Wisconsin Basketball: Get to Know Greg Gard
By Jim Oxley
Greg Gard is the new Wisconsin basketball head coach, but who is he?
The surprising move Tuesday night of Bo Ryan stepping down as head coach of the Wisconsin basketball team led to a new face leading the program – Greg Gard. Those in the mix at Wisconsin, however, know Gard is no stranger. Here’s what you need to know about the new head man at Wisconsin.
Related Story: Bo Ryan Retires As Wisconsin Basketball Head Coach
Gard, a native of Cobb, Wisconsin, went to school at Wisconsin-Platteville. He got his coaching start with a three-year stint at Southwestern High School in Wisconsin before spending a year at Plattevilee High School.
Following his year at Platteville High School, Gard became an assistant in Platteville at the collegiate level, a position he held from 1993-1999 coaching under – you guessed it – Bo Ryan. He followed Ryan to UW-Milwaukee from 1999-2001 again serving as an assistant, and followed Ryan to Wisconsin in 2001.
Wisconsin Badgers
He’s been at UW ever since, most recently holding the title of Associate Head Coach (since 2008) under Ryan, a title that recently became Interim Head Coach.
Gard has coached under Bo Ryan for 23 years, and over that time assumed a multitude of duties for the program. He’s the team’s recruiting coordinator, is involved in opponent scouting and game prep, and has had on-floor coaching duties for years. Gard also directs the Badger Boys Basketball Summer Camps.
Gard has been with the Badgers during the 11 best seasons in school history, and every accolade Bo Ryan has earned as Wisconsin’s head coach has been earned with the help of Gard.
Gard is well-respected around the Big Ten and the entire college basketball scene, but now he faces the challenge of picking up the reins of the Badgers during a time of struggle. Ryan clearly is in Gard’s corner, and believes he deserves a chance at the head coaching gig. It seems apparent that’s partially why he stepped down mid-season, so Gard would have the chance to show what he can do in an interim role.
One thing is clear, the Badgers are a young team that hasn’t quite figured things out yet, but the group shows plenty of promise and is loaded with young talent. Whoever ends up the head coach will have a talented group in a couple of years.
If it’s up to Bo Ryan, that man will be Greg Gard, but he will have to prove he is worthy of the job over the next few months.
Next: Twitter Reacts to Bo Ryan's Retirement
Stay tuned to Badger of Honor for more on the new coaching situation as it unfolds.