Staff Directory
Shawn Eichorst
- Title:
- Incoming Director of Athletics
A proven and respected college sports executive, attorney and former collegiate student-athlete, Shawn Eichorst, was appointed Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin in 2026.
Arriving from the University of Texas, where he served as deputy athletics director and chief operating officer, the Lone Rock, Wisconsin, native spent time leading the athletics departments at the University of Nebraska, the University of Miami and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He also served in top administrative roles at the University of South Carolina and previously at the University of Wisconsin.
Since arriving at Texas in 2018, Eichorst has served as an administrator at a dynamic time in collegiate athletics during which he has provided executive oversight of the department’s core business and operational functions including day-to-day administration, football program, strategic planning, fiscal management, business operations and analytics, human resources, policy development, legal affairs, capital planning and construction, facilities and maintenance, game operations, fan services, and information technology.
During his tenure, Texas produced sustained competitive excellence, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024. The department captured the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and three-straight Women’s Capital One Cup titles (best all-around women’s athletics program) from 2021-24. It also won 87 conference championships; 17 NCAA championships (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, Men’s Indoor Track & Field); 15 NCAA runner-up finishes; 56 top-five NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes. Over the last six years, 16 of 21 programs have achieved NCAA top-three finishes, including two NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances (2025 & 2026); five NCAA Women’s Basketball Elite Eight appearances (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026); one Men’s NCAA Basketball Elite Eight appearance (2023); four MCWS Baseball appearances (2018, 2021, 2022, 2026); and four WCWS Softball appearances (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).
Eichorst led and facilitated the department’s facility master planning, overseeing more than $1.335 billion in capital projects across planning, design, construction, renovation, and operations and successfully implemented numerous creative revenue generation strategies. He guided and assisted with the strategic planning, governance and operational structure of the department’s student-athlete Name, Image, and Likeness program, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, competitive positioning, and within the regulatory framework established under the House settlement.
Eichorst played a key role in the strategic planning, negotiation, and execution of the department’s transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference. He supported cross-functional coordination, competitive and financial modeling, operational readiness, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a seamless and strategically advantageous move for the institution.
Prior to Texas, Eichorst served as the Director of Athletics at both the University of Miami (2011-12) and the University of Nebraska (2012-17). During his tenure at Miami, he delivered broad-based competitive success, highlighted by the hiring of Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, who led Miami to the ACC regular-season and tournament championships and the NCAA Sweet 16 in just his second year as head coach.
At Nebraska, the department achieved sustained success across competitive performance, academics, financial stewardship, facilities development, student-athlete support, and national governance leadership. Nebraska teams won three NCAA team national championships and 14 Big Ten Conference titles. Thirteen teams advanced to NCAA post-season competition, with six finishing in the national top 10. Student-athletes captured three individual NCAA championships and 55 Big Ten individual titles, reinforcing Nebraska’s broad-based athletic success across multiple sports. In total, 28 teams finished in the top 10, 63 teams qualified for NCAA post-season play, 120 student-athletes earned Athletic All-America honors, 24 student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors, and one earned the prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award. The football program participated in bowl games in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
During his tenure, the department’s academic profile was strengthened, delivering the highest student-athlete outcomes in school history. In 2016–17, every Nebraska team achieved an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 977 or higher, and the department recorded a Graduation Success Rate of 88%, its fourth consecutive all-time high. Student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.218, marking the fifth-straight year above 3.100.Â
Eichorst enhanced the student-athlete development and performance infrastructure, expanding resources across academics, facilities, athletic medicine, mental health, life skills, nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, travel, apparel, footwear, equipment, and marketing. He also enhanced the holistic development model and the academic, athletic and life-skills preparedness across all programs.
