How Wisconsin’s early March Madness exit affects Greg Gard’s contract
Wisconsin men’s basketball’s latest absence from the Sweet 16 came with a significant price tag for Greg Gard.
MADISON – Wisconsin men’s basketball’s latest absence from the Sweet 16 came with a significant price tag for Greg Gard . The 11th-year head coach missed out on a boost to his base pay and postseason bonuses when the Badgers ’ 2025-26 season ended two wins short of a trip to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament . A contract amendment executed in December included a $525,000 increase to Gard’s base salary if his Badgers reached the Sweet 16.
(That would have risen to $900,000 with an Elite Eight appearance, $1. 1 million with a Final Four appearance, $1. 4 million with a national runner-up finish or $1.
7 million with a national title. ) Those increases to his base salary would apply throughout the duration of his contract. His base salary – when looking at what both the university and UW Foundation owe him – will be $3.
95 million in 2026-27 after missing out on the possible raises. He also missed out on smaller incentives to his base pay, such as $425,000 if UW won a Big Ten regular-season title or $175,000 if UW was one of the other top-four seeds in the Big Ten tournament – something the Badgers missed by only one game in the conference standings. A Big Ten tournament title after finishing below fourth in the conference standings would have triggered a $75,000 increase to his annual base pay.