Now that Kevin Guskiewicz has decided to return to East Lansing as Michigan State’s president, he has some tasks to cross off his extensive list.
After he took the Clemson job, Guskiewicz took a vacation with his family that had already been planned and it gave him some time to really think about his decision and speak with the people who mean the most to him. He came back and had a change of heart, opting to remain a Spartan and signing a five-year deal.
Since he decided to return, he expressed no interest in retaining J Batt as athletic director after he left for the Kentucky job by hiring Jon Palumbo to replace him as the interim effective immediately.
But Michigan State isn’t going to just continue with an interim athletic director for an extended period of time. Guskiewicz knows how important it is to bridge the gap between athletic directors but he also knows how imperative it is to hire someone full-time. Is that going to be Palumbo? A lot of Spartan fans believe that he would be a safe, but solid, hire, but it wouldn’t exactly blow anyone away. I would be thrilled with Palumbo, but there’s a strong chance that Guskiewicz hires outside the university.
One long-time local broadcaster feels like he has the perfect candidate for Michigan State‘s “vacant” spot, and Guskiewicz wouldn’t have to look very far to find him.
Tim Staudt believes it could be Dan Bartholomae from Western Michigan.
I’m keeping my eye on Western Michigans Dan Bartholimae as Michigan State’s next athletic director. His $5 million buyout would be mostly offset by the near $4 million MSU is getting from Kentucky for J Batt.
— Tim Staudt (@timstaudt10) July 18, 2026
Staudt has been around for over 50 years so he knows the in-state collegiate athletics landscape and if he believes that Michigan State would be willing to shell out $5 million to land a fast-rising mid-major/Group of Five athletic director, it must be a very realistic possibility. This may have even been a name leaked to him by inside sources, but it wouldn’t be all that shocking to see Barholomae at the top of Guskiewicz’s list.
Dan Bartholomae would be an excellent hire
When I put together my list of athletic director candidates following the Batt departure, Bartholomae was one of the first names that came to mind. He was one of the fastest-rising athletic directors in the country and he was right down the road at Western Michigan. He helped turn the football program around quickly, has a hockey national title under his watch, and led the athletic department to unprecedented success.
He was even named as a finalist for the Sports Business Journal’s AD of the Year in 2026.
How would any Spartan fan not want that? He knows the importance of fundraising, he actually cares about academics, and he values community engagement while also prioritizing on-field success.
That sounds like a win to me. It would be tough to wrestle him away from Western Michigan because he may have a dream job in mind that he feels like he could get an offer from over the next few years. Michigan State does have the prestige and resources to interest Bartholomae, though.
If Michigan State promotes Palumbo and removed the interim tag, Spartan fans should be pleased. If they push for a rising star like Bartholomae, they should be thrilled.
Those are my top two choices. Maybe it’s a good thing I’m not in charge?
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