Well if the PG article had all of four of the finalists, they were all diversity candidates. I would be curious if the process included a mandate to hire a diverse candidate or if the issue was a particular point of emphasis. That's something that a good journalist would investigate.
New AD
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Well if the PG article had all of four of the finalists, they were all diversity candidates. I would be curious if the process included a mandate to hire a diverse candidate or if the issue was a particular point of emphasis. That's something that a good journalist would investigate.
I know she didn't run Ohio state and I might agree with your opinion if she didn't then go and run her own department. She appears very accomplished. I'm assuming you just don't a woman in this position.
Very trendy. I'm sure the department of social justice feels quite pleased.
That's right. Make the sexist allegation. If I'm against the hire, then I must be sexist! I was wondering how long it would take for that card to be played. Can't defend the hire? Just attempt to attack anyone who dissents.
If she's so "accomplished" you should have no problem listing her three most impressive accomplishments. What are they? I will wait.
An AD has 1 job: Fundraise. That's it. To be brutally honest, almost any of us could do the budget-setting and head coach hirings/firings. All the other AD stuff is fluff. What sets an AD apart is the ability to fundraise. Has anyone done that at Pitt? No. Will she do it? Who knows.
Read somewhere that fundraising went up 40% under her. Sounds like she actually wanted to invest a lot into athletics and facilities and got a lot of push back from the university. It'll be interesting to see what she does with the athletic master plan because from what I understand it was going to be reviewed by the new AD.
Heather Lyke
Vice President, Director of Athletics
Phone: 734.487.1050
Email: hlyