The Badgers are joining the trend of hiring a general manager.
The Wisconsin Badgers have joined the trend and hired a general manager for their men’s basketball team. Only it’s coming from within, as Wisconsin is promoting chief of staff Marc VandeWettering to general manager.
According to UW Athletics, in his new role, VandeWettering will collaborate with Gard on recruiting, roster management, player personnel and revenue sharing strategy, highlighting UW Athletics’ dedication to adapting to the changing landscape of collegiate athletics. VandeWettering will also continue to handle the Badgers’ non-conference scheduling.
Head coach Greg Gard praised the move in a statement, sharing VandeWettering’s work with personnel, as the latter has been involved with Wisconsin’s work in the transfer portal and on the NIL side as well.
“I’m extremely happy for Marc and our program,” Gard said. “He has worked tirelessly to make us better every day and has helped us navigate this new era of college basketball very successfully.
“Marc has been a central figure in our evolution as a program and has already been handling many of the personnel tasks for the last couple years. Looking to the future, I’m excited to have Marc officially elevated to this administrative role and know that he will help drive our sustained success.”
VandeWettering shared his excitement for his new opportunity, as he looks to help continue building the program’s legacy.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to support Coach Gard, our staff, and our student-athletes in this role,” VandeWettering said. “Wisconsin Men’s Basketball is built on a foundation of consistency, accountability, and a team-first approach — and I’m committed to helping us build on that legacy.
“Our focus is on sustaining the high standards of this program while continuing to evolve and position ourselves for long-term success in a changing landscape.”
A Wisconsin alum, VandeWettering had been the chief of staff for the past two seasons, while also holding the Director of Basketball Operations role, which he’s had since 2017.
He’s a former student manager for the Badgers who has spent time working with the Big Ten as the assistant director of basketball and football operations. Now, he’s Wisconsin’s general manager.