In addition, Eichorst pioneered innovative student-athlete development initiatives, becoming one of the first athletics departments in the nation to provide four-year, full cost-of-attendance scholarships across all 24 sports. He launched the MacBook Pro laptop program to enhance academic resource access and learning. Eichorst created the first-of-its-kind Post-Eligibility Opportunities (PEO) program, offering up to $7,500 for graduates to pursue internships, study abroad, or graduate/professional school. He also established the department’s first Service Abroad program, providing global engagement and cultural-competency experiences in Guatemala (2015), the Dominican Republic (2016), and Nicaragua (2017).
During his time at Nebraska, Eichorst grew revenue and fundraising, made significant improvement in the facilities, operated the department without university subsidies while eliminating long-term debt service obligations, enhanced campus partnerships, strengthened donor and alumni engagement, and maintained a strong culture of integrity and compliance.
Eichorst worked in Wisconsin Athletics between 2006-11, rising to the position of Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer, managing the department’s day-to-day operations, including legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, academic services, and compliance. He served as the sport administrator for men’s basketball and acted as the primary liaison to the Chancellor’s Office, the Athletic Board, the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and regulatory expectations.
Eichorst began his athletics administrative career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), during which it developed into one of the nation's premier Division III athletic programs before he departed for a leadership role at the University of South Carolina.
Over his career in athletics, he has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Committee, the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Ad-Hoc Working Group (Co-Chair), NCAA Division I Football Oversight Camps/Clinics Subcommittee (Chair), NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, and the Rose Bowl Management Committee.
Eichorst graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1990 with a degree in business, where he was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks. He served as team captain during his senior season.
He also holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he taught sports law as an adjunct professor. He also was in private law practice prior to beginning his career in intercollegiate athletics administration.
Eichorst and his wife, Kristin, have three sons: Jack, Joseph and Bennett.
University of Texas (2018-26)
Deputy Athletic Director
Chief Operating Officer
University of Nebraska (2013-17)
Director of Athletics
University of Wisconsin (2006-11)
Deputy Athletics Director (2009-11)
Executive Associate Athletic Director (2007-09)
Senior Associate Athletic Director (2006-07)
University of South Carolina (2004-06)
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration
Interim Athletic Director (June 2005)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (1999-2003)
Director of AthleticsÂ
Arriving from the University of Texas, where he served as deputy athletics director and chief operating officer, the Lone Rock, Wisconsin, native spent time leading the athletics departments at the University of Nebraska, the University of Miami and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He also served in top administrative roles at the University of South Carolina and previously at the University of Wisconsin.
Since arriving at Texas in 2018, Eichorst has served as an administrator at a dynamic time in collegiate athletics during which he has provided executive oversight of the department’s core business and operational functions including day-to-day administration, football program, strategic planning, fiscal management, business operations and analytics, human resources, policy development, legal affairs, capital planning and construction, facilities and maintenance, game operations, fan services, and information technology.
During his tenure, Texas produced sustained competitive excellence, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024. The department captured the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and three-straight Women’s Capital One Cup titles (best all-around women’s athletics program) from 2021-24. It also won 87 conference championships; 17 NCAA championships (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, Men’s Indoor Track & Field); 15 NCAA runner-up finishes; 56 top-five NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes. Over the last six years, 16 of 21 programs have achieved NCAA top-three finishes, including two NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances (2025 & 2026); five NCAA Women’s Basketball Elite Eight appearances (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026); one Men’s NCAA Basketball Elite Eight appearance (2023); four MCWS Baseball appearances (2018, 2021, 2022, 2026); and four WCWS Softball appearances (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).
Eichorst led and facilitated the department’s facility master planning, overseeing more than $1.335 billion in capital projects across planning, design, construction, renovation, and operations and successfully implemented numerous creative revenue generation strategies. He guided and assisted with the strategic planning, governance and operational structure of the department’s student-athlete Name, Image, and Likeness program, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, competitive positioning, and within the regulatory framework established under the House settlement.
Eichorst played a key role in the strategic planning, negotiation, and execution of the department’s transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference. He supported cross-functional coordination, competitive and financial modeling, operational readiness, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a seamless and strategically advantageous move for the institution.
