Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez signs contract extension through 2021

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez has signed a contract extension through Jan. 31, 2021, the university announced Wednesday.

The new agreement officially went into effect on Sept. 1 and extends Alvarez’s contract three years; his former contract ran through 2018.

Alvarez, Wisconsin's athletic director since 2004, has guided the athletic department to new heights and significantly raised the Badgers’ national brand. The new deal should please Badger fans and alumni alike, as Alvarez is one of the most popular and recognizable faces in the university’s history. It is great to hear that the "Godfather of Wisconsin Football" will continue to preside over one of the country’s premier athletic departments and should continue to bring Wisconsin sustained success both on and off the field.

Below is the full press release from Wisconsin.

MADISON, Wis. - Barry Alvarez, the University of Wisconsin's Director of Athletics since 2004, has signed a contract extension through January 31, 2021.

Alvarez's new agreement went into effect on Sept. 1 and was the result of a successful performance review with UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank.

The Wisconsin athletic department has enjoyed tremendous success during Alvarez's tenure in Madison. In addition to the 16 seasons he coached the Badger football program (during which he guided UW to three Big Ten championships and a school-record 119 victories), Wisconsin has won 56 conference titles and 14 national championships during his years as director of athletics. Off the field, Wisconsin student-athletes have achieved a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average consistently since 2009-10, with more than 1,300 of them earning academic All-Big Ten recognition.

Three of Wisconsin's fall sports programs (football, volleyball and men's cross country) are currently ranked in the top 10 nationally.