Senior associate athletic director will resign

Cheryl Bailey, a member of the Athletic Department‘s management structure since 1990, announced April 8 that she is resigning her position as senior associate athletic director as of Aug. 31 to pursue other professional opportunities.

“It’s been a wonderful pleasure and privilege to have worked for two athletic directors and an institution that have allowed me to grow in my profession and help create a very positive and successful intercollegiate athletic department,” says Bailey. “At this time in my life, I would like to explore some new challenges. The timing is right as my youngest child is graduating from high school this spring, and I wanted to provide ample notice to Barry [Alvarez] so there is a smooth transition.

“I’ve made many friends during the last 15 years in Madison and take great pride in the work we’ve accomplished on behalf of fans, student-athletes, staff and the UW campus,” Bailey adds. “Badger athletics has been a significant element in my life, and I’ll always have a fond feeling in my heart for Bucky and the UW.”

Bailey, who is in her third year as senior associate athletic director for sports administration, has been instrumental in a resurgence for Badger athletics in the last 15 years. In her most recent role, she supervised a number of sports programs and the compliance department. She also was the institution’s senior female administrator to the Big Ten Conference and NCAA.

“Cheryl has been a very valuable member of our senior staff,” says Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez. “She is a champion for the student-athlete and works tirelessly to create the best experience possible for them. Because of her long tenure at the UW and experience in athletic administration, she has been extremely beneficial in providing a historical perspective for many of the decisions that our administrative team faces.”

Officials have not yet formulated a plan for replacing Bailey, and will analyze the situation in coming weeks.

Bailey was hired in 1990 as an associate athletic director for women’s athletics. She was responsible for planning, scheduling, evaluations and day-to-day supervision of 11 sports. When the men’s and women’s athletic departments were combined in the mid-1990s, she was named an associate athletic director for sports administration.

Bailey, a former intercollegiate coach herself, hired seven Badger coaches: Jane Albright (women’s basketball), John Cook (volleyball), Dean Duerst (women’s soccer), Eric Hansen (men’s and women’s swimming), Patti Henderson (women’s tennis), Mark Johnson (women’s hockey) and Pete Waite (volleyball). These coaches went on to each earn Coach of the Year honors in their conference.

Bailey was the lead administrator and, ultimately, instrumental in helping the Athletic Department achieve gender equity compliance in 2001.

“What Cheryl accomplished over 15 years for women’s athletics on this campus is staggering,” says Alvarez. “The crowning achievement beyond compliance with the Office for Civil Rights was the 30th anniversary of women’s athletics at UW held in January. She chaired the organizing committee for that incredible celebration.”

UW–Madison has served as host for a number of NCAA championships largely because of Bailey’s leadership. She was a strong proponent of bringing championship events to campus, including volleyball (twice), women’s golf and men’s hockey. The Badgers will serve as the host institution for the 2006 Frozen Four at Milwaukee’s Bradley Center.

Bailey was a member of multiple NCAA committees including those for post-graduate scholarship, women’s athletics, women’s soccer and women’s basketball. She completed a two-year term as chair of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee in 2004 and is in the midst of a five-year assignment on the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Executive Committee.