News

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced its 61st class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Former student-athletes Dana Thompson Askey ’11 (women’s basketball/track and field), Brian Butzler ’12 (cross country/track and field), Karla Eggerson (track and field), Emily Gerber-Kluck ’11 (women’s basketball), Ron Haidinger ’76 (wrestling/football), Aubrey Lewis-Byers (men’s basketball), Jessica Stang Markgraf ’11 (softball), Caitlin Hogan Perry ’10 (volleyball), AJ Raebel ’09 (football) and Travis Van Zile ’03 (baseball) will be inducted. Frank Barnes, the illustrious head coach of the Warhawk men’s and women’s tennis programs, will be inducted under the category of staff/coach, while longtime UW-Whitewater supporter Ken Dahnert will be inducted for his distinguished service to the institution.

All 12 individuals will be recognized for their contributions to Warhawk Athletics as part of the UW-Whitewater football team’s game against UW-Stevens Point on Saturday, October 24, at 1 p.m. Inductees will be honored at halftime of the football game and at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet, which begins following the contest at 4:30 p.m. at the University Center’s Hamilton Room.

Biographies for all the recipients may be found here.
 
More information on the Hall of Fame Banquet, including registration, will be posted in August.

Frank Barnes is one of the most decorated coaches in the history of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and UW-Whitewater. Barnes grew the men’s and women’s teams into a model of consistency and competitiveness accumulating more than 800 career wins over the course of 23 seasons at the helm of the Warhawk Tennis program. From 2010 through the 2025 campaign, the UWW men’s program was unbeaten in league play. On the women’s side, Barnes led the Warhawks to a streak of 130 consecutive victories against WIAC opponents leading to a streak of 18 straight league titles.

On the national scene, Barnes guided the Warhawk women to qualification and participation in the NCAA Division III Team Championship 17 seasons while the men made the national tournament 16 times from 2007-25. The Warhawks went on to advance to the Sweet 16 eleven times in that span. Over the course of his career, Barnes coached more than 45 individual national qualifiers, 33 All-Americans, 11 Academic All-Americans, 12 WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar Athletes and 76 Chancellor Scholar Athletes. Barnes was named the ITA National Coach of the Year in 2023-24 and was the Professional Tennis Registry National College Coach of the Year, across all divisions, in 2010. He has earned regional and conference coaching accolades 17 times and was selected as the Women’s Tennis Coach on the WIAC’s All-Time Team in 2012.

Barnes’ legacy goes well beyond the court. He has been lauded for his commitment to the sport of tennis and engagement in the community. Barnes has received multiple honors for outreach and has served on numerous committees. Additionally, Barnes created and continues to help maintain one of the top tennis camps and clinics in the nation, welcoming more than 700 youth tennis players to campus each summer.

Ken Dahnert has exemplified the spirit of service, generosity, and community partnership through more than 25 years of unwavering support for Warhawk Athletics. As the owner of Rocky Rococo’s in Whitewater, Dahnert has become a trusted friend and dedicated advocate for countless UW-Whitewater student-athletes, coaches, and programs.

His impact extends far beyond financial contributions. Dahnert regularly provided team meals during academic breaks, sponsored hospitality rooms throughout the year, and worked closely with coaches to ensure camps and clinics were well supported with food and resources. His commitment to the success of Warhawk Athletics has been evident in every aspect of his involvement.

A steadfast supporter of the annual Warhawk Auction & Raffle, Dahnert has consistently been one of the event’s leading donors and supporters, helping generate critical resources that benefit student-athletes across multiple sports. He has also provided employment opportunities to numerous UW-Whitewater students and student-athletes, offering valuable work experience while supporting their educational pursuits.

Known for his generosity and hospitality, Dahnert routinely went above and beyond to assist visiting teams and guests, helping create a welcoming experience for all who came to Whitewater. His selfless dedication, loyalty, and lasting contributions have left an indelible mark on Warhawk Athletics and the university community.

Editor’s note: Shawn Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks. This article has been copied from uwbadgers.com. Additional information about Eichorst, including a video of him introducing himself, may be viewed there.

Updated 7/5/26 @ 9:30 p.m. Here’s a Badgernotes article “Why Wisconsin chose Shawn Eichorst to lead Badger athletics”

Veteran college athletics administrator Shawn Eichorst appointed University of Wisconsin Director of Athletics – Wisconsin Badgers

MADISON, Wis.  – A proven and respected college sports executive, attorney and former collegiate athlete, Shawn Eichorst has been appointed as the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Director of Athletics, UW-Madison interim Chancellor Eric M. Wilcots announced today [July 1].

