Wisconsin Badgers

After 32 years at the University of Wisconsin, including the final 18 as the Director of Athletics, Barry Alvarez announced on Tuesday, April 6, that he will officially retire on June 30, 2021, ending a legendary career in Madison.

For the past 18 seasons, Alvarez has presided over one of the nation’s most prosperous and respected athletic departments. 

Wisconsin has enjoyed remarkable success during Alvarez’s tenure, winning a combined 16 team national titles and 74 conference regular-season or tournament crowns since he took over. In 2017-18, he earned Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year honors. 

Read the full announcement … 

Barry Alvarez Reflects on Tenure at Wisconsin

Wisconsin Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez spoke at the April 6 event announcing his retirement and celebrating the 30-plus years of his legacy leading the Badgers.

"Thank You, Coach"

For Barry Alvarez, it's about the people. After three decades of leadership and excellence, there were plenty of people you may recognize who wanted to say: "Thanks, Coach"

At the heart of the Wisconsin revival has been the football program. Prior to 1990, UW had played in a total of six bowl games. In the four seasons before Alvarez took the reins, the Badgers had compiled a 9-36 (.200) record. However, in just his third season in Madison, Alvarez led Wisconsin to the first Rose Bowl victory in school history. Since that season, the football team has played in 26 bowl games (including a Big Ten-best 19 straight) and won six Big Ten titles. Prior to Alvarez’s arrival, the school record for wins in a season was nine, last accomplished in 1901. Since 1993, UW has won at least 10 games 13 times.

One of just 16 football coaches in Big Ten history to win at least 100 games at one school, Alvarez retired from coaching after the 2005 season as Wisconsin’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 119-74-4 (includes two games as acting head coach – 2013 Rose Bowl and 2015 Outback Bowl). He led the Badgers to three Big Ten titles, three Rose Bowl victories and coached one of the school’s two Heisman Trophy winners, running back Ron Dayne (1999). 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.

Alvarez was named Director of Athletics following Pat Richter’s retirement and officially took over the position on April 1, 2004. He spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons in the dual roles of Director of Athletics and head football coach. On July 28, 2005, he announced that the upcoming football season would be his final one as head coach and he would transition to serving solely as Director of Athletics at the conclusion of the season.

Wisconsin has enjoyed remarkable success during Alvarez’s tenure at the head of the athletic department, winning a combined 16 team national titles and 74 conference regular-season or tournament crowns. In 2017-18, he earned Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year honors.

In addition to the sustained success of the football program, which has appeared in six New Year’s Six bowl games since 2010, Wisconsin has experienced consistent success across the board in Alvarez’s 18 years as Director of Athletics. The men’s basketball team has played in 15 NCAA tournaments, including back-to-back Final Fours in 2014 and 2015, and won five Big Ten titles (three regular season and two tournament crowns). Alvarez has been a part of an unprecedented run of success in football and men’s basketball. Since 1993-94, when Wisconsin won its first Rose Bowl Game, the Badgers have made a combined 49 appearances in bowl games (26) and NCAA men’s basketball tournaments (23), the most in the country (Florida and Texas are tied for second with 46 combined appearances). Prior to 1993-94, Wisconsin had played in six bowl games and two NCAA tournaments.

The women’s hockey team has won six NCAA titles and opened a new home, the state of the art LaBahn Arena, in 2012. The volleyball team has made 12 NCAA tournament appearances, advancing to the national title match in 2013 and 2019, and enjoys one of the nation’s best home-court advantages in the newly-refreshed UW Field House. The men’s cross country team has won 14 Big Ten titles, two NCAA championships (2005 and 2011) and opened the country’s top venue, the Zimmer Championship Cross Country Course, in 2009.

In Alvarez’s 17 previous seasons as A.D., Wisconsin has finished among the top 30 in the NACDA Director’s Cup 15 times, including 16th-place finishes in 2006-07, 2016-17 and 2018-19 (second-best in school history). Six different programs have won national titles during Alvarez’s tenure, including four in the magical 2005-06 season. Fourteen different teams have been crowned as conference champions, including five each during the 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons.

Alvarez’s impact extended far beyond the realm of competition. He oversaw numerous capital projects and inspired donors to contribute more than $150 million over the past 10 years. During his tenure, UW Athletics’ endowment to support student-athlete scholarships more than doubled and rose to one of the largest in the Big Ten. 

Wisconsin Athletics has been transformed since Alvarez’s arrival as the head football coach in January of 1990. What was once a department that was in debt and struggling for fan support and to compete in the Big Ten is now a nationally recognized brand with broad-based success and a legendary following.

Alvarez’s contributions to collegiate athletics can be felt outside of Madison as well. In 2008, he was appointed as one of the chairs of the NCAA's Football Academic Enhancement Group, which was formed to review and recommend improvements for the APR rating. He also serves on the NCAA Football Issues Committee was a member of the College Football Playoff Selection Committee in its first three years and played an integral role in the return of Big Ten football in 2020.