The University of Louisville Board of Trustees authorized the president to execute a five-year contract extension for Director of Athletics Josh Heird to continue in that role through June 30, 2030.
“This contract extension is a signal of the confidence that the university has in Josh’s tremendous leadership,” said UofL President Kim Schatzel. “He is the right person and the right leader to take UofL athletics toward its very bright future. Not only does Josh care deeply about our athletics department, but he also cares about this university and our community. We look forward to supporting him in this role for many years to come.”
The agreement was approved by the University of Louisville Athletic Association Board of Directors at a special meeting on Dec. 9. After serving as the interim athletic director beginning in December 2021, Heird was elevated to the full-time position in June 2022.
During his tenure, Heird has made several key coaching hires including hometown hero Jeff Brohm to lead the football program and Pat Kelsey to take the reins as head coach of the storied men’s basketball program. He also extended contracts for other head coaches including women’s head basketball coach Jeff Walz, women’s volleyball coach Dani Busboom-Kelly and Dan McDonnell, who leads UofL’s baseball team.
“We have incredible momentum as an athletics department because of the talented and dedicated student-athletes, coaches and staff who pursue excellence every day,” said Heird. “We are grateful to President Schatzel and the university as well as Board of Trustees and the ULAA Board of Directors for their belief in our vision and for their incredible support of our programs. Louisville is home, and I am humbled to continue to serve this outstanding university and community.”
Over the last two football seasons, the Cardinals have won 18 games, including the school’s first-ever win over Clemson and a victory in Lexington over the University of Kentucky this season for the first time since 2017. In Brohm’s first season, the Cardinals won 10 games for the seventh time in school history and reached their first-ever ACC Championship game.
This fall, the women’s volleyball program reached the Sweet 16 for the sixth-straight season and will host the regional semifinals and finals this weekend at Freedom Hall. Heird’s intentional emphasis on increasing volleyball attendance was evident when three home matches were held at the KFC Yum Center this season averaging 11,276 fans per game, including a program record 12,760 fans for the team’s win over Kentucky.
Heird’s commitment to student-athlete academic success and experience extends beyond the playing field, as the department announced the highest Graduation Success Rate (GSR) in program history — 93%. UofL student-athletes earned a 3.31 GPA in the 2024 spring semester, extending Louisville student-athletes’ streak of 27 straight semesters with a department-wide GPA of 3.0 or better. Under his purview, the department also has implemented and invested in mental health support and innovative sport science partnerships.
Over the past three years, Heird has spearheaded significant revenue-generating initiatives, including finalizing a $41 million naming rights deal to rename Cardinal Stadium as L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium and securing a $4 million commitment to renovate the Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club. The department also received a $1 million donation for the enhancement of Jim Patterson Stadium and completed work on Denny Crum Hall, a state-of-the-art residence hall on the UofL campus.
Heird’s leadership continues to play a critical role in positioning Louisville Athletics for success as collegiate athletics navigates unprecedented change. The partnership with 502Circle, the official NIL collective of the Louisville Cardinals, which operates independently from the University of Louisville, has been critical to success, as 502Circle works directly with UofL student-athletes to maximize their opportunities in the NIL space.
Heird serves on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Committee and is a board member of the America Heart Association and Kentucky Derby Museum.
