Wisconsin tabs pro sports execs to aid in athletics director search

Wisconsin has begun its search to replace athletics director Chris McIntosh, and it's turning to some big names in professional sports for consulting roles.

McIntosh, a UW alum who had worked in the athletics department since 2014, left the Badgers last month to become the Big Ten deputy commissioner for strategy. He had been the athletics director since 2021, with Marcus Sedberry currently serving as the interim in his absence.

Wisconsin announced a nine-person committee to aid with the search, and among the names on that list are Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard and current Dallas Mavericks interim general manager Michael Finley. Ballard and Finley are both UW alums and played for the Badgers in football and basketball, respectively.

Whoever the Badgers hire will likely face a critical decision in Year 1 regarding head football coach Luke Fickell. Despite holding a 17-21 record in three full seasons, Wisconsin opted to retain Fickell in a somewhat surprising move after a 4-8 season in 2025.

However, Fickell could find himself out of a job without significant improvement this fall.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Wisconsin turns to Chris Ballard, Michael Finley for AD search help