Wisconsin reportedly narrowing search for next athletic director, targeting Texas deputy AD and COO Shawn Eichorst

Wisconsin’s search for a new athletic director is reportedly narrowing, with the Badgers increasingly focused on Shawn Eichorst, a Texas deputy athletic director and chief operating officer, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported, according to Saturday Tradition. The development matters because Wisconsin’s athletic department is at a leadership crossroads after Chris McIntosh resigned as AD in April to take a job in a Big Ten office, leaving the program to rebuild its department’s direction from the top.

Eichorst’s name has surfaced as part of a broader AD process rather than as an announced hire. Wisconsin has not publicly confirmed that it has reached a final stage with any candidate in the reporting surrounding this search, and the details that follow should be treated as steps in negotiation, not as a finalized decision. Still, the report suggests the Badgers have moved past the earliest phase of casting a wide net and are concentrating on a shorter list.

From a department-management standpoint, the appeal of Eichorst in such discussions often centers on day-to-day operational experience as much as on athletics-specific leadership. The description of Eichorst’s role at Texas, deputy AD and COO, points to an executive track record that typically involves budgeting, process control, and cross-department coordination, responsibilities that can be particularly important for an AD transitioning through a post-resignation rebuilding window.

For Wisconsin, the immediate context is the vacancy created by McIntosh’s departure. According to the Saturday Tradition write-up, McIntosh resigned in April to take a Big Ten office job. That means the incoming AD, whoever it becomes, inherits more than a title. He or she also inherits the continuity work required to keep staffing stable, maintain recruiting and compliance support functions, and set the tone for how Wisconsin will prioritize revenue-generating sports and facilities decisions in the next cycle.

The Badgers’ football and athletics ecosystem is closely tied to administrative stability. Wisconsin’s recruiting, NIL planning, brand management, and coaching support all operate on timelines that do not wait for an AD search to conclude. When the top position is unsettled, it can influence how quickly departments can finalize long-term plans, from booster engagement strategies to the operational calendar that underpins fall sports and the broader academic-year athletics schedule.

What to watch next is whether Wisconsin moves from “narrowing” to confirmation. A report like this can be a precursor to formal interviews, contract discussions, and eventually an official announcement by the university. For now, the only firm anchor remains the vacancy created by McIntosh’s April resignation and the reported emergence of Eichorst as a leading name in ESPN’s account of the Badgers’ search process.