Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Davis Resigns

Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Davis Resigns

Wisconsin head coach Barry Davis will leave his position after the 2018 NCAA Championships next week in Cleveland.

Mar 5, 2018 by Kyle Bratke
Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Davis Resigns

The University of Wisconsin announced today that head coach Barry Davis has resigned but will still coach the Badgers at the 2018 NCAA Championships. Davis has served as UW's head man for the past 25 seasons.

Wisconsin finished in sixth place over the weekend at the Big Ten Championships and qualified seven wrestlers for next week's NCAA tournament in Cleveland. Below you can read Wisconsin's official announcement.


MADISON, WIWisconsin wrestling coach Barry Davis resigned on Monday, ending his 25-year tenure as the Badgers' head coach. Davis will coach the Badgers through the NCAA Championships on March 15-17.

"I want to thank Barry for all he's done for Wisconsin wrestling throughout his time here," Wisconsin Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez said. "I've known Barry for a long time, back to my days as an assistant coach at Iowa and he is one of the most genuine people I've ever met. He has left an indelible mark on Wisconsin wrestling."

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Wisconsin," Davis said. "I've worked with lots of great people and many tremendous student-athletes. This University will always hold a special place in my heart."

Davis, a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, coached 26 All-Americans, eight Big Ten champions, and three NCAA champions while at Wisconsin. He was named NWCA National Coach of the Year in 2010 after leading UW to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA championships.

Davis is Wisconsin's all-time winningest coach and led the Badgers to 15 top 20 finishes at the NCAA championships.

Prior to being named the head coach at Wisconsin, Davis spent seven years as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Iowa. While a student at Iowa, Davis won four Big Ten titles, earned All-America honors all four years and won three NCAA Championships. A two-time Olympian, he won a silver medal at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

— UW Athletics press release