Dan Bartholomae Takes the Throne as Michigan State's 22nd Athletic Director

The wait is over, Spartan faithful: Dan Bartholomae was announced as our new Vice President/Director of Athletics at Michigan State University, holding his introductory press conference inside the Tom Izzo Hall of History at the Breslin Center, televised live on the Big Ten Network! Bartholomae becomes the 22nd Athletic Director to lead our 23 varsity sports, and he's no small hire — the man was named a finalist for the Sports Business Journal 2026 Athletic Director of the Year. He steps in with the family alongside him, Lauren, Dylan, and Lily, and he inherits a department riding high. And what a year to walk into! Men's tennis won its first conference title since 1967, men's ice hockey captured its third consecutive Big Ten regular-season championship and reached the NCAA regional final, and women's soccer advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time ever. Men's basketball returned to the Sweet 16, women's basketball reached the Round of 32, and in May our student-athletes topped a 3.5 cumulative GPA for the first time in department history. Jon Palumbo, who served as interim, continues to lead Spartan Ventures.