How New Badgers AD Shawn Eichorst Plans to Replicate Texas' Success at Wisconsin

What can Eichorst bring from Austin to Madison?

Shawn Eichorst at Nebraska. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Say what you will about Wisconsin's new athletic director Shawn Eichorst — and much ink has certainly already been spilt — he spent the last eight years at the right-hand man to Texas' Chris Del Conte, one of the most revered athletic directors (and programs) in the sport.

The Longhorns boast one of the most storied athletic programs in the nation, but they're also a well-oiled financial machine that've created a standard of excellence for most if not all of their programs.

Eichorst served as Texas' Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer from 2018-2026, and while Texas isn't quite "back" just yet in football, its athletic department has been arguably the best in the nation this decade.

The Longhorns have won five of the last six Directors' Cups, awarded via a point system to the best all-around college athletics programs in the nation based on the sum of how their individual teams finish.

“There are a ton of similarities between Texas and Wisconsin, and that gives me hope," Eichorst said on ESPN Wisconsin radio.

“We’ve been very progressive at Texas, but we’ve also been very original to who we are and we’re gonna do the same thing here. We’re gonna do the things that make us special, and we’re gonna make some adjustments to the extent that we need to make them, but we’re always gonna tie back to who we are. Why wouldn’t you? The strengths of this place, this is a destination place," he continued.

Eichorst's former coworker, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian, leads the team out of the tunnel. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Again, Texas is obviously one of the better-funded operations in the nation. And while Eichorst admitted that some schools simply operate on a larger financial scale than Wisconsin, he stressed that funding can oftentimes take care of itself when the teams are winning.

“That’ll take care of itself when we get this thing tight and rolling," he remarked.

That's not to say Eichorst is letting revenue generation go by the wayside; he told ESPN Wisconsin that he's already spoken with Wisconsin's top 25 donors. But he clearly understands that positive momentum is key; donors have to feel connected and as though they're actually making a difference.

"It’s gonna take time, hard work and everybody buying into it," he said. “Hopefully we go and win a bunch of games this fall. You put wins in the left column, that can solve a lot. I think Barry (Alvarez) said it best, winning is great for the soul, but we need to do some soul building around here."

Can Eichorst's vision work?

Ultimately, listen to Eichorst talk and it's clear he isn't going to attack this job in just one way. There's no copy-and-paste for the success of Texas' athletics and bringing that to Madison, but his experience in facilitating those programs — many of whom thrived under his leadership — can only be a positive for Wisconsin.

The Badgers aren't suddenly going to become Texas in terms of funding, donor base, boosters or national brand recognition. But if Eichorst, a native Wisconsinite, can lean into what makes the state's flagship university special while incorporating what he learned in a highly successful Texas athletics department, he could be just the man for the job.