Bo Ryan to retire after next season
— -- Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who is coming off back-to-back Final Four appearances, will retire after next season, he announced Monday.
Ryan, 67, said in a statement that he will coach this season and then step down. His hope is that longtime assistant Greg Gard succeeds him in Madison.
"Back in the spring, in the days after the national championship game, [athletic director] Barry Alvarez and I discussed the possibility of me retiring," Ryan said in the statement. "I've always been told that is not a decision to make right after a season is completed. Barry thankfully encouraged me to take some time to think about it and I have done that. I considered retiring this summer or coaching one more season.
"I've decided to coach one more season with the hope that my longtime assistant Greg Gard eventually becomes the head coach at Wisconsin. I am looking forward to another year with our program, including our players, my terrific assistant coaches, our office staff and everyone who supports Wisconsin basketball here in Madison, around the state and across the country."
A source told ESPN that Ryan, who is 357-125 in his 14 seasons at Wisconsin and has taken the Badgers to the NCAA tournament each year, is not stepping down due to health reasons.
Prior to taking over at Wisconsin for Dick Bennett, Ryan spent two seasons at Milwaukee. He was at Division III Wisconsin-Platteville for 15 seasons.
In Ryan's tenure with the Badgers, they have won better than 74 percent of their games every season. By comparison, in the 14 seasons prior to his arrival in Madison (1987-2001), Wisconsin won less than 54 percent of its games and reached the NCAA tournament only five times.
The Badgers beat Kentucky in the Final Four, ending the Wildcats' run toward a perfect season at 38 games -- the longest win streak entering a Final Four since seeding began in 1979. Wisconsin lost to Duke in the national championship game.
