Michigan State University has hired Dan Bartholomae to lead its athletics department, according to reports from ESPN and regional sports outlets. Bartholomae arrives in East Lansing after a tenure at Western Michigan University where he presided over a period of competitive success and substantial revenue growth.
Background and résumé
Bartholomae took over Bronco Athletics on Jan. 1, 2022, and during his time in Kalamazoo the department claimed multiple conference titles and national attention. The WMU football program won the 2025 MAC Championship, and the men’s hockey program captured the university’s first Division I national title in 2025. Those achievements contributed to WMU becoming one of the few schools in NCAA history to win both a Football Bowl Subdivision conference title and a Division I hockey national championship in the same calendar year.
Before his stint at Western Michigan, Bartholomae worked five years as executive deputy athletic director at Oregon State and spent 15 years at the University of Pittsburgh in various roles. At WMU he was widely credited with boosting external revenue and leading ambitious facility and fundraising projects.
Fundraising and facilities
During Bartholomae’s leadership, WMU reported significant increases in external giving and set new annual fundraising records. He also led a privately funded arena project in downtown Kalamazoo estimated at about $515 million intended to house WMU basketball and hockey programs.
His work at WMU earned him national recognition, including a finalist spot for the Sports Business Journal’s 2026 Athletic Director of the Year award.
Contract details and buyout information
Bartholomae had signed an extension with Western Michigan in August 2025 that carried a base salary of $750,000 annually and a multi-year buyout provision. Documents reported by regional media listed the buyout schedule as follows:
| Year | Buyout |
|---|---|
| 1 | $5.1 million |
| 2 | $4.25 million |
| 3 | $3.4 million |
What this means for Michigan State athletics
The hire comes after a brief and unexpected tenure by MSU’s previous athletic director, who departed in July. Bringing in Bartholomae signals the university’s interest in someone with a track record for both competitive success and revenue generation. Observers note his experience managing fundraising, facilities projects and departmental operations will be central as MSU seeks stability and long-term growth.
MSU’s athletic programs, boosters and campus community will be watching how Bartholomae approaches priorities such as coach retention, facility investments, donor engagement and the broader student-athlete experience.
Recognitions and departmental performance
Under Bartholomae, Western Michigan recorded:
- Multiple conference championships across sports.
- The 2025 NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey national championship.
- Significant annual external revenue growth, including a record-setting annual giving total in 2025-26.
WMU’s athletics website highlighted his success across areas of academics, community engagement, championships and revenue generation.
“With multiple record setting years in academic performance and community engagement, conference and national championships, and unprecedented fundraising and external revenue growth, Bartholomae has been recognized as one of the country's best Athletic Directors by multiple organizations.”
Next steps and local reaction
Michigan State has not yet released the full terms of Bartholomae’s contract with the Spartans. Details such as base salary, performance incentives and any buyout provisions will be of interest to state and university stakeholders, as will plans he lays out for the department’s immediate priorities.
As this is a developing story, university officials, athletic staff and donor groups are expected to release statements and further details in the coming days. Athletic personnel decisions and the direction Bartholomae sets for major programs will be closely followed by fans across Michigan and college sports observers nationally.
(This report will be updated as additional official information and statements become available.)