Prior to Texas, Eichorst served as the Director of Athletics at both the University of Miami (2011-12) and the University of Nebraska (2012-17). During his tenure at Miami, he delivered broad-based competitive success, highlighted by the hiring of Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, who led Miami to the ACC regular-season and tournament championships and the NCAA Sweet 16 in just his second year as head coach.
At Nebraska, the department achieved sustained success across competitive performance, academics, financial stewardship, facilities development, student-athlete support, and national governance leadership. Nebraska teams won three NCAA team national championships and 14 Big Ten Conference titles. Thirteen teams advanced to NCAA post-season competition, with six finishing in the national top 10. Student-athletes captured three individual NCAA championships and 55 Big Ten individual titles, reinforcing Nebraska’s broad-based athletic success across multiple sports. In total, 28 teams finished in the top 10, 63 teams qualified for NCAA post-season play, 120 student-athletes earned Athletic All-America honors, 24 student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors, and one earned the prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award. The football program participated in bowl games in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
During his tenure, the department’s academic profile was strengthened, delivering the highest student-athlete outcomes in school history. In 2016–17, every Nebraska team achieved an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 977 or higher, and the department recorded a Graduation Success Rate of 88%, its fourth consecutive all-time high. Student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.218, marking the fifth-straight year above 3.100.Â
Eichorst enhanced the student-athlete development and performance infrastructure, expanding resources across academics, facilities, athletic medicine, mental health, life skills, nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, travel, apparel, footwear, equipment, and marketing. He also enhanced the holistic development model and the academic, athletic and life-skills preparedness across all programs.
In addition, Eichorst pioneered innovative student-athlete development initiatives, becoming one of the first athletics departments in the nation to provide four-year, full cost-of-attendance scholarships across all 24 sports. He launched the MacBook Pro laptop program to enhance academic resource access and learning. Eichorst created the first-of-its-kind Post-Eligibility Opportunities (PEO) program, offering up to $7,500 for graduates to pursue internships, study abroad, or graduate/professional school. He also established the department’s first Service Abroad program, providing global engagement and cultural-competency experiences in Guatemala (2015), the Dominican Republic (2016), and Nicaragua (2017).
During his time at Nebraska, Eichorst grew revenue and fundraising, made significant improvement in the facilities, operated the department without university subsidies while eliminating long-term debt service obligations, enhanced campus partnerships, strengthened donor and alumni engagement, and maintained a strong culture of integrity and compliance.
Eichorst worked in Wisconsin Athletics between 2006-11, rising to the position of Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer, managing the department’s day-to-day operations, including legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, academic services, and compliance. He served as the sport administrator for men’s basketball and acted as the primary liaison to the Chancellor’s Office, the Athletic Board, the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and regulatory expectations.
Eichorst began his athletics administrative career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), during which it developed into one of the nation's premier Division III athletic programs before he departed for a leadership role at the University of South Carolina.
Over his career in athletics, he has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Committee, the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Ad-Hoc Working Group (Co-Chair), NCAA Division I Football Oversight Camps/Clinics Subcommittee (Chair), NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, and the Rose Bowl Management Committee.
Eichorst graduated from UW-Whitewater in 1990 with a degree in business, where he was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks. He served as team captain during his senior season.
He also holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he taught sports law as an adjunct professor. He also was in private law practice prior to beginning his career in intercollegiate athletics administration.
Eichorst and his wife, Kristin, have three sons: Jack, Joseph and Bennett.
University of Texas (2018-26)
Deputy Athletic Director
Chief Operating Officer
University of Nebraska (2013-17)
Director of Athletics
University of Wisconsin (2006-11)
Deputy Athletics Director (2009-11)
Executive Associate Athletic Director (2007-09)
Senior Associate Athletic Director (2006-07)
University of South Carolina (2004-06)
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Administration
Interim Athletic Director (June 2005)
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (1999-2003)
Director of AthleticsÂ
Friday, July 03
Wednesday, June 24
Thursday, June 04
Friday, May 15
