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Carthage College Athletics

The Official Website of The Carthage College Firebirds
Kane-Ryan

Ryan Kane

Ryan Kane was named the athletic director at Carthage College during the 2022–23 academic year, joining the Firebirds after serving as the athletic director at Ripon College.

Since arriving at Carthage, Kane has led several major initiatives designed to elevate the student-athlete experience, strengthen department infrastructure, and expand community engagement. He created and launched The Champions Club, the department’s new fundraising arm, establishing a sustainable model for philanthropic support across all 28 varsity programs. 

Kane has implemented a holistic approach to student-athlete wellness, partnering with Doctors of Physical Therapy to build a full-scale strength and conditioning program, securing a department nutritionist to support performance and recovery, and collaborating with Pastor Adam Miller-Stubbendick to launch Firebirds of Faith, a voluntary spiritual and leadership development resource for student-athletes.

He has expanded Carthage’s support for Name, Image, and Likeness opportunities by launching partnerships with Opendorse and Influxer. These platforms give Firebird student-athletes the tools to build and promote their personal brands, explore NIL opportunities, and elevate Carthage’s visibility in the digital space.

Kane has also strengthened Carthage’s community impact through a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, creating Ember’s Sports Clinics, a free multi-sport clinic series for local youth led by Firebird coaches and student-athletes. He recently joined the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, deepening the relationship between the college and the broader community.

In addition to his work on campus, Kane served on the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball National Tournament Committee from 2021–2023, helping guide championship selections and site administration for one of the NCAA’s largest postseason events.

Prior to his arrival at Carthage, Kane spent a decade as head men’s basketball coach at Ripon College, where he also became athletic director in 2019. He finished his coaching career with a 165–90 overall record, including a 125–55 mark in Midwest Conference play, placing him eighth all-time in conference wins. Under his leadership, the Red Hawks qualified for the four team MWC Tournament in all but one year, won tournament titles in 2017 and 2020, and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in both years. In 2021–22, Kane guided Ripon to its first MWC regular-season championship in 23 years and hosted the conference tournament for the first time since 1999. He reached 100 career wins faster than any coach in program history.

Kane coached five MWC Players of the Year, three All-Americans, a Central Region Rookie of the Year, and 13 All-Conference selections. His teams set school records for points, three-pointers made, and free-throw percentage. As an administrator, Ripon won ten conference championships from 2019 to 2022, produced 12 Coaches of the Year, and recorded a school-record 195 Academic All-Conference honorees in 2022. Kane also spearheaded the $8.5 million Ripon College Stadium project, a major strategic expansion of a 157,000-square-foot facility serving football and soccer.

Raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Kane competed in basketball and golf at St. Norbert College, where he earned his degree in communications. He later completed a master’s in sports administration at Valparaiso University. He launched his coaching career with assistant stops at Dominican (Ill.), Lawrence, and Loras.

In 2017, Kane received Ripon’s Presidential Award for General Excellence, presented annually to one staff member whose service, leadership, and student engagement have made a significant impact on the campus community.

Kane and his wife, Paige, reside in Pleasant Prairie with their three daughters: Sadie (9) and twins Reagan and Mayla (7)