A native of Lone Rock, Wisconsin, and a graduate of UW-Whitewater where he played football, Eichorst returns to Wisconsin after serving as the Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Texas at Austin and as the Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Miami. From 2006-2011, he served in several executive leadership roles within Wisconsin Athletics.

“We began this process seeking to identify a new leader who would build on our excellence and continue to elevate our program for the future in the rapidly evolving landscape of college athletics,” said Wilcots.

“We have found that person in Shawn Eichorst, who brings incredible experience, a history of innovation and success at the highest level, and a commitment to student-athletes’ welfare. The fact that he is a native of Wisconsin, and understands our university and state, is a tremendous bonus.”

“It is truly an honor to return home to the State of Wisconsin and to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a place and an institution that has meant so much to me and to our family for many years,” said Eichorst.

“Wisconsin represents everything that is great about higher education and college athletics—academic and competitive excellence, integrity, and a commitment to serving others. I am deeply grateful to interim Chancellor Wilcots and to the search committee for the confidence and trust that they have placed in me and in my vision for the future of Wisconsin Athletics.”

“Athletics is at its best when it advances the entire university enterprise and fulfills its mission for our student-athletes. That principle will guide every decision we make as we work together to serve our student-athletes, strengthen this remarkable institution, and represent the people of Wisconsin with pride,” said Eichorst.

Eichorst joined UT-Austin in 2018, where he has provided executive oversight for the department’s core business and operational functions, including day to day administration, football program, strategic planning, fiscal management, business operations and analytics, human resources, policy development, legal affairs, capital planning and construction, facilities and maintenance, game operations, fan services, and information technology, among other responsibilities. 

During his tenure, UT-Austin produced sustained competitive excellence, as it re-emerged as a national power in football, earning College Football Playoff Semifinal berths in 2023 and 2024. The Longhorns won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships; 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes; they have captured the Learfield Directors’ Cup (best all-around athletics program) for the fifth time in the last six years and won 14 SEC titles in their first two years of membership in the conference – a league best. Texas earned three-straight Women’s Capital One Cup titles (best all-around women’s athletics program) from 2021-2024; won 87 Conference Championships; 17 NCAA Championships (Women’s Volleyball, Men’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Rowing, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Softball, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field, Men’s Indoor Track & Field); 15 NCAA Runner-Up finishes; 56 top-5 NCAA finishes; and 79 top-10 NCAA finishes.

Over the last six years, 16 of 21 programs have achieved NCAA top-3 finishes, including: two NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four appearances (2025 & 2026); five NCAA Women’s Basketball Elite Eight appearances (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026); one Men’s NCAA Basketball Elite Eight appearance (2023); four MCWS Baseball appearances (2018, 2021, 2022, 2026); and four WCWS Softball appearances (2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).

At Texas, Eichorst led and facilitated the department’s facility master planning, overseeing more than $1.335 billion in capital projects across planning, design, construction, renovation, and operations and successfully implemented numerous creative revenue generation strategies. He guided and assisted with the strategic planning, governance, and operational structure of the department’s Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness program, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities, competitive positioning, and within the regulatory framework established under the House settlement.

Eichorst played a key role in the strategic planning, negotiation, and execution of the department’s transition from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference. He supported cross-functional coordination, competitive and financial modeling, operational readiness, and stakeholder engagement to ensure a seamless and strategically advantageous move for the institution.

“Shawn is an incredible leader and even better person, and I’m so happy he is getting the opportunity to return home,” said UT-Austin Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. “We were very fortunate that he joined us eight years ago. Shawn brought tremendous passion, dedication and vision to his role and helped our athletics department achieve record-setting success both athletically and academically.”

Prior to Texas, Eichorst served as Director of Athletics at both the University of Miami (2011-2012) and the University of Nebraska (2012-2017). 

During his tenure at Miami he delivered broad-based competitive success, highlighted by the hiring of Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga, who led Miami to the NIT second round in year one and to the ACC regular-season and tournament championships and the NCAA Sweet 16 in year two.  

During Eichorst’s tenure at Nebraska, the department achieved sustained success across competitive performance, academics, financial stewardship, facilities development, student-athlete support, and national governance leadership. Nebraska teams won three NCAA Team National Championships and 14 Big Ten Conference titles. During his tenure, 13 teams advanced to NCAA post-season competition, with six finishing in the national top 10. Student-athletes captured three individual NCAA Championships and 55 Big Ten individual titles, reinforcing Nebraska’s broad-based athletic success across multiple sports. In total, 28 teams finished in the Top 10, 63 teams qualified for NCAA post-season play, 120 student- athletes earned Athletic All-America honors, 24 student-athletes earned Academic All-America honors, and one earned the prestigious NCAA Top 10 Award. The football program participated in bowl games in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Eichorst helped strengthen the department’s academic profile, delivering the highest student-athlete outcomes in school history. In 2016–17, every Nebraska team achieved an NCAA Academic Progress Rate of 977 or higher, and the department recorded a Graduation Success Rate of 88%, its fourth consecutive all-time high. Student-athletes posted a record cumulative GPA of 3.218, marking the fifth straight year above 3.100.

