Pitt Fans React to Heather Lyke News

On Monday, Pitt relieved director of athletics Heather Lyke of her duties after seven years with the athletic department.

As the news broke (credit to Chris Carter of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette with the news first), I put out a post asking Pitt fans for their initial reaction to the news. Check out those reactions below.

Tony Tennyson: “Wow wow wow.”

Steel in the War Streets:  “Sounds like Pitt is losing money to me. Not getting donations and keeping up with the NIL.”

Doctor Truth: “Maybe she gave them an ultimatum.”

Jake Laskey: “Obviously we don’t know specific reasons yet, and may never, but my initial reaction is that I’m very disappointed in Pitt for this move. Heather was the best thing to happen to Pitt athletics in a long long time.

Jon Shepler: “Maybe my time as a Pitt fan is over as heather is the best AD that Pitt ever had.”

Tom Parry: “Gots to be the $$$ Follow the $$$.”

Ken Tripper: “Was good for pre NIL era. Doing victory heights before addressing football stadium cost her.”

DC Pitt Fan: “Shocked. Must be something going on behind the scenes when the AD of the year who had been generally viewed as a success gets fired in the middle of football season. Although she had been applying to a lot of other jobs lately so I’m sure there’s a backstory here…”

PittPantherinWV: “No big deal.”

Dylan Janda: “Woah.

Anthony J. Valvo: “Initial reaction? Whoever signs her will be a better university for it. Most sports thrived under her leadership.”

Steve Borza: “I liked her but my immediate thought is Pitt got tired of her pursuing other AD positions and decided to move on now.”

EDOG: “H2P.”

TommyJoao: “I liked her but presumably she was unable or unwilling to do what the chancellor wanted done. surprised that it was barely more than a year that they worked together. had to be some obvious differences. best wishes to Heather, she will do fine.”

Simple Man: “Not happy at all. See another Scott Barnes hire on the horizon! Front porch reference is plagiarized from previous Chancellor!”

Kevin: “Good decision.”

Burgh Sports: “Great can we now fire Capel, he’s terrible.”

Chad: “????????”

Pittchagg: “Will probably end badly.”

Anderson Varejao Wig: “Heard from staff close/inside athletics that Heather went off path & halted a set plan for an on-campus football stadium.”

TheMondalorian: “The Chancellor should be fired and the university should extend an olive branch to bring her back. She’s literally turned the athletics at Pitt around.”

Fred Turkington: “Huge mistake. She is a rising star in her profession, well-recognized and well-respected. Why part ways with her now? It seemed like an extension was overdue.”

Marty Caridi: “I thought Heather did a fantastic job. The requirements for an AD job are not the same as when she took the gig. Not to be ignored is that Pitt’s alumni/fanbase are notoriously cheap, & how does that work with “keeping up w/ the Joneses”? Good luck to her, & Gabel is on the clock.”

Mark Beck: “Pitt shot themselves in the foot. Heather was the best thing at Pitt in decades. The new Chanellor Gabel fired her without cause. Look out for Gabel to bring in friend or relative to replace her. Sad day for Pitt. All coaches should be looking for an out.”

Vince Rodemer: “Great news.”

Patrick O’Connor: “Shocked.”

Rusty Decapito: “Why”

John Odzga: “That Gabel is a poor decision maker!”

Tony’s Fords and Mustangs: “She was without doubt the best AD Pitt has had in the last 25 years. There have been some really awful ADs and I would imagine that where we are headed.”

Harry: “Fundraising is name of the game now.”

NavCGTru: “Fundraising is name of the game now.”

1159Shadyave: “Stunned. There must be more to the story, because she was a terrific AD.”

runningbeam: “They better have an absolute perfect plan to replace her because the decade before her tenure was an absolute   show… feels like Jamie Dixon all over again; new Chancellor made a choice so she better deliver a home run.”

H2Pburgh: “Prob who suspended Hammond”

Kaysguy: “I see two possible reasons here: not adapting to the NIL/portal system quickly enough, but more likely, with her contract ending this year and other teams interested, she’s priced herself out of the Pitt job.”

Lae Pitt Maui Strong: “she really did a lot great things for the athletic department. This new NIL with no limits is really hurting college athletics.”

Patrick Connolly: “This is a terrible move!! Love Heather!!! She has done an outstanding job for @Pitt_ATHLETICS there better be a good damn reason or release the university president needs to go immediately!!”

B A: “need somebody that is great with NIL is this day & age.”

Mike Adamson: “Pitt hates Stability!”

RMVang: “Must be tied with Hammond being ineligible to play this year…”

Alejandro Sosa: “Shocked. Thought she did a fantastic job overall. She took the mess Barnes left her with and righted the ship. I’m sure there more to this than meets the eye but every Pitt fan should be wishing her nothing but the best.”

LuchaStreetTacos – Ghost of: “Don’t interview for North Western job.”

Always Call Heads: “If you lose at football, you will not have a job. Nothing else matters.”

TX Panther: “She left Pitt poorly positioned in the NIL landscape. She was terrible at fundraising and couldn’t establish the relationships needed to make the Pitt football program attractive. Pitt’s survival is dependent on getting an invite to the inevitable super conference. Good riddance.”

Jim Maruca: “Preemptive strike by Pitt. Maybe they know something. A good way to get fired is to telegraph to your boss that you’re actively seeking employment elsewhere. It’s not job performance. She did a good job.”

Louise H: “BS. Best thing to happen to Pitt in that position.”

David Thomas: “Initial reaction, not good for Pitt, we don’t know the whole story.”

ShawnNPgh: “Ummmm, ok but why?”

Jon Jacobs: “Go sniffing around for other jobs, your employer will probably do the same.”

HeyDave7878: “Lyke has over spent since day one. Now she’s looking to get out .pitt administration beat her ass to the punch.”

Joe Mac: “She’s been looking for another job so now she’ll have more time to do that. She’ll land on her feet somewhere.”

Steve Goldfarb: “Something’s happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.”

Robert Carola: “One happy camper tell Jeff Capel he’s next”

John Krysinsky: “I didn’t see this coming. Pitt’s soccer programs are in a great place now primarily due to hires of terrific coaches but also because Heather Lyke supported & gave them what was needed to succeed.”

Jake Laskey: “I’m thoroughly disappointed in my alma mater for this move. Heather Lyke elevated every aspect of Pitt Athletics. She was Athletic Director of the Year in 2023. She spent money to revitalize programs in both the hiring of top level coaches, and the construction of new facilities. Some are speculating that she and the new Chancellor didn’t see eye to eye and others are stating a lack of willingness to embrace NIL programs. Either way, she did a phenomenal job at Pitt, and I think the University will regret this decision.”