Wisconsin isn't ready to give up on HC Luke Fickell just yet

[ad_1] Given the large names which have been fired — and at the moment are out there — across the school soccer ranks this season, and when mixed with this system's struggles over the previous three years, it appeared attainable that Wisconsin's Luke Fickell might be the subsequent distinguished coach to get sacked. However it's not taking place.

Luke Fickell will get not less than another yr at Wisconsin Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh informed ESPN on Thursday that Fickell will probably be again on the Badgers' sidelines at first of the 2026 season, however with important adjustments round him for this system. These adjustments are more likely to embrace new investments within the roster and program as a complete.

Here's what McIntosh informed ESPN in regards to the resolution.

"Chancellor [Jennifer] Mnookin and I are aligned on considerably elevating funding in our program to compete at highest stage," McIntosh informed ESPN. "We're keen to make an funding in infrastructure and employees. As essential is our capacity to retain and recruit gamers in a income share and NIL period."

Fickell arrived at Wisconsin in 2022 with important hype. He had beforehand turned Cincinnati into one of many high applications within the nation, taking the Bearcats as excessive because the No. 2 rating in the course of the 2021 season.

His Wisconsin tenure has not been as profitable. As of Thursday, Wisconsin is 15-19 below Fickell's watch, and solely 2-6 this season. The Badgers' solely wins have come in opposition to Miami (Ohio) and Center Tennessee State, whereas they've scored simply 41 factors in six video games in opposition to Energy 4 conferences. They've simply seven factors over the previous three video games.

It is not solely unhealthy, it continues what has been a gentle regression for this system. Only for comparability, by Fickell's third yr at Cincinnati he was engaged on his second consecutive 11-win season and had this system recurrently within the top-25. The Badgers usually are not something near that.

So why is Wisconsin sticking with him?

Not eager to pay Fickell's buyout might actually be a part of it. Or it might be the truth that so many high-profile jobs opening this season might give them considerably extra competitors in the case of touchdown an improve at head coach. Or maybe they really feel consistency and a higher monetary funding in this system is what they want.