When Dick Bennett retired in 2001, UW needed to find a coach who could build on the success of the Final Four run the Badgers enjoyed to start the decade. Wisconsin needed to find a coach who could keep UW in the field of 65 and at the top of the Big Ten.

The eventual choice was Bo Ryan, and he has done all that and more.

Ryan came to UW with a swing offense and a passion for team defense, two attributes that allowed him to win four national championships at the Division-III level. But everyone in Madison still wondered if his style would work in the Big Ten.

In his first season, Ryan and his players put all the wondering to rest as UW shared the Big Ten title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the next seven years under Ryan, the Badgers won two more Big Ten titles and have never been absent from the NCAA Tournament.

Ryan has been the model of consistency here at UW.

The Badgers have never finished worse than fourth in the Big Ten standings with him at the helm, a remarkable feat for a basketball program that was never seen as a perennial powerhouse. His remarkable .707 conference winning percentage is a mark that ranks first all-time among Big Ten coaches ahead of Bobby Knight, who ranks second.

Each year, regardless of the names on his depth chart, Ryan has found ways to win.

We have seen great players come through this program, but we have come to learn it’s never about the individuals with Ryan running the show. It’s his core principles that carry over and breed success each year.

In 2007, after stars Alando Tucker and Kammron Taylor graduated, not much was expected from UW. They went on to win a conference championship.

In 2008, after Brian Butch and Michael Flowers left, UW was once again counted out. Under the direction of Ryan, the Badgers proved the doubters wrong once again, advancing to the second round of the tournament.

With Ryan as head coach, players progress and improve, and that has made his teams competitive year after year. He preaches discipline and toughness, and those characteristics alone have always given his team a chance to win.

But more importantly, he’s found talent that fits his system, and it’s a system that has made UW one of the most consistent college basketball programs in the country.

Honorable mentions: Mark Johnson, Barry Alvarez, Mike Eaves, Pete Waite

Selecting one coach from the many excellent choices at the University of Wisconsin was tough, and in the end, it came down to Ryan and Johnson. From there, the sheer amount of competition in men’s basketball compared to women’s hockey gives Ryan the edge.