Wisconsin Badgers

Jan. 2, 1990 – Barry Alvarez is officially hired as the head football coach at the University of Wisconsin.

Sept. 8, 1990 – The Badgers lose to California, 28-12, at Camp Randall Stadium in Alvarez’s first game.

Sept. 15, 1990 – Alvarez notches his first career victory as UW defeats Ball State, 24-7, at Camp Randall Stadium. 

1991 – University Ridge Golf Course officially opens.

Nov. 14, 1991 – Wisconsin defeats Minnesota, 19-16, as Alvarez records his first Big Ten Conference victory.

Oct. 3, 1992 – UW beats No. 12 Ohio State, 20-16, at Camp Randall Stadium for the Badgers’ first win over a ranked opponent in the Alvarez era.

Dec. 4, 1993 – UW clinches Big Ten title and its first Rose Bowl berth since 1962 with 41-20 win over Michigan State in Tokyo.

Jan. 1, 1994 - The Badgers win the Rose Bowl for the first time in school history, defeating UCLA, 21-16.

April 1, 1995 – The Wisconsin women’s lightweight rowing team participates in its inaugural event, the San Diego Classic. 

Feb. 22, 1996 – The Wisconsin softball team plays its inaugural game, losing to Arizona State, 9-0.

Oct. 10, 1998 – The ‘Jump Around’ tradition begins as the Badger defeat Drew Brees and Purdue, 31-24, on Homecoming.

Jan. 17, 1998 – The Kohl Center, the new home of the men’s and women’s basketball and men’s hockey teams, opens as the men’s basketball team defeats Northwestern, 55-33. The project cost $76.4 million.

Nov. 21, 1998 - Wisconsin defeats No. 14 Penn State, 24-3, to clinch a share of the Big Ten title and a bid to the 1999 Rose Bowl.

Jan. 1, 1999 - UW defeats No. 6 UCLA, 38-31, in the Rose Bowl.

March 30, 1999 – The Goodman Softball Complex officially opens as the Badgers defeat Loyola, 9-1.

Oct. 8, 1999 – The Wisconsin women’s hockey team plays its inaugural game, an 8-1 loss to Minnesota-Duluth, in front of a crowd of 3,892 fans at the Kohl Center.

Oct. 9, 1999 – Wisconsin defeats Minnesota, 20-17, in overtime as Alvarez follows the game from a Minneapolis hospital after undergoing knee surgery.

Oct. 23, 1999 – The Badgers defeat No. 11 Michigan State, 40-10, at Camp Randall Stadium as Alvarez becomes the winningest head football coach in school history.

Nov. 13, 1999 – Running back Ron Dayne breaks the NCAA's all-time rushing record and UW defeats Iowa, 41-3, at Camp Randall Stadium to clinch its second straight Rose Bowl berth

Dec. 11, 1999 – Dayne becomes the second Badger in history to win the Heisman Trophy. 

Jan. 1, 2000 – Wisconsin becomes the first Big Ten team in history to win back-to-back Rose Bowls, defeating Stanford 17-9.

Feb. 14, 2003 – UW Director of Athletics Pat Richter announces his intentions to retire in April, 2004 and Alvarez is tabbed as his successor.

April 1, 2004 – Alvarez officially takes over as Wisconsin’s Director of Athletics.

Sept. 4, 2004 - Alvarez wins his 100th career game as the Badgers defeat UCF, 34-6.

April 22, 2005 – The new home of the men’s and women’s rowing teams, the $8.56 million Porter Boathouse on Lake Mendota, officially opens.

July 28, 2005 – Alvarez announces he will step down from coaching at the end of the 2005 season but will remain at Wisconsin as Director of Athletics. He named current defensive coordinator Bret Bielema as his successor. Bielema led the Badgers to three Big Ten titles in seven seasons.

Sept. 3, 2005 – Wisconsin defeats Bowling Green, 56-42, in the grand re-opening of the newly renovated Camp Randall Stadium.

Oct. 13, 2005 – A life-size bronze statue of Alvarez outside Camp Randall Stadium is officially revealed. 

