school in the country.
The program has also built the Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center at Camp Randall Stadium, renovated the 90-year-old Field House for volleyball, significantly upgraded the game or training areas for men’s and women’s hockey, cross country, golf and softball and has plans in the works for seating upgrades at Camp Randall and the Kohl Center.
Deputy athletic director Chris McIntosh is viewed as one of the favorites to succeed Alvarez. McIntosh, 44, captained Wisconsin's Big Ten championship teams in 1998 and 1999 as an All-American offensive lineman and joined the department as a director of business development in December 2014. He was promoted to his current role in July 2017.
UW's hiring policy requires that the job is posted and candidates are given time to apply for the opening before a hire is made.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day
