Report: Wisconsin to make Greg Gard Bo Ryan's permanent replacement
Interim University of Wisconsin men's basketball coach Greg Gard will be officially introduced as Bo Ryan's permanent successor Tuesday, the Wisconsin State Journal first reported Monday.
Greg Gard will be introduced as the #Badgers coach on Tuesday. Announcement could come as soon as tonight. https://t.co/tXcOxhi8YI
— Jim Polzin (@JimPolzinWSJ) March 7, 2016
ESPN is reporting that Gard will receive a five-year deal.
Wisconsin’s Greg Gard set to have interim tag removed and receive a 5-year deal, sources told ESPN — https://t.co/fKu3RPQ53y
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) March 7, 2016
Gard, 45, was given the interim job when Ryan stepped down abruptly on Dec. 15. Ryan, 68, had led the Badgers to the NCAA tournament in each of his previous 14 seasons at Wisconsin and was coming off a year in which his team lost to Duke in the NCAA championship game. But the Badgers had started 7-5 and seemed to be on a path to ending Ryan's streak after he had contemplated retirement in the offseason.
Wisconsin dropped to 9-9 under Gard before the new coach righted the ship by winning seven straight games and 11 of 13 overall to put Wisconsin (20-11 and 12-6) back in the thick of the NCAA race.
Last weekend, Ryan was cleared by the university of allegations that he misused school resources while having what he admitted was an "improper personal relationship" with a woman who was not his wife.
