Ivy Williamson - Administrative Career

Administrative Career

In November 1955, Williamson became Wisconsin's athletic director following the death of athletic director Guy Sundt. He was replaced as head football coach by Milt Bruhn. Due to a university policy providing that the athletic director could not be paid a salary higher than that of the dean, the move to athletic director came with a salary cut from $15,300 to $13,500.

During Williamson's 13 years as athletic director, he increased the capacity of Camp Randall Stadium to 77,000 with the construction of an upper deck, expanded intramural facilities, restored men’s ice hockey as a varsity sport, and built a new natatorium, a new baseball field and running track. In 1955, the University of Wisconsin announced that the newly-established Ivy Williamson Trophy would be presented each year to the senior football player showing the highest degree of sportsmanship throughout his career. In December 1957, Williamson was one of 25 former college football players chosen by Sports Illustrated for its silver anniversary All-American team honoring players with outstanding career and community service records. In January 1963, Williamson was elected permanent chairman of the NCAA Football Rules Committee.

The football program continued to thrive into the early 1960s, but went into a steep decline later in the decade, finishing 8–19 from 1964 to 1966 and then having consecutive winless seasons in 1967 and 1968.