Pitt has relieved Director of Athletics Heather Lyke from her duties, the University announced Monday morning in a statement. Christopher Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported.
Lyke was hired as the Director of Athletics in 2017 and signed an extension in 2019. Her contract was set to expire later this year, but Pitt has decided to enter a new era of college athletics with a new voice as soon as possible.
“Today, I informed University of Pittsburgh director of athletics, Heather Lyke, that I was making a change in the leadership of our athletics program,” Pitt Chancellor Joan Gabel said in a statement.
“Upon her arrival at Pitt in 2017, Heather guided our program through a unique period in college athletics and we thank her for her leadership during that time. Her tenure included successes from football’s first ACC championship to volleyball reaching its first-ever NCAA Final Four, while representing the University at the conference and national level.
“However, as we enter a new era in college athletics, one that seems to change by the day, we need a new vision and a leader of our athletic department. On behalf of all Panthers, we wish Heather and her family the best with appreciation for their service to Pitt.”
Lyke has done a lot of great things for Pitt; she’s a good athletic director. But there’s a reason for the dismissal. For all the good she’s done (the Victory Heights project, coaching stability in the revenue-generating sports and a revitalization of the Olympic sports), Pitt is woefully behind in the NIL game. And the athletic department is in the red.
The NACDA awarded her the 2023 Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year, and she was a finalist for the Sports Business Journal Athletic Director of the Year award. In 2022-23 alone, Pitt hit its highest points total in the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup and football, men’s basketball, volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer and wrestling all experienced high levels of success.
Pitt will conduct a “national and comprehensive search” to find Lyke’s replacement, and Executive Associate Athletic Director Jennifer Tuscano will serve as the interim director.
wow … i thought she was recently extended. something happened.
Yeah, I thought she got an extension just a few weeks ago.
This seems to be an interesting move and timing. I am sure there will be lots of applicants, but not sure any will be better. It will be a challenge to retain some excellent coaches that she brought in, the momentum, and build NIL network. We will see what a priority atheletics is for the university going forward.
I’m guessing this is the same Joan Gabel that allowed violent protesters on our campus and that fought with police and damaged Cathy. Ole Joan is no friend of the athletic department.
Hopefully this is not yet another Pitt Chancellor outsmarting themselves…
Thought she was pretty well respected and liked by many. Seemed to be good at what she did
Except the NIL thing, which is a pretty important part of the AD’s job nowadays.
WTH happened?!?! How do you extend someone then FIRE them? This chancellor will probably hire someone worse than Barnes…
Well that certainly wasn’t on my bingo card for this morning!
No extension as of yet. It actually had been interesting that she wasn’t extended yet. Not looking to speculate, but something must’ve been brewing underneath for this to occur at this time. I’ll hold judgement on the Chancellor for now. Unfortunately previous administrations weren’t very productive or interested on the athletic front. They pretty much helped destroy Pitt in the 90’s and held progress back during the 00’s.
Guess we’re going to have to wait and see what Ole Joan has up her sleeve.My guess will be a load of crap but we shall see
Lyke interviewing for the Northwestern Univ. AD position was a clear sign Lyke wanted or was “encouraged” by Pitt to move on and go somewhere else. You can’t spell Chancellor without the word “chance” so let’s give her (Joan Gabel) one.
Heather Lyke did a great job at Pitt. She was respected and well liked. However, with NIL being such an important part of college sports now I can see how that is a major issue. How many recruits does Pitt lose to other programs because of NIL and not for any other reason? How many businesses out there could help fund NIL opportunities that Pitt is missing on? It is almost like the AD has to be in sales and business development now, too. We will have to see how this plays out.
She excelled with the Olympic sports but failed to date with NIL , which represents the revenue sports and pays for the entertaining Olympics sports . Without Pitt football profits there are no Pitt Olympic sports . She will likley land at a big school with an established NIL program or an academic powerhouse where Olympic sports are highly valued and football doesn’t run the athletic dept , such as Georgetown , caltech , Yale etc.