Michigan State finalizing deal with new athletic director, per report
By Jacob Moss
Published:
College football is now just weeks away, and programs around the country are gearing up for what they hope will be a successful season on the gridiron in 2026.
Many schools are entering the new campaign under new leadership, including the Michigan State Spartans, who are gearing up for Year 1 of the Pat Fitzgerald era.
The football program isn’t the only part of Spartan athletics getting new leadership, though, as the university is reportedly finalizing a deal to hire Western Michigan Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae to take the same position in East Lansing.
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Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Bartholomae is set to take over for recently departed MSU AD J Batt, who left to take over the same role at Kentucky over the offseason after a brief stint with the Spartans.
Bartholomae has been the head man at Western Michigan since 2022, leading Bronco Athletics to great success, including a National Championship in men’s hockey in 2025. He also headed up record-breaking fundraising efforts at WMU, and helped lead the football program to their first MAC Championship since 2016.
Now, Bartholomae will take the top job at Michigan State, where the Spartans hope he will bring similar success to their programs in East Lansing.
