MSU athletic director J Batt departs for University of Kentucky

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 15, 2026, 6:44 PM

Last updated Jun 15, 2026

MSU athletic director J Batt departs for University of Kentucky

Summary

J Batt is leaving Michigan State University to become the director of athletics at the University of Kentucky, effective June 15, 2026. Within a month of each other, both Batt and President Kevin Guskiewicz announced their departures from MSU. Batt previously joined MSU in June 2025 under a six-year contract valued at $12.6 million and was instrumental in MSU's athletic planning and development, including hiring football coach Pat Fitzgerald. MSU will now look to appoint an interim athletic director and develop a search process for a permanent replacement.

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Key Details

•J Batt was hired at MSU in June 2025 after working at Georgia Tech.
•He played a key role in forming Spartan Ventures for NIL revenue.
•Kentucky Athletics announced his hiring on June 15, 2026.
•Guskiewicz expressed gratitude for Batt's impact on MSU athletics.
•MSU will begin the search for an interim athletic director soon.

Latest Updates

6:44 PMYahoo Sports — MSU athletic director J Batt is leaving for UK. Everything we know

What they're saying

"
MSU spent more than $2 million to snag J Batt from Georgia Tech, where he was initially under contract until 2029, and now must start over.
— Yahoo Sports

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