Wisconsin football has elevated player personnel director Max Stienecker to its general manager, according to Luke Fickell’s recent interview with WOZN’s Zach Heilprin.
After serving as UW’s player personnel director under head coach Luke Fickell in 2023, Stienecker has quickly ascended to the top of the Badgers’ front office. He is set to become the youngest general manager in the Power 4 football at only 24 years old.
Stienecker joined Wisconsin’s staff back in January of 2023 and became the youngest director of player personnel in college football history as a 22-year-old. Following the move, he cracked 247Sports’ 30 Under 30 list.
Prior to joining UW’s football program, Stienecker worked in the Cincinnati Bearcats’ recruiting department alongside future Wisconsin director of recruiting Pat Lambert.
In 2018, Stienecker kick-started his career at Cincinnati as a student assistant and became director of on-campus recruiting role before the Bearcats’ 2021 season.
Wisconsin is promoting player personnel director Max Stienecker to general manager, @On3sports has learned. (@The_Camp_WI first).
A rising star in the personnel space, he's expected to be now the youngest GM in the Power 4.https://t.co/HbBwLSZLxJ pic.twitter.com/BngeaM34EW
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) July 23, 2024
Stienecker’s timeline virtually parallels Fickell’s move from Cincinatti to Madison in November 2022. The Bearcats ultimately reached the College Football Playoff in 2021 with both Fickell and Stienecker heavily involved with the organization.
Since Stienecker and Fickell arrived in Madison, the Badgers have experienced a significant uptick in recruiting outputs. In 2024 alone, Wisconsin finished the recruiting cycle with a top-25 class and the program’s first-ever 50% blue-chip ratio.
The news arrived on the same day Fickell, Hunter Wohler, Jake Chaney and Jack Nelson represented the Badgers at Lucas’ Oil Stadium for UW’s stint at the 2024 Big Ten media days.