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MSU Athletic Director J Batt speaks during an event announcing the $401 million donation to Michigan State University from Greg and Dawn Williams on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
As Mitch Barnhart prepares to retire at the end of June following a 24-year run as Kentucky’s athletic director, Big Blue Nation has now found his replacement.
J Batt, who was the vice president and director of athletics at Michigan State,
has now been hired as the next UK AD, while he will also hold the title of CEO of Champions Blue LLC.
Batt was announced as Michigan State’s athletic director on June 2, 2025, but after the school lost its president to Clemson, that helped lead to Batt considering a move to the SEC, where he previously worked as Alabama’s executive director of athletics.
Some fans have expressed concerns about Batt’s career path, pointing out that he has moved between several athletic departments throughout his career, including stops at Georgia Tech, Alabama, East Carolina, Maryland, James Madison, William & Mary, and North Carolina. Those fans worry Kentucky could become another short-term stop if he continues to climb the ranks.
Others, however, view Batt as an ideal candidate in today’s rapidly changing college athletics landscape. Widely regarded as one of the nation’s top fundraisers, Batt helped Georgia Tech break fundraising records, increase revenue streams, improve facilities, and achieve academic success during his tenure.
Supporters believe those skills are more important than ever as schools navigate the growing financial demands of NIL, revenue sharing, facility upgrades, and increased support for student-athletes. Many fans see Batt as someone capable of generating the resources necessary to keep Kentucky competitive in the SEC.
Let’s see how Twitter reacted to the big news!
Hear from our new leader. Go Cats
pic.twitter.com/Z4iN9WfB3U
— Kentucky Athletics (@UKAthletics)
June 15, 2026
Kentucky athletics with a good AD is the scariest thing in all of sports
— reed sheppard pt
️ (@CatsVsEveryone)
June 13, 2026
J Batt is known for being a fundraiser and has done that at multiple stops, most recently at Michigan State.
One of those stops (in a different role from AD) was James Madison from 2007-09 while Kenny Brooks was the WBB coach there.
https://t.co/Mjq7yUzCdS
— Phoenix Stevens (@PStevensKSR)
June 13, 2026
Everywhere I read seems like he brings in a lot of money, everywhere he has been he has done a very good job raising money
Seems like a very good hire in the new era of sports!!!
https://t.co/1URvfMk71F
— WildcatSportsHQ (@WildcatSportsHQ)
June 13, 2026
New UK AD J Batt said this when he took the Michigan State job
pic.twitter.com/1MOzLDK5ju
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio)
June 15, 2026
J Batt is the greatest fundraiser college athletics has ever seen.
Eli went out and got us a demon. $50M football roster
Welcome home goat
@MSU_Battmanpic.twitter.com/YVJJC92SDs
— Big Blue Kodak (@bigbluekodakk)
June 13, 2026
Mark Pope learns how to recruit and lands the #1 player in the portal and a top 10 recruit
Will Stein has been getting whoever he wants for months
J Batt gets hired as one of the best fundraising AD’s in the country
Feeling like a lot of talent will be coming to Lexington
https://t.co/puZDCzIVW3
— Matt Sakcilovic BBN (@MattSakR2NG)
June 15, 2026
J Batt lovesssss basketball what a great hire if it goes through! He was on Alabama’s staff in 2017
— kentuckyZaZa (@jacetheukfan)
June 13, 2026
J Batt helped lead the way to land this record-breaking donation for MSU back in 2025.
https://t.co/Y58dXDXv8G
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres)
June 15, 2026
Batt worked under Greg Byrne at Bama, who worked under MItch Barnhart in his time at Kentucky
There are some ties
https://t.co/2bIBWa7dA6
— Wyatt Huff (@Wildcat_wave)
June 13, 2026
Oh wow. Izzo is not happy about losing J Batt
https://t.co/VgAskY2nJz
— Wyatt Huff (@Wildcat_wave)
June 15, 2026
What if Kentucky wasn't looking for another Mitch Barnhart?
What if Kentucky was looking for his opposite?
That's the key to understanding the J Batt hire—and where college athletics is headed next.
https://t.co/JU3HLbupvu
— John Huang (@KYHuangs)
June 15, 2026
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