The new head coach of the University of Wisconsin men’s basketball team, Greg Gard, was formally introduced at a news conference Tuesday at the Kohl Center.
Gard is a familiar face: He’s been interim head coach since December, when Bo Ryan retired. Before that, he was the Badgers’ assistant coach.
Gard said he could not be more happy or proud to lead the UW men’s basketball team. He told reporters that as a lifetime Wisconsin resident, he understands what the team means to fans and the state.
Stay informed on the latest news
Sign up for WPR’s email newsletter.
“I’m a lucky guy to be able to navigate my way through my career and not have to change my ZIP code out of the state of Wisconsin,” he said. “You know how unique that is, and rare? You know how special that is? That’s unbelievable.”
UW Athletic Director Barry Alvarez said having a coach from Wisconsin was important, but not a necessity. He said the bottom line was having the Badgers get better as they take on tough opponents.
As an interim coach, Gard has led Wisconsin to a 13-6 record, which includes victories over top-10 ranked teams.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2024, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