He enhanced the student-athlete development and performance infrastructure, expanding resources across academics, facilities, athletic medicine, mental health, life skills, nutrition, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, travel, apparel, footwear, equipment, and marketing. Eichorst also strengthened the holistic development model and enhanced academic, athletic and life-skills preparedness across all programs.

Eichorst also pioneered innovative student-athlete development initiatives, becoming one of the first athletics departments nationally to provide four-year, full cost-of-attendance scholarships across all 24 sports. He launched the MacBook Pro laptop program to enhance academic resource access and learning and created the first-of-its-kind Post-Eligibility Opportunities (PEO) program, offering up to $7,500 for graduates to pursue internships, study abroad, or graduate/professional school. He also established the department’s first Service Abroad program, providing global engagement and cultural-competency experiences in Guatemala (2015), the Dominican Republic (2016), and Nicaragua (2017).

He grew revenue and fundraising, made significant improvement in the facilities, operated the department without university subsidies while eliminating long-term debt service obligations, enhanced campus partnerships, strengthened donor and alumni engagement, and maintained a strong culture of integrity and compliance.

Eichorst worked in Wisconsin Athletics between 2006-2011, rising to the position of Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Operating Officer, managing the department’s day-to-day operations, including legal affairs, risk management, strategic planning, government relations, academic services, and compliance. He served as the sport administrator for Men’s Basketball and acted as the primary liaison to the Chancellor’s Office, the Athletic Board, the NCAA, and the Big Ten Conference, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and regulatory expectations.

Wisconsin appeared in a football bowl game and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament each year of his tenure. UW was the only institution in Division I to participate in a bowl game and in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament every season from 2002-03 to 2010-11, reflecting exceptional program stability and competitive consistency.

“Shawn brings the perfect combination of understanding what it means to be successful at Wisconsin while adding experience and wisdom from other top collegiate programs,” said Men’s Basketball Coach Greg Gard, who worked closely with Eichorst while he oversaw the program. “He’s extremely bright and a man of great integrity and passion. He’ll be able to hit the ground running in Madison and guide us into the future of collegiate athletics.”

Over his career in athletics, he has been selected to serve on the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee, the NCAA Division I Competition Committee, the NCAA Division I Football Recruiting Ad-Hoc Working Group (Co-Chair), NCAA Division I Football Oversight Camps/Clinics Subcommittee (Chair), NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Committee, and the Rose Bowl Management Committee.

Eichorst began his athletics career as Director of Athletics at UW-Whitewater (1999-2003), where he graduated from in 1990 with a degree in business. He was an all-conference defensive back and three-time football letterwinner for the Warhawks.

Eichorst also holds a Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School, where he taught sports law as an adjunct professor while also practicing law.

Wilcots expressed his appreciation for Marcus Sedberry, who stepped into the role of Interim Athletic Director following the departure of former Athletic Director Chris McIntosh, providing a steady and seasoned hand during a time of transition.

Throughout the search process, he was advised by a nine-member search committee, chaired by Lauren Bishop, an associate professor in the Sandra Rosenbaum School of Social Work and one of the university’s Faculty Athletics Representatives to the Big Ten Conference and NCAA. The search committee included a current student-athlete, former varsity letterwinners, distinguished alumni, and senior university and athletic department leadership.

“Our process was comprehensive and deliberate. We heard directly from coaches, student-athletes, staff, and alumni through listening sessions, and that input shaped our search from the start,” said Bishop. “We were impressed by the quality of candidates interested in leading our athletics program. Ultimately, Shawn stood out as the right person to lead the Badgers during this transformational era in college athletics.”

The Director of Athletics will report directly to Wilcots; serve on his executive committee; and provide oversight for all aspects of the university’s varsity athletic programs, with a strong emphasis on student-athlete health, wellbeing, academic success, finance and facilities, fundraising, and excellence in competition.

Eichorst will be formally introduced at an upcoming event at Camp Randall Stadium.

Bio
• Education: B.B.A. (Magna Cum Laude), Wisconsin-Whitewater (1990)
• Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School (1995)
• Family: Kristin (wife); three children (Jack, Joseph and Bennett)