Report: Big Ten School Pursuing Pitt AD

A Big Ten School is reportedly pursuing Pitt Panthers athletic director Heather Lyke.

Heather Lyke, Athletic Director of Pitt University speaks at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Luncheon Club at Tozzi's on 12th Monday , February 28, 2022. Heather Lyke Hof Luncheon Club / Kevin Whitlock / Massillon Independent / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers athletic director Heather Lyke has ushered in an era of some of the best sporting moments in the school's history, leading to other universities to inquire about her services.

Northwestern is reportedly pursuing Lyke for their vacant athletic director position, according to Mike Vukovcan of Pittsburgh Sports Now. Northwestern moved previous athletic director Mike Gragg to vice president for athletic strategy, following his poor handling of former football head coach Pat Fitzgerald's hazing scandal.

Vukovcan also reported that the source said “people inside the university are worried that the threat of losing Heather is not being addressed by the chancellor," and that the situation will likely conclude in the coming days if she chooses to stay or go.

Lyke signed a six-year extension in May 2018, which means that there are only a few months until her contract runs out at Pitt. New chancellor Joan Gabel will want to make re-singing Lyke a top priority in the near future.

Lyke came to Pitt in March 2017, after previous athletic director Scott Barnes departed for the same position at Oregon State. She previously served as vice president and director of athletics at Eastern Michigan from 2013-17 and worked in various positions at Ohio State from 1998-2013.

She has made a number of coaching changes, including firing men's basketball head coach Kevin Stallings and replacing him with Jeff Capel, as well as hiring Randy Waldrum as the women's soccer head coach.

Lyke has also gotten extensions for football head coach Pat Narduzzi, volleyball head coach Dan Fisher, men's soccer head coach Jay Vidovich and Capel, as they've excelled during her tenure.

Football won two ACC Coastal Division Titles in 2018 and 2021 and their first ever ACC Championship in 2022. Basketball made it back to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, ending a seven-year drought, and almost made it again last season.

Volleyball is now one of the best programs in the country under Fisher, making eight straight NCAA Tournaments, four straight Elite Eights and three straight Final Fours, the only team in Division I to do the latter.

Men's soccer made their first NCAA Tournament in 2019, ending a 54-year drought, and also made three straight Elite Eights from 2020-22 and two College Cups during that time.

Women's soccer made their first ever NCAA Tournament in 2022, going to the Sweet 16, and then made it to the Elite Eight in 2023, as Waldrum continues to improve the squad each season.

Wrestling under head coach Keith Gavin also won a share of the ACC team title in 2023 and saw Nino Bonaccorsi finish undefeated and win the National Title at 197 pounds.

Pitt will want to keep Lyke around, as she's built the athletics department into one that is successful in more than just football and men's basketball.

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