Jan. 2, 2006 – Wisconsin upsets No. 7 Auburn, 24-10, in the Capital One Bowl, Alvarez’s final game as head coach.

April 9, 2006 – The UW men’s hockey team defeats Boston College, 2-1, to win the NCAA title. With the women’s team defeating Minnesota, 3-0, on March 26, Wisconsin becomes the first school in NCAA history to win national titles in men’s and women’s hockey in the same season.

Jan. 26, 2007 - Alvarez announces the hiring of Paula Wilkins as head women’s soccer coach. The 2015 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Wilkins has led the Badgers to eight NCAA tournament appearances, two Big Ten regular season titles and a Big Ten tournament crown in her 13 seasons at UW.

March 10, 2007 – The Wisconsin men’s track and field team wins the NCAA indoor championship, becoming the only Big Ten program to ever win the NCAA indoor track and field title.  

Oct. 3, 2009 – The Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, located at University Ridge, officially opens.

Dec. 30, 2009 – Alvarez is inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. 

July 24, 2010 – Alvarez announces the hiring of Yvette Healy as head softball coach. Healy has led the Badgers to five NCAA tournament appearances in nine seasons and guided the Badgers to the 2013 Big Ten Tournament title.  

Sept. 10, 2010 – Alvarez is enshrined into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame.

Dec. 7, 2010 – Alvarez is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Oct. 19, 2012 – LaBahn Arena, the new home of the Wisconsin women’s hockey team, officially open. The project cost $27.9 million.

Dec. 1, 2012 – The Badger football team defeats Nebraska, 70-31, to win the Big Ten Football Championship Game for the second consecutive year and earn the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl for the third straight season.

Dec. 28, 2012 – Alvarez announces the hiring of Kelly Sheffield as head volleyball coach. A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Sheffield has led the Badgers to a 187-49 (.792) record, NCAA tournament appearances every season, two Big Ten titles and two appearances in the NCAA title game in his seven seasons at UW.

Jan. 1, 2013 – Alvarez returns to the sidelines to lead Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl following former head coach Bret Bielema’s departure. The unranked Badgers fall to No. 6 Stanford, 20-14.

Aug. 16, 2013 – Alvarez tabs Mick Byrne to lead the Badgers’ combined men’s and women’s track and cross country programs. The men’s cross country coach since 2008, Byrne is a 10-time Big Ten Coach of the Year.  

Oct. 16, 2013 –Alvarez is selected to serve on the inaugural College Football Playoff committee.  

January 2014 – The $86 million Stephen M. Bennett Student-Athlete Performance Center opens.

March 29, 2014 – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team defeats Arizona, 64-63, in overtime to advance to its first Final Four since 2000.

Dec. 17, 2014 – Alvarez announces the hiring of Paul Chryst as head football coach. A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Chryst has led the Badgers to a 56-19 (.747) record, five bowl victories and three Big Ten West Division titles in his first six seasons.

Jan. 1, 2015 – Alvarez again comes out of retirement to lead the Badgers against Auburn in the Outback Bowl with UW winning, 34-31, in overtime.

April 4, 2015 – The Wisconsin men’s basketball team defeats previously unbeaten Kentucky, 71-64, to advance to the NCAA title game. 

March 6, 2016 – Alvarez tabs Greg Gard to as head men’s basketball coach. The 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year, Gard has led the Badgers to a (101-57) record, four NCAA tournaments, two Sweet 16s and the 2020 Big Ten regular season title in six-plus seasons at the helm.

March 30, 2016 – Alvarez names former Badger and NHL star Tony Granato as head coach of the men’s hockey team. A two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, Granato served as Team USA head coach in the 2018 Winter Olympics and led the Badgers to the 2021 Big Ten championship.

Dec. 30, 2017 – The UW football team defeats Miami, 34-24, in the Orange Bowl for its second-straight New Year’s Six Bowl victory and its school-record 13th win of the season.

March 5, 2018 – Alvarez is named Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year by The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

March 20, 2021 – The Wisconsin women's hockey team wins the NCAA title for the sixth time in school history (all six with Alvarez as A.D.).

April 6, 2021 – After 31 years at Wisconsin, Alvarez announces he will retire on June 30, 2021.