Tag: Mark Johnson

Wisconsin approves contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard

Wisconsin approves contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard

The University of Wisconsin Athletic Board approved a contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard on Friday.

The extension is a procedural move and was done for all of the organization’s winter coaches. It extends Gard’s contract through May 31, 2029. He remains one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport.

Related: An updated look at Wisconsin basketball’s 2024-25 roster after Chucky Hepburn’s departure

Gard will enter his 10th season manning the sidelines for the Badgers during the 2024-2025 campaign. Since taking over for Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bo Ryan, Gard has led Wisconsin to six NCAA Tournament appearances and was named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022.

Wisconsin Athletic Director Chris McIntosh previously expressed a vote of confidence in Gard after the conclusion of the team’s 2023-24 season.

The Cobb, Wisconsin native boasts the third-highest winning percentage (.635) in program history, trailing only the aforementioned Ryan (.737) and Walter Meanwell (.712).

The Badgers has experienced a seismic shift in personnel over the past few weeks. Chucky Hepburn, AJ Storr, Tyler Wahl and Conor Essegian are among eight Badgers to depart Madison via graduation or the transfer portal.

Gard is firmly in place to guide the program through a turbulent offseason.

Alongside Gard, the UW Athletic Board approved the extensions of five other winter head coaches — Marisa Moseley (women’s basketball), Yuri Suguiyama (swimming and diving), Mike Hastings (men’s hockey), Mark Johnson (women’s hockey) and Chris Bono (wrestling).

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Wisconsin women’s hockey unable to repeat as NCAA champs

Wisconsin women’s hockey unable to repeat as NCAA champs

The Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team was unable to repeat as national champions Sunday, losing to Ohio State 1-0 in the NCAA title game. In a rematch of last year’s championship matchup, the Buckeyes got the better of the Badgers this time around.

Knotted up at 0-0 through the first two periods, the both teams’ defenses were showcased throughout the contest with Ohio State freshman Joy Donne finally placing one in the net with 7:12 remaining in the third period.

The teams were as evenly matched as possible with Ohio State taking 28 shots and the Badgers with 26, while both teams had no penalties.

Although Wisconsin wasn’t able to repeat as national champions, they did appear in their 11th NCAA title game (seven-time winners) while being a part of their 15th Frozen Four, all of which have come since 2006.

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Wisconsin women’s hockey back in the national championship

The Wisconsin women’s hockey team will face off with Ohio State in the National Championship on Sunday

The Wisconsin women’s hockey team will face off with Ohio State in the National Championship on Sunday in Durham, New Hampshire. The Badgers defeated Colgate 3-1 in the semifinals Friday, setting up a rematch with the Buckeyes.

Mark Johnson’s squad is the reigning national champions, taking down Ohio State 1-0 in the title game last March, securing their seventh championship in program history.

In five contests against the Buckeyes this season, Wisconsin has gone 2-3, but they have won the last two matchups, including a 6-3 victory in the WCHA Final Faceoff title game on March 9.

The Badgers come into Sunday’s contest red-hot, winners of seven games in a row, while the Buckeyes took down Clarkson 4-1 in the semifinals Friday.

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