Many have wondered what former Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan has been up to since announcing his retirement on December 15. Today, at his weekly press conference, interim head coach Greg Gard talked a bit about Ryan after a reporter hinted to Gard that he heard Ryan contacted Gard after the team’s win vs. Michigan State.

“I got texted a bottle of champagne – a picture of a bottle of champagne,” Gard explained. “It was actually chilled; I could tell the frost was still on it or whatever. It was between him and Kelly was texting me too – his wife. ‘Been waiting to pop this. You gave us a great reason. Congratulations. Great job.’ I guess they had a bottle of champagne in celebration of yesterday’s win.”

Ryan was recently seen at the Northern Illinois-Ohio men’s basketball game on January 6 in Dekalb, IL. Ryan’s son Will is an assistant coach for Ohio.

“He’s doing his thing,” Gard continued. “Trying to lower his handicap – his golf score, for those that are – I don’t know. He texts once in a while. He’s enjoying what he’s doing, and we’re having fun here.”

Bo Ryan’s next scheduled public appearance is on April 30 for his induction into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.


Photo: Wisconsin State Journal.