Lyke firing remains unclear as Pitt Athletics searches for new AD, Lyke steps into new CEO role

On Sept. 9, 2024, Heather Lyke was fired as Athletic Director of the University of Pittsburgh, only a few months before her contract with the University was set to expire. 

Although Pitt Chancellor Joan Gabel released a statement announcing Pitt “need[s] a new vision and a new leader of our athletics department,” the specific reason for her firing remains unclear. 

In an interview with TribLive last year, Gabel said Lyke “is without question one of the best athletic directors in the country.” In her statement on the firing, however, Gabel stated that the decision to let Lyke go came from her.

“Today, I informed University of Pittsburgh director of athletics, Heather Lyke, that I was making a change in the leadership of our athletics program,” Gabel’s message said. “On behalf of all Panthers, we wish Heather and her family the best with appreciation for their service to Pitt.”

Gabel concluded by announcing the immediate search for the replacement AD. 

The same morning, Lyke posted a response on X stating her thoughts and gratitude towards those she worked with and nodding to the accomplishments made while representing Pitt. 

“This morning Chancellor Joan Gabel informed me of her decision to move in a different direction regarding Pitt Athletics leadership,” Lyke said, the only mention of Gabel in her official statement. 

No one associated with Pitt Athletics that TPN reached out to commented on the decision.

In an email three days later, Gabel said she was “happy to share with the Pitt community how we are moving forward in our search for the next director of athletics at the University of Pittsburgh.” Gabel referenced a changing landscape in college athletics that she later said warranted a “transformational leader” — one that she and the University say they are sure they will find. 

Gabel announced an advisory committee for the search which included names of Pitt athletics faculty and alumni alike. 

Earlier this year, Lyke had explored other job options while under contract at Pitt, becoming a finalist in the running for the athletic director position at Northwestern University, although ultimately not receiving the job offer. Throughout her time at Pitt, Lyke was in contention for opportunities as AD at other big schools as well, such as Michigan State, Ohio State and USC.

According to reporting by CBS, Lyke was only the fifth woman to lead a college sports program at the time of her hiring in 2017. In 2023, she was a recipient of the Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year Award by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. 

The University Times reported Lyke was one of the highest earning figures at the University, totalling $1.5 million in income for the fiscal year 2022-2023. Open Payrolls shows her pay is “935.6 percent higher than the average pay for university and college employees and 979.2 percent higher than the national average for government employees.”

The firing comes as two Pitt athletic teams hold the top rank in the country and the Pitt football team is off to a record start. 

On Wednesday, it was reported that Lyke obtained a new job as the acting president and CEO of FBS Athletics Directors Association, formerly known as LEAD1, 16 days after her firing from Pitt athletics. 

“It is an honor and a privilege to step into this role and to serve an organization that has meant so much to me and so many other athletics directors,” said Lyke in a press release.