The University of Pittsburgh announced Monday that it has relieved athletic director Heather Lyke (pictured second from the right) of her duties.
Lyke, a 53-year-old native of Canton, Ohio, was hired by Pitt in March 2017 after previously being at Eastern Michigan. Under Lyke, the Panthers football team won the ACC championship in 2021.
She was named the 2023 Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year Award recipient by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi was hired two years earlier than Lyke’s hire but was given an extension through 2030 in March of 2022.
“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 levels,” Pittsburgh Chancellor Joan Gable said in a statement. “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 new leader of our athletics department. On behalf of all Panthers, we wish Heather and her family the best with appreciation for their service to Pitt.”
This news comes just days before the 2024 Backyard Brawl between Pitt and West Virginia. The Panthers are currently 2-0 after defeating Kent State and Cincinnati, while the Mountaineers are 1-1, falling to Penn State and defeating UAlbany.
Jenifer Tuscano has been named the university’s interim athletic director as it begins a nationwide search to fill Lyke’s former role.
The game will be televised on ESPN2 and kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. EST at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
