It hasn't been a bad year to be the Director of Athletics at UW-Madison. Barry Alvarez oversees an Athletics Department that has experienced widespread success, as revenue increases, facility enhancement and stronger competition against other schools brought the UW Athletic Department to the national forefront.
A national championship appearance in men's hockey and a return trip to the Rose Bowl not only boosts UW's profile, but also adds value to the university's pocketbook.
Alvarez delayed approval on a new women's hockey facility in March due to a lack of funding, but has since found the $27.9 million necessary to break ground in the spring of 2011.
This past week brought even more good news for Alvarez. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, UW's athletic department ranked tenth in earnings at $93.9 million. That marks a 4.5 percent increase from a year ago and was announced the same day Alvarez was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame—forever immortalizing him as one of Madison's most influential.
—Parker Gabriel
