Story perspectives

UW hires Texas exec Shawn Eichorst as new AD

7/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

Shawn Eichorst was hired as the University of Wisconsin’s athletic director.
He spent eight years as deputy athletic director at the University of Texas-Austin and said he will bring Texas fundraising, analytics and administrative practices to Wisconsin.
He met with every Badgers head coach, including Luke Fickell and Greg Gard, highlighted his long-standing analytics collaboration with Gard, and praised Fickell as a high-character leader while preserving Wisconsin’s culture.

History

Historical Context

After the 1984 NCAA TV-rights ruling freed conferences to sell their own broadcasts, the Big Ten Conference launched the Big Ten Network in August 2007. The channel gave member schools a revenue stream and changed how programs market themselves. Wisconsin’s 2008 tournament win illustrated the conference’s growing on-court success alongside its new media platform.

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Story summary

Shawn Eichorst was hired as the University of Wisconsin’s athletic director.
He spent eight years as deputy athletic director at the University of Texas-Austin and said he will bring Texas fundraising, analytics and administrative practices to Wisconsin.
He met with every Badgers head coach, including Luke Fickell and Greg Gard, highlighted his long-standing analytics collaboration with Gard, and praised Fickell as a high-character leader while preserving Wisconsin’s culture.

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