Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh is stepping down to take a deputy commissioner role with the Big Ten, signaling a strategic leadership transition for the conference and UW.

McIntosh has led UW Athletics since mid-2021, after returning to Madison in 2014 as director of business development and previously serving as deputy athletic director from 2017 to 2021.

Before becoming AD, he built experience as Wisconsin’s deputy athletic director under Barry Alvarez, shaping the department ahead of his tenure as AD.

reporting from Todd Milewski and Sports Business Journal notes the story will be updated as developments unfold.

During his tenure, Wisconsin athletic programs outside football achieved championships and strong showings in women’s hockey, women’s volleyball, and men’s hockey, alongside progress on NIL and revenue initiatives.

Luke Fickell’s hiring as Wisconsin’s football coach marked a notable collaboration during McIntosh’s era, though fan sentiment around both figures has been mixed recently.

In his Big Ten shift, McIntosh will focus on strategy, media, revenue, conference expansion, NIL policies, and partnerships.

The Badger247 coverage of UW athletics provides related content and subscription prompts tied to the university's athletic department.

Wisconsin had not publicly confirmed McIntosh’s departure at the time of initial reporting.

McIntosh expressed gratitude for his time at Wisconsin, emphasizing the people and student-athletes as central to the program’s success and calling the Big Ten opportunity an incredible honor.

Earlier in his tenure, he hired Robin Pingeton as women’s basketball coach after Marissa Moseley’s resignation, with Pingeton guiding the team to a strong first season.

UW captured national titles in women’s hockey (2023, 2025, 2026) and women’s volleyball (2021), and reached the Frozen Four in men’s hockey this season, with a title-game loss to Denver.