Badgers announce Shawn Eichorst as AD, contract details revealed
· Yahoo Sports
The Wisconsin Badgers officially announced the hiring of Texas Longhorns Deputy Athletic Director and COO Shawn Eichorst as their next Athletic Director on Wednesday, following Tuesday’s report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel that the move was in the process of happening.
Eichorst, a Wisconsin native, returns to the school where he was the Senior Associate Athletic Director, Executive Associate Athletic Director, and later the Deputy Athletic Director from 2006-11 before accepting his first Power 4 Athletic Director job with the Miami Hurricanes.
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He’s best known for his stint as the Athletic Director of the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 2012-17 before his ouster, and had most recently been working in Texas’s Athletic Department.
On Wednesday, following Wisconsin’s announcement, Thamel revealed that Eichorst will receive a five-year contract.
“We began this process seeking to identify a new leader who would build on our excellence and continue to elevate our program for the future in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics,” interim Chancellor Eric Wilcots said in a statement. “We have found that person in Shawn Eichorst, who brings incredible experience, a history of innovation and success at the highest level, and a commitment to student-athletes welfare. The fact that he is a native of Wisconsin, and understands our university and state, is a tremendous bonus.”
“It is truly an honor to return home to the State of Wisconsin and to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a place and an institution that has meant so much to me and to our family for many years,” Eichorst added in a statement.
“Wisconsin represents everything that is great about higher education and college athletics—academic and competitive excellence, integrity, and a commitment to serving others. I am deeply grateful to interim Chancellor Wilcots and to the search committee for the confidence and trust that they have placed in me and in my vision for the future of Wisconsin Athletics.”
Here’s what UW Athletics wrote about Eichorst’s tenure at Texas in a press release:
“Eichorst joined UT-Austin in 2018, where he has provided executive oversight for the department’s core business and operational functions, including day‑to‑day administration, its football program, business operations, and facilities and construction, among other responsibilities. 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.
“During his tenure, UT-Austin produced sustained success in competition, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024.
“In that period, the Longhorns also won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships; 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 Top 5 NCAA finishes; and 79 Top 10 NCAA finishes; along with capturing the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and winning 14 SEC titles in the school’s first 2-years of membership – a league best.”
Eichorst received praise from Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, as well as Badgers softball coach Yvette Healy and basketball head coach Greg Gard, upon news of the move.
“Shawn is an incredible leader and even better person, and I’m so happy he is getting the opportunity to return home,” Del Conte said. “We were very fortunate that he joined us eight years ago. Shawn brought tremendous passion, dedication and vision to his role and helped our athletics department achieve record-setting success both athletically and academically.”
“At Wisconsin, Shawn was tough and smart as an administrator, always caring a great deal about growing our programs and creating a culture of success,” Healy said. “I always appreciated his personal approach, listening to and challenging coaches while also supporting us and caring about our families.”
“Shawn brings the perfect combination of understanding what it means to be successful at Wisconsin while adding experience and wisdom from other top collegiate programs,” Gard added. “He’s extremely bright and a man of great integrity and passion. He’ll be able to hit the ground running in Madison and guide us into the future of collegiate athletics.”
In the statement, Wilcots also expressed appreciation for interim Athletic Director Marcus Sedberry. Wisconsin shared that Eichorst will report directly to Wilcots, serve on his executive committee, and provide oversight for all aspects of the university’s varsity athletic programs, with a strong emphasis on student-athlete health, well-being, academic success, finance and facilities, fundraising, and excellence in competition.