Syracuse hiring former Pitt AD Heather Lyke

[cusefan88]

Syracuse hires former Pittsburgh AD Heather Lyke in new advisory role

Heather Lyke served as the athletic director at Pittsburgh from 2017 through last September.

www.syracuse.com

 

[sufan59]

Big time athletic department kind of move

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Wildhack confirmed the hiring of Lyke late Thursday afternoon and offered this statement:

“We’re thrilled to bring someone with Heather’s pedigree and expertise to our team in what is a transformative time in collegiate athletics,’' Wildhack said. ”She brings a wealth of experience and success to Syracuse.’'

Wildhack said Lyke would advise himself and Syverud on key initiatives at SU and work with coaches and administrators.

 

[Toga]

What's not to like?

 

[Toga]

Potential replacement down the line?

 

[JKinPhilly]

I imagine the heat just cranked up on Red a bit

 

[FloridaCuse]

VERY curious hire. As Toga pointed out above is this being done for her to ultimately replace ADJW? But . . . she was abruptly fired by Pitt after friction with their new Chancellor who reportedly didn't think she was doing well with fundraising and was overspending on what some believed was an unwise capital project for a new $240 million facility for certain nonrevenue sports. Hmmm.

2 articles on her firing by Pitt.

Heather Lyke's dismissal from Pitt comes after 'friction' with school chancellor

Friction between Heather Lyke and Chancellor Joan Gabel contributed to the former being let go as Pitt athletic director.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

Why Pitt chose to move on from Heather Lyke — and the daunting challenge facing its next AD

When the University of Pittsburgh relieved Heather Lyke of her duties as athletic director Sept. 9, the move surprised many in Pitt’s athletic community...

www.post-gazette.com

 

[FloridaCuse]

 

[OrangeTarheel]

She will tell us all the Pitt secrets. Me lykey

 

[ECE '76]

If the #1 challenge to the SU athletic department in the next 5 years is financing, her record seems to show that she is not going to be able to help.

Maybe she is in line for Herman Frazier's position. She almost has to be better at future scheduling. Herm will be 71 in October.

 

[MadNY3]

Potential replacement down the line?

Doubt it, but maybe. All depends on the timing for a new Chancellor.

 

[AngryOtto]

I think any new AD has to be more like a ceo. Athletic departments are large business that handle millions of dollars. It’s not just about hiring a coach and working with boosters.

 

[jr4750]

She will tell us all the Pitt secrets. Me lykey

Play press coverage... repeat

 

[Ozone!]

Welcome Heather Lyke,​

 

[BillSU]

VERY curious hire. As Toga pointed out above is this being done for her to ultimately replace ADJW? But . . . she was abruptly fired by Pitt after friction with their new Chancellor who reportedly didn't think she was doing well with fundraising and was overspending on what some believed was an unwise capital project for a new $240 million facility for certain nonrevenue sports. Hmmm.

2 articles on her firing by Pitt.

Heather Lyke's dismissal from Pitt comes after 'friction' with school chancellor

Friction between Heather Lyke and Chancellor Joan Gabel contributed to the former being let go as Pitt athletic director.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

Why Pitt chose to move on from Heather Lyke — and the daunting challenge facing its next AD

When the University of Pittsburgh relieved Heather Lyke of her duties as athletic director Sept. 9, the move surprised many in Pitt’s athletic community...

www.post-gazette.com

IF you are going to replace ADJW, are you going to choose Lyke? If she cannot encourage fundraising / donations for a $240M building for 3 non - revenue sports, volleyball, gymnastics, and wrestling and have as of '23 only $12M perhaps you should question that.

However, she is a smart woman in positions of great responsibility, and here is some of her background in that arena:
As AD: During her tenure at Eastern Michigan University, Lyke oversaw significant growth in the school's athletic programs thanks to a 51% increase in athletic donations. This increased funding was used for capital upgrades to athletic facilities. The school won seventeen MAC titles during her tenure. The football team made its first bowl appearance since 1987, with a 20–24 loss to Old Dominion in the 2019 Bahamas Bowl under head coach Chris Creighton.[1]
On September 25, 2024, it was announced that Lyke would take over the role of Acting President and CEO of FBS Athletics Directors Association (formerly LEAD1 Association) on October 1, 2024 after current President and CEO, Tom McMillen stepped down.

From 2017-24, Lyke served as the athletics director at University of Pittsburgh. Pitt’s progress was recognized when Lyke was named the Dapper Dan Sportswoman of the Year—one of the highest-profile honors annually bestowed in the Pittsburgh sports community—in February 2019. The year 2020 presented many challenges that continued to reverberate across America and abroad. In that regard, the University of Pittsburgh had a major asset in Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. Her influence during these challenging times was not been limited to Pitt. Lyke was an ACC representative on the NCAA Division I Council, a high-level group responsible for decision making that shapes the future for all of Division I Athletics. She was on the front lines of vital NCAA legislation geared to help student-athletes navigate this climate and beyond. Moreover, in July of 2021, Lyke testified in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the negative impact of gambling on collegiate athletics. Her passionate and impressive testimony was punctuated by a call for Congress to prohibit such wagering for “student and student-athlete well-being; the integrity of amateur competition; and the compliance impact on all our institutions of higher education.” Beyond Pitt, she also provided leadership on NACDA’s Executive Committee as well as the LEAD1 Board of Directors. In the Pittsburgh community, Lyke served on the Board of Directors for the Hillman Cancer Center as well as P3R, a non-profit that promotes running and city races.

From 2013-17, Lyke served as vice president and director of athletics at Eastern Michigan University. Prior to EMU, she was a ranking athletic administrator at Ohio State for 15 years. Lyke additionally held posts at the University of Cincinnati and with the NCAA.

From 1998-2013, Lyke worked at Ohio State, where she was a member of the athletic department’s executive team and a lead figure in the development of the Buckeyes’ strategic plan.

Lyke served at Cincinnati as the assistant athletic director for compliance as well as the senior woman administrator from 1996-98. She began her career at the NCAA as an intern in the enforcement and student-athlete reinstatement department from 1995-96.

Born and raised in Canton, Ohio, Lyke starred at GlenOak High School in volleyball, basketball and softball. She accepted a softball scholarship from Michigan, where she lettered four years as a first baseman and was an All-Academic Big Ten honoree.

Lyke and her husband, David Catalano, have three children: Elle, Sophie and Eli.

 

[Chip]

VERY curious hire. As Toga pointed out above is this being done for her to ultimately replace ADJW? But . . . she was abruptly fired by Pitt after friction with their new Chancellor who reportedly didn't think she was doing well with fundraising and was overspending on what some believed was an unwise capital project for a new $240 million facility for certain nonrevenue sports. Hmmm.

2 articles on her firing by Pitt.

Heather Lyke's dismissal from Pitt comes after 'friction' with school chancellor

Friction between Heather Lyke and Chancellor Joan Gabel contributed to the former being let go as Pitt athletic director.

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com

Why Pitt chose to move on from Heather Lyke — and the daunting challenge facing its next AD

When the University of Pittsburgh relieved Heather Lyke of her duties as athletic director Sept. 9, the move surprised many in Pitt’s athletic community...

www.post-gazette.com

This stuff doesn't bother me. For one thing, there are two sides to every story. And for another, we're just hiring her to be an advisor. Wildhack still has the final call.

 

[azbobbop]

Wildhack is 66. This could be a rent to own.