University of Wisconsin Initiates Search for New Athletic Director

Apr 27, 2026, 10:28

Introduction

The University of Wisconsin is currently seeking a new athletic director following the departure of Chris McIntosh, who transitioned to a role as deputy commissioner for strategy within the Big Ten conference. Marcus Sedberry has been appointed to serve as the interim athletic director during this transition.

Main Body

The current vacancy represents a rare administrative shift for the institution, marking only the third such transition in over three decades. Historically, the position has been characterized by long-term stability, with Pat Richter and Barry Alvarez serving approximately 15 and 17 years respectively, while McIntosh served five. This search coincides with a broader leadership vacancy at the university, as the institution also lacks a permanent chancellor following Jennifer Mnookin's move to Columbia University. Administrative uncertainty is compounded by the fact that the university has not yet announced a formal search committee or an external search firm. Consequently, various candidates with ties to the state or the institution have been identified as potential fits. Internal continuity may be pursued via Marcus Sedberry, who has served as deputy athletic director since 2022 and assumed football general manager duties in 2025. However, his candidacy is framed by the recent performance of the football program, which has experienced its first consecutive losing seasons since the early 1990s. External candidates with significant collegiate experience include Jamie Pollard of Iowa State, who possesses a 21-year record of success and prior experience at Wisconsin, and Sean Frazier of Northern Illinois, a former finalist for the position in 2021. Other potential candidates include Shawn Eichorst, currently the deputy AD/COO at Texas, and David Harris, the athletic director at Tulane. Garrett Klassy, the current athletic director at Fresno State, also maintains professional and academic ties to the university. Beyond collegiate administration, the search may extend to professional sports executives. Brad Alberts, the current president and CEO of the NHL's Dallas Stars, is noted for his professional success and his origins in Wisconsin. The final selection will likely depend on whether the university prioritizes internal continuity, established power-conference administration, or professional sports management experience.

Conclusion

The University of Wisconsin is currently in a period of dual leadership transition at both the athletic and chancellor levels, with the athletic department operating under interim management while a permanent successor to Chris McIntosh is identified.

Vocabulary Learning

compounded (adj.)

intensified / made more complex by additional factors加劇的

Example:The administrative uncertainty was compounded by the fact that no search committee had yet been announced.

executives (n.)

senior managerial personnel高級管理人員

Example:The search may extend to professional sports executives.

interim (adj.)

temporary or provisional臨時的

Example:Marcus Sedberry will serve as interim athletic director during this period.

potential (adj.)

capable of future development潛在的

Example:The committee identified several candidates as potential fits for the position.

succession (n.)

the act of following in order繼任

Example:The succession to Chris McIntosh is being carefully managed.

Sentence Learning

The current vacancy represents a rare administrative shift for the institution, marking only the third such transition in over three decades.

Participial Phrase: The sentence uses a participial phrase "marking only the third such transition in over three decades" to add descriptive detail without a separate clause, demonstrating concise information delivery.分詞短語: 句子使用分詞短語「marking only the third such transition in over three decades」在不另起從句的情況下提供附加描述，展現信息簡潔傳遞。

Administrative uncertainty is compounded by the fact that the university has not yet announced a formal search committee or an external search firm.

Nominalization & Subordinate Clause: The clause "the fact that the university has not yet announced a formal search committee or an external search firm" turns the action into a noun phrase, allowing it to function as the object of "is compounded by".名詞化與從句: 子句「the fact that the university has not yet announced a formal search committee or an external search firm」將動作名詞化，成為「is compounded by」的賓語，顯示名詞化用法。

However, his candidacy is framed by the recent performance of the football program, which has experienced its first consecutive losing seasons since the early 1990s.

Relative Clause: The relative clause "which has experienced its first consecutive losing seasons since the early 1990s" provides essential information about the football program, illustrating the use of a non-defining relative clause to add detail.關係子句: 關係子句「which has experienced its first consecutive losing seasons since the early 1990s」為足球隊提供關鍵資訊，示範非限定性關係子句的細節添加。

Beyond collegiate administration, the search may extend to professional sports executives.

Prepositional Phrase as Adverbial: The prepositional phrase "Beyond collegiate administration" functions adverbially, indicating the scope of the search and showing how prepositions can modify entire clauses.介詞短語作副詞: 介詞短語「Beyond collegiate administration」作為副詞使用，指明搜尋的範圍，展示介詞如何修飾整個句子。

The final selection will likely depend on whether the university prioritizes internal continuity, established power-conference administration, or professional sports management experience.

Noun Clause as Complement: The noun clause "whether the university prioritizes internal continuity, established power-conference administration, or professional sports management experience" acts as the object of "depend on," exemplifying how noun clauses can function as complements within a sentence.名詞子句作賓語: 名詞子句「whether the university prioritizes internal continuity, established power-conference administration, or professional sports management experience」作為「depend on」的賓語，說明名詞子句在句中作為賓語的用法。