The Michigan State Spartan Athletics program is in a unique time under the promising new leadership of Athletic Director Dan Bartholomae.

A New Direction

Michigan State mascot "Sparty" looks on during a game against Louisville during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Spartan Nation should be excited about Dan Bartholomae and the resume he brings to East Lansing, based on his strong leadership and proven success in the Mitten State.

​Before taking the role of athletic director in Spartan Nation, he burst onto the national scene as one of the elite young AD prospects in the country.

He served as athletic director at Western Michigan University, where he led a MAC school to unprecedented success that multiple Power Five schools had not attained—including WMU's hockey program winning a national championship—while demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to modern college sports, commercial initiatives,…