Wisconsin hiring former Badgers administrator as athletic director: Report
Wisconsin is hiring Shawn Eichorst as its next athletic director, bringing a former Barry Alvarez lieutenant back to Madison.
The University of Wisconsin has found its next director of athletics.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Wisconsin is expected to hire Shawn Eichorst to replace Chris McIntosh, ending a search that ultimately landed on a familiar face with deep ties to both the Badgers and the state.
For many around the program, Eichorst is hardly an unknown.
A Wisconsin native from Lone Rock, Eichorst played football at UW-Whitewater before beginning his administrative career within the UW system. He later returned to Madison under legendary athletic director Barry Alvarez, serving as senior associate athletic director before being promoted to deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.
During that time, Eichorst helped oversee the day-to-day operations of one of the nation’s most respected athletic departments while working closely alongside Alvarez during a successful era for Wisconsin athletics.
Those ties are a big part of what makes this hire notable.
Since leaving Wisconsin, Eichorst has gained experience across nearly every level of college athletics. He served as athletic director at UW-Whitewater (1999–2003), where the Warhawks enjoyed tremendous success across multiple sports, before moving on to lead the athletic departments at Miami (2011–2012) and Nebraska (2012–2017).
Most recently, Eichorst has served as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Texas, helping oversee one of the country’s premier athletic departments during a period of major growth and investment.
His résumé checks many of the boxes Wisconsin was likely seeking.
Eichorst combines Wisconsin roots with prior Badgers experience, Big Ten familiarity, Power Four administrative leadership, and a legal and business background that will become increasingly valuable as college athletics continues to navigate NIL and revenue sharing without NCAA guardrails.
The hire is not without scrutiny.
His tenure at Miami was quite brief, and Eichorst also faced criticism during his time as Nebraska’s athletic director, where his decision to move on from longtime football coach Bo Pelini and the program’s subsequent struggles under Mike Riley ultimately led to his dismissal in 2017.
Even so, Wisconsin appears to have prioritized experience, institutional knowledge, and familiarity with the university and its culture over making a splash hire. At a time when fundraising, donor relations, and corporate partnerships have become more important than ever, the Badgers opted for someone who has already held the position and understands the demands that come with it.
Eichorst now steps into one of the most important leadership positions in Wisconsin athletics at a pivotal time. With revenue sharing, NIL, roster management, and the future of college sports continuing to evolve, he’ll inherit an athletic department facing significant change while also overseeing football coach Luke Fickell, men’s basketball coach Greg Gard, and the future direction of one of the Big Ten’s flagship programs.
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What a joke
Can we get someone who is not an Alvarez Flunkie