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Leckrone Leaves to Play for Ohio State

Departing band director applies to enter NCAA transfer portal.

Mike Leckrone

Citing a desire for increased playing time, UW Band Director Mike Leckrone has entered the NCAA transfer portal and announced his intention to go to Ohio State University.

“Mike was a contributor for us for a while,” says Rusty Pipes of the UW School of Music. “He informed us of his decision earlier today, and we wish him the best of luck. Perhaps a change of environment will be good for everyone.”

Leckrone filed his official notification of transfer on April 1, so the UW may now cut his financial aid, and other schools may recruit him through the transfer portal. Leckrone has been at the UW since 1969, meaning that he has one year of college eligibility left.

“I’ve been a starter for 50 years,” he says. “And this school suddenly wants me to ride the bench? I know they want a different direction, but I deserve the chance to compete. That’s all I’m asking.”

The senior signal caller hopes to land a position at Ohio State. His skills may not be a perfect fit there — the signature “stop at the top” march that he developed for Wisconsin will have to become “stop at mediocre” — but there are other advantages. He says that his large wardrobe of red, sequined jackets and vests should be useful there.

“A lot of those things, I’ve only worn them once,” he says. “Like me, they have a lot of gas left in the tank. In fact, I think the material is 80 percent petrochemical.”

Also he prefers Ohio State because he can easily adapt to its band routines. Spelling Ohio, he notes, is relatively easy.

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