Pitt Athletic Director Heather Lyke has had a hell of a first year. From managing to get rid of Stallings and hiring Jeff Capel to save the men’s basketball program. To all the new coaching hires. I mean the turnover has been astounding — and frankly needed. Couple that with her plans for the facilities, and Lyke has gone from a “okay” hire to a home run.
And just like a coach that blows away expectations in their first year, a new contract for AD Lyke was done.
Lyke was hired in March, 2017, to replace Scott Barnes, who spent less than two years as Pitt’s athletic director before leaving in December, 2016, to take the same job at Oregon State. In 13 months, Lyke has put her brand on the program by hiring six coaches.
Evidenced by two contract extensions for Narduzzi, Gallagher clearly wants more continuity among those in leadership positions than what has occurred in the past.
“He felt things were going in the right direction and the right trajectory,” Lyke said.
Gallagher said in a statement that Lyke is “leading an ambitious charge to transform Pitt Athletics.”
“Her success here is just beginning. I am thrilled that she will continue to push our athletics programs to new heights — and spur positive change for our student-athletes and our university community — for years to come.”
Asked what the extension means to her personally, Lyke said, “It means I get to be in Pittsburgh for the next six years, for sure, and hopefully longer.”
“I really appreciate (Gallagher’s) leadership, his vision for our university and certainly his support for what we want to accomplish in the athletic department. We could have all the great ideas and all the vision that we ever want, but if you don’t have the support from the top and the leadership there, it doesn’t go a lot of places.”
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