Kentucky set to hire Michigan State AD J Batt

Kentucky set to hire Michigan State’s J Batt as its next athletic director, sources tell On3. He will replace Mitch Barnhart, who is retiring after nearly 25 years. Batt emerged as the target of the search over the weekend.

Michigan State president Kevin Guskiewicz left East Lansing in May for Clemson, the latest administrator turnover for the Spartans. Batt’s departure will mark the latest turnover for Michigan State, with his successor marking the fourth athletic director since 2021.

Viewed as one of the top fundraisers in college athletics, Batt is the former Georgia Tech athletic director who promoted Brent Key to head coach. Key’s gone 27–20 with a nine-win season in 2025. Sources view Batt’s hire as critical for roster fundraising for Will Stein and Mark Pope.

“Across these institutions, J has distinguished himself as a record-breaking fundraiser and leader who strategically invests in facilities to maximize resources and revenue,” Kentucky president Eli Capilouto said in a statement.

Batt was hired at Michigan State last June. In only 12 months, he hired Pat Fitzgerald as the Spartans’ next head football coach. He also formed Spartan Ventures to capitalize on outside revenue.

Batt was previously at Alabama from 2017 to 2022, where he was the Crimson Tide’s chief operating officer and chief revenue officer. He launched a 10-year, $600 million capital campaign during his time at Alabama.

He’s made previous stops at East Carolina, Maryland, James Madison, William & Mary and North Carolina.