Wisconsin
A look at the record, top wins of Wisconsin basketball coach Greg Gard as he closes in on win No. 200
MADISON – Bo Ryan, Harold “Bud” Foster, Walter “Doc” Meanwell and …. Greg Gard.
The Wisconsin men’s basketball program has been around since 1898 and during 127 seasons only three coaches have had enough success and longevity to win 200 games.
Gard is on the cusp of joining the fraternity.
The Badgers’ coach holds a 199-110 record heading into the team’s game against Ohio State on Tuesday night (8 p.m., Peacock). Reaching win No. 200 would not only put him in rare company at UW but also in the Big Ten, where only four other coaches have won 200 games at their current school.
Here is more about the Badgers’ coach.
How old is Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Greg Gard?
Gard is 54 years old. He was born on Dec. 3, 1970.
Has Greg Gard won a Big Ten title?
The Badgers have won two Big Ten championships under Gard’s leadership. The 2019-20 team finished with a 14-6 record and tied Maryland and Michigan State for the conference title. Two years later Wisconsin went 15-5 and shared the league championship with Illinois.
How much is Greg Gard’s salary?
According to USA Today, Gard had a yearly salary of $3,765,875 last season, which ranked fifth in the Big Ten. His contract runs through the 2028-29 season.
Who are Wisconsin’s men’s basketball coaching leaders
Bo Ryan, 2002-15: 364-130, .737
Harold “Bud” Foster, 1935-59: 265-267, .498
Walter “Doc” Meanwell, 1912-17, 21-34: 246-99, .712
GREG GARD, 2015-present: 199-110, .664
Steve Yoder, 1983-92: 128-165, .437
John Erickson, 1960-68: 100-114, .467
Dick Bennett, 1996-2000: 94-68, .580
John Powless, 1969-76: 88-108, .449
Bill Cofield, 1977-82: 63-101, .384
Emmett Angell, 1905-08: 43-15, .741
Where does Greg Gard’s record stand among Big Ten coaches
Gard ranks fifth in victories among Big Ten coaches at their current school and ranks sixth in longest tenure. Here is the list. Records are through Sunday.
Tom Izzo, Michigan State: 721-297, 30th season
Matt Painter, Purdue: 460-207, 20th season
Dan Altman, Oregon: 360-154-, 15th season
Fran McCaffery, Iowa: 292-195, 15th season
GREG GARD, WISCONSIN: 199-110, 10th season
Chris Collins, Northwestern: 187-180, 12th season
Brad Underwood, Illinois: 155-92, eighth season
Steve Pikiell, Rutgers: 140-130, ninth season
Mick Cronin, UCLA: 126-58, sixth season
Mike Woodson, Indiana: 76-44, fourth season
Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska: 75-98, sixth season
Kevin Willard, Maryland: 50-34, third season
Ben Johnson, Minnesota: 49-62, fourth season
Mike Rhoades, Penn State: 28-22, second season
Jake Diebler, Ohio State: 18-8, second season
Dusty May, Michigan: 13-3, first season
Eric Musselman, USC: 10-6, first season
Danny Sprinkle, Washington: 10-7, first season
What is Greg Gard’s year-by-year record?
| Year | Rec. | Pct. | Conf. | Rec. | Finish | Postseason |
| 2015-16 | 15-8 | .652 | Big Ten | 12-6 | T3rd | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2016-17 | 27-10 | .730 | Big Ten | 12-6 | T2nd | NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2017-18 | 15-18 | .455 | Big Ten | 7-11 | 9th | |
| 2018-19 | 23-11 | .676 | Big Ten | 14-6 | 4th | NCAA Tour. (1st round) |
| 2019-20 | 21-10 | .677 | Big Ten | 14-6 | T1st | NCAA Tour.* |
| 2020-21 | 18-13 | .581 | Big Ten | 10-10 | T-6th | NCAA Tour. (2nd round) |
| 2021-22 | 25-8 | .758 | Big Ten | 15-5 | T-1st | NCAA Tour. (2nd round) |
| 2022-23 | 20-15 | .571 | Big Ten | 9-11 | T-11th | NIT semifinals |
| 2023-24 | 22-14 | .611 | Big Ten | 11-9 | 5th | NCAA Tour. (1st round) |
| 2024-25 | 13-3 | .813 | Big Ten | 3-2 | ||
| Totals | 199-110 | .664 | Big Ten | 107-72 |
*auto bid – NCAA tournament canceled.
Top wins of the Greg Gard era
No. 1: Wisconsin beat UW-Green Bay, 84-79, Dec. 23, 2015
Gard’s first victory almost wasn’t. Wisconsin lost all but three points of a 30-point second-half lead before closing out the game with a crucial blocked shot by junior Vitto Brown and 8-for-9 shooting from the free throw line. Junior Nigel Hayes finished with 24 points. Redshirt freshman Ethan Happ posted 16 points and eight boards. Brown finished the night with 15 points and team highs in rebounds (nine) and blocks (three).
No. 15: Wisconsin beats Xavier, 66-63, March 20, 2016
This is one of the most iconic victories of the Gard era and it gave the Badgers a spot in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. Junior Bronson Koenig is remembered for his last-second three-pointer from the corner. It was part of a breakout performance from a prolonged shooting slump. The La Crosse native drilled 6 three-pointers, including the bucket that tied the game with 14 seconds left.
No. 42: Wisconsin stuns No. 1 Villanova, March 17, 2017
The Badgers rallied from a seven-point deficit with 5½ minutes to play to defeat a Wildcats squad loaded with future NBA players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo. Bronson Koenig hit 2 threes and score eight points during the comeback. Nigel Hayes had two buckets, including the go-ahead score with 11.4 seconds left. This victory sent the Badgers to the Sweet 16 for the fourth straight season to tie a Big Ten record shared with four other programs.
No. 101: Wisconsin beats Indiana, clinches Big Ten title share, March 7, 2020
The Badgers finished the season in a three-way tie for the Big Ten title with Maryland and Michigan State, but they won their share first, rallying from a seven-point deficit with 7 minutes to play to win their eighth straight game. Junior Nate Reuvers finished with 17 points for UW, Junior Micah Potter posted 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Brad Davison, also a junior, sealed the win with two free throws with 7.1 seconds to play.
No. 143: Wisconsin beats Purdue to gain Big Ten title share, March 1, 2022
Chucky Hepburn banked in a three-pointer with 1.5 seconds to play to lift Wisconsin to a victory that assured it of a share of the Big Ten crown. The points capped what was at the time a career-high 17 points for the freshman point guard. Junior Tyler Wahl led Wisconsin in points (19) and steals (five). Hepburn went 4 for 6 from three-point range and sophomore guard Johnny Davis flirted with a double-double (16 points, eight rebounds).
BELOIT, Wis. — State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Representative Clinton Anderson (D-Beloit) introduced LRB-5709 on March 5, legislation that would implement ranked choice voting for state, federal, and local elections in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin legislation would also eliminate the need for February primaries in nonpartisan elections.
Today, voters in Wisconsin almost never elect independent candidates, because the state’s elections are decided by first-past-the-post plurality voting (FPPV). In this system, a voter’s expression of preference is restricted to a single candidate. Each voter has just one choice, and if there are more than two candidates in the race, winning by plurality rather than majority is quite possible.
Consequently, no matter how attractive an independent candidate may seem in the spring, summer, and early fall of an election year, he or she will be tarnished as a “spoiler” on Election Day and will almost certainly lose.
This unfortunate situation reduces the supply of independent candidates willing to compete and perpetually forces Americans into one of two warring factions.
In contrast, ranked-choice voting (RCV) allows voters to express their true preference for each candidate by ranking them in order of preference.
If no candidate wins an outright majority, the candidate with the lowest number of first-place votes is eliminated, and the second-preference votes of his or her supporters are redistributed to the remaining candidates.
This “instant runoff” process continues until a majority winner is determined. Not only does RCV give voters “more voice” in elections, but it also has the potential to stop our political system from tearing us apart into two camps.
Senator Spreitzer called the bill an improvement over a system that forces strategic voting.
“Under ranked choice voting, voters can vote for the candidate they like the most instead of having to strategically vote against the candidate they like the least,” he said.
“It is a system that encourages positive campaigns, ensures that winners have the support of a majority of voters, and allows more candidates to run without being seen as a waste of a vote or a spoiler.”
Representative Anderson pointed to existing models as evidence that the system works.
“Ranked choice voting is not a new idea. It’s already working in states like Maine and Alaska, and in cities like New York City,” he said.
“Our current system rewards candidates for tearing each other down instead of building broad support. Ranked choice voting changes that. It encourages campaigns focused on issues and coalition-building, ensures nominees win with a true majority, and creates space for more voices beyond the two-party system.”
For the best analysis of the pernicious effects of a lack of competition in our political system, please read The Politics Industry by Wisconsinite Katherine M. Gehl and her co-author, Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter.
It is never too early to evaluate defensive back depth for the 2026 NFL Draft. Todd Bowles’ defense relies heavily on versatile safeties who can rotate between deep coverage, the slot, and the box while maintaining physicality against the run. Identifying defensive backs who bring positional flexibility and strong tackling ability remains an important part of building depth in Tampa Bay’s secondary.
We are working through each position group this cycle. With that in mind, here is our report on Wisconsin safety Austin Brown.
Information
- School: Wisconsin
- Conference: Big Ten
- Position: Safety
- Height Weight: 6-1, 215 pounds
- Class: Senior
- Hometown: Johnston City, Illinois
Background
Brown developed into a reliable defensive presence during his time at Wisconsin, progressing from a special teams contributor early in his career to a full-time starter in the secondary. After appearing in all 13 games during his freshman season primarily on special teams, Brown steadily expanded his role within the Badgers’ defense over the next three seasons.
By 2024, Brown had earned eight starts and finished the season with 51 tackles, three pass breakups, one sack, and a forced fumble. One of his standout performances came against USC, where he recorded nine tackles and delivered a strip-sack while adding two tackles for loss. His ability to contribute in multiple ways helped establish him as a dependable defensive back in Wisconsin’s secondary.
Brown took on an even larger role in 2025, starting all 12 games and finishing the year with 52 tackles, one tackle for loss, and three passes defended. His most productive outing came against Alabama, where he recorded 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Throughout the season, he showed versatility by aligning at safety, slot defender, and occasionally outside corner, depending on the defensive package.
Academically, Brown also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors multiple times during his career.
Notable Stats
- 672 total snaps
- 43 tackles
- 14 assisted tackles
- 3 passes defended
- 1 pressure
- 1 hurry
Brown’s 2024 season stands out as his most efficient evaluation year, highlighted by a 73.7 overall defensive grade and an 85.8 tackling grade according to PFF.
Pro Day Testing
Brown also helped himself significantly during Wisconsin’s pro day testing session. His 20 repetitions on the bench press would have ranked as the top mark among safeties at the 2026 NFL Combine, surpassing the leading total of 18 reps recorded by a safety in Indianapolis.
He followed that with a 43-inch vertical jump, which would have also placed him at the top of the safety group at the combine. Arizona safety Genesis Smith recorded a 42.5-inch vertical during combine testing.
Those testing numbers highlight Brown’s explosiveness and upper-body strength. While his production reflects a steady defensive contributor, the athletic testing shows physical tools that could help him get drafted and carve out a role at the next level.
Skills
- High-effort defensive back
- Versatile alignment experience across the secondary
- Strong tackling production for the position
- Physical build at 6-1, 215 pounds
- Reliable short-area pursuit
- Experience playing safety, slot, and outside coverage roles
- Disciplined run support
Brown’s versatility stands out when evaluating his role in Wisconsin’s defense. He logged snaps at multiple positions in the secondary, including free safety, slot defender, and outside coverage assignments, depending on the defensive package.
His physical build allows him to contribute effectively against the run. Brown consistently works downhill to finish tackles and limit yards after contact. His tackling efficiency improved significantly between 2023 and 2024, which showed up in his strong tackling grade during the 2024 season.
In coverage, Brown shows awareness of zone concepts and the ability to stay involved around the football. While he does not profile as a pure center-field range safety, his instincts and effort allow him to remain active within structured defensive schemes.
Player Summary
Austin Brown projects as a Day 3 draft selection who offers value as a versatile defensive back capable of contributing in multiple alignments. His combination of size, tackling reliability, and positional flexibility gives him a pathway to carve out a role as a rotational safety and special teams contributor early in his career.
In Tampa Bay, Brown would profile as a developmental depth option in Todd Bowles’ secondary. His experience playing multiple positions in the defensive backfield fits well with the variety of roles required in Bowles’ defense, giving him the potential to grow into a dependable rotational defender while contributing on special teams.
![[Photo Story] Penn State Men’s Hockey Disappoints Against Wisconsin](https://i3.wp.com/cdn.onwardstate.com/uploads/2026/03/p2hockey-v-wisconsin-2.jpg?ssl=1 "[Photo Story] Penn State Men’s Hockey Disappoints Against Wisconsin")
With the last regular-season series, No. 6 Penn State men’s hockey dropped both games to No. 11 Wisconsin over the weekend. The Nittany Lions were outplayed both nights, wrapping up their season to finish with a record of 20-12-2.
Of course, our photographers were at Pegula Ice Arena to capture all the action. Let’s take a look.
Wisconsin was dominant in both games against Penn State, winning 7-3 and 5-2, respectively. The Badgers outshot the Nittany Lions 41-31 on Thursday and 37-25 on Friday. Charlie Cerrato made a notable appearance. He played his first game back on Friday after being injured January 9 against Minnesota.
In Thursday’s game, the Nittany Lions fought for the first two periods, but the Badgers’ goal opened the third period and killed all of the momentum. In Friday’s game, the Nittany Lions fell behind from the very start and never built momentum to overcome the deficit.
Penn State now goes on to the Big Ten Tournament, where it will go up against Minnesota at home. Puck is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11.
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