{"id":702721,"date":"2026-06-14T01:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T01:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/702721\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T01:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T01:43:08","slug":"j-batt-emerges-as-kentuckys-pick-to-replace-mitch-barnhart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/702721\/","title":{"rendered":"J Batt emerges as Kentucky’s pick to replace Mitch Barnhart"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kentucky has found its pick to replace longtime athletics director Mitch Barnhart, according to multiple reports.<\/p>\n

Michigan State athletics director J Batt has emerged as the likely hire, according to reports from Yahoo Sports<\/a> and ESPN<\/a>. Batt has only been in his current position for a little more than a year. He was previously the athletics director at Georgia Tech.<\/p>\n

The reports said the deal is not finished but negotiations have begun.<\/p>\n

UK has stressed the need for its next athletics director to find ways to generate more revenue since Barnhart announced he was retiring in March. The hire will carry the dual titles of athletics director and CEO of Champions Blue, the nonprofit LLC the university created to manage the athletic department last year.<\/p>\n

At Georgia Tech, Batt helped the school break its previous athletic fundraising record by more than 40%. In his one year at Michigan State, Batt helped create Spartan Ventures, a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation tasked with maximizing revenue and supporting NIL opportunities for athletes.<\/p>\n

Prior to his stint at Georgia Tech, Batt spent six years as the executive director of athletics at Alabama. He also worked in administration at East Carolina, Maryland, James Madison, William and Mary and North Carolina. At Alabama, Batt worked for athletics director Greg Byrne, who previously worked at Kentucky for Barnhart.<\/p>\n

UK would owe Michigan State $2.5 million<\/a> to break Batt\u2019s contract after one year on the job, according to the Detroit Free Press. His buyout was cut in half when Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz announced in May he was leaving the school for a job at Clemson.<\/p>\n

While Batt has a reputation as an elite fundraiser, his record on major coaching hires is still relatively light.<\/p>\n

At Georgia Tech, he promoted interim football coach Brent Key to the full-time job. Key has led Georgia Tech to three straight bowl games and won nine games in 2025.<\/p>\n

Batt\u2019s men\u2019s basketball hire at Georgia Tech was less successful. He hired former NBA Rookie of the Year Damon Stoudamire in 2023. Stoudamire was 42-55 in three seasons at Georgia Tech before being fired by Batt\u2019s replacement. Batt was the deputy administrator with oversight of the men\u2019s basketball program at Alabama when Byrne hired men\u2019s basketball coach Nate Oats.<\/p>\n

Like Kentucky, Batt was in the market for a new football coach last fall. He fired Jonathan Smith at the end of the season then hired former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to replace him.<\/p>\n

Batt won a national championship as a soccer player at North Carolina in 2001. He graduated with a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism and mass communications and a master\u2019s degree in sports administration from UNC.<\/p>\n

Barnhart has served as UK\u2019s athletics director for the last 24 years. His last day is scheduled for June 30.<\/p>\n

This story will be updated.<\/p>\n

\"Michigan Michigan State athletics director J Batt walks off the field after a college football game against Western Michigan at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, on Aug. 29, 2025. According to reports Saturday, Batt is the leading candidate for the AD position at Kentucky. Aaron J. Thornton Getty Images <\/p>\n

This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 6:32 PM.<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Jon Hale<\/a><\/p>\n

Lexington Herald-Leader<\/p>\n

Jon Hale is the University of Kentucky football beat writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. He joined the Herald-Leader in 2022 but has covered UK athletics for more than 10 years. Hale was named the 2021 Kentucky Sportswriter of the Year.
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