Michigan State finalizes hire of Western Michigan AD Dan Bartholomae
Michigan State is finalizing a deal to hire Dan Bartholomae, the athletic director at Western Michigan since 2022, as its new athletic director. Bartholomae, 46, led Western Michigan to a men's hockey national title in 2025 and a MAC football championship, while raising a record $21.8 million for the athletic department in 2025-26.
Michigan State is finalizing a deal to hire Dan Bartholomae, the athletic director at Western Michigan, as its new athletic director, according to ESPN's reporting.
Bartholomae, 46, has held the Western Michigan athletic director position since January 1, 2022, and brings a documented track record in fundraising and program-building to Michigan State's leadership vacancy. The hire resolves a gap created when J Batt left for the athletic director role at Kentucky after nearly a year at Michigan State.
Before Western Michigan, Bartholomae spent five years as executive deputy athletic director at Oregon State, per ESPN's reporting. At Western Michigan in 2025-26, his athletic department raised a record $21.8 million. During Bartholomae's tenure, Western Michigan's men's hockey team won the school's first national title in 2025, and the football program won a MAC championship in 2025 under coach Lance Taylor, whom Bartholomae hired. Western Michigan is favored to repeat as MAC champions in 2026, according to ESPN.
Michigan State's athletic director search unfolds against institutional instability. President Kevin Guskiewicz was announced as Clemson's next president in May, then reversed his decision in July. In his letter to faculty announcing his departure from Clemson, Guskiewicz criticized the board's "discouraging behavior" that included "the actions of some to abuse their access to privileged and confidential information to mispresent facts." Guskiewicz returned to Michigan State and led the process to hire Bartholomae.
Jon Palumbo served as interim athletic director and was an internal candidate for the permanent position, though Bartholomae emerged as the finalist, per ESPN. The move comes as Michigan State prepares for new football coach Pat Fitzgerald's first season and enters Tom Izzo's 31st year coaching basketball.
The hiring is reported by ESPN but formal Michigan State confirmation of the deal's completion is not yet publicly confirmed.
Dan Bartholomae, Western Michigan's athletic director since January 2022, is being hired by Michigan State to fill the leadership vacancy created by J Batt's departure to Kentucky.
Bartholomae's background in fundraising and program-building at a smaller athletic department signals Michigan State's approach to institutional stability. Watch for Michigan State's official announcement and contract details, which would complete the picture; any delay or reversal would indicate continued institutional friction.
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