MADISON, WI (WSAU) — Multiple reports have indicated that Wisconsin Director of Athletics and former Head Football Coach Barry Alvarez is set to announce his retirement soon.
Alvarez, who’s been with the University for more than 30 years, is due a lump-sum bonus of $375,000 on January 1st, 2022 according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, though the current rumblings within the athletic department seem to point to his resignation before then.
Alvarez has served as AD since 2004. Before that, he served as Head Coach of the football team from 1990-2005. Alvarez briefly returned to the sidelines for two bowl games- the 2013 Rose Bowl following the departure of former Coach Brett Bielema and the 2015 Outback Bowl after the departure of Gary Andersen.
Wisconsin went 1-1 in those games- losing the ’15 Rose to Stanford then winning the Outback over Auburn.
Since taking over as AD Alvarez has overseen 16 national championship teams, two dozen individual champions, and over 70 Big Ten titles. That includes six women’s hockey national titles, and the opening of LaBahn Arena, which hosts the women’s hockey program.
He also oversaw the recently announced renovations to Camp Randall Stadium which will add new premium seating options.
Alvarez is currently one of the longest-tenured ADs among schools in the so-called “power five” Division I Conferences (ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, PAC-12).
Multiple sources including ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg say a formal announcement from the school is likely to drop in the next few weeks. It’s believed that current Deputy AD Chris McIntosh has been groomed to succeed Alvarez, but UW Regents do require a search that involves posting the job and interviewing candidates.
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