Wisconsin’s head coach, Luke Fickell, has received a one-year contract extension that will keep him with the program until the conclusion of the 2031 season.
The extension was unanimously approved by the university’s athletic board during a meeting on Wednesday.

When Fickell was hired from Cincinnati in December 2022, he entered into a seven-year agreement that promised an average salary of $7.8 million annually.
This contract includes provisions for a yearly review that can lead to contract extensions contingent upon satisfactory performance, a favorable recommendation from the athletic director, and board approval.

This recent extension follows a pattern, as Fickell has received a one-year extension after each of his first two seasons, allowing him to maintain the integrity of his seven-year deal.
With the new terms, his contract will now be active until March 31, 2032.

The 2024 season concluded on a disappointing note for Wisconsin, which finished with a 5-7 record—its first losing season since 2001—ending a 22-year streak of bowl game appearances.
The team experienced a challenging finish, losing its last five games of the season.

Throughout his time at Wisconsin, Fickell has guided the team to a 13-13 record, beginning with a 24-17 victory over Oklahoma State in the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl.
In Fickell’s inaugural season, they finished with a 7-6 record in 2023.

Prior to arriving at Wisconsin, Fickell had considerable success at Cincinnati, where he compiled a 57-18 record over six seasons, highlighted by an undefeated regular season and a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2021.
His overall head coaching record stands at 76-38 across nine seasons.

In addition to Fickell’s extension, Wisconsin’s athletic board also approved one-year contract extensions for the women’s volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield, women’s soccer coach Paula Wilkins, and men’s soccer coach Neil Jones.
These extensions will now keep them tied to the program until January 31, 2030.