Wisconsin Basketball Head Coach Inducted Into the Hall of Fame

The Wisconsin Badgers basketball program received fantastic news on Saturday morning.

Following an illustrious 14-year career in Madison, former head coach Bo Ryan has been invited to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Joining Harold E. Foster and Walter Meanwell, Ryan will become the third Badger with Hall of Fame honors.

“I was very emotional because of what it means to everybody that I’ve been associated with that has helped along the way”

Bo Ryan reacts to being selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 pic.twitter.com/7nWItClgUl

— Wisconsin Basketball (@BadgerMBB) April 6, 2024

Wisconsin Basketball Legend Bo Ryan Selected to the Hall of Fame

After 15 years in Platteville and a short stint in Milwaukee, Ryan was asked to be the Wisconsin basketball head coach in 2001 following the retirement of Dick Bennett.

In his first season with the Badgers, Ryan and co. shocked the nation finishing in a four-way tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference. Despite pessimistic pre-season predictions, the Kirk Penney-led squad booked a trip to the NCAA tournament. The following year, Ryan and the Badgers took sole possession of the Big Ten title, later advancing to the Sweet 16 of March Madness.

Coach Ryan led Wisconsin basketball to their first No. 1 AP ranking in school history, four Big Ten regular season titles, three B1G Tournament rings, and several rivalry victories over the years. However, he earned passage into the Naismith Hall of Fame for his legendary runs during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

2013 saw Ryan clinch a Final Four appearance following a 64-63 overtime victory over the Arizona Wildcats. Ahead of the national tournament, the head coach won his 700th game in a demolishing 83-57 victory over Minnesota.

In 2014, the 36-win Badgers rolled through Arizona in the Elite Eight en route to a Final Four matchup with the undefeated Kentucky Wildcats. Despite clashing with Karl-Anthony Towns, Trey Lyles, Julius Randle, and Devin Booker, Wisconsin basketball came away with a historic 71-64 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium in early April. Led by Frank Kaminsky’s double-double performance, the Badgers had earned a ticket to the NCAA Final, where they would fall to Coach K. and the Duke Blue Devils.

Following the Badgers’ magical tourney run, Bo Ryan retired from the game of basketball. In 14 seasons with the program, he led the team to 14 NCAA tournament berths and four 30-win seasons. It will be hard to top what Coach Bo did for the Wisconsin basketball program during his time in Madison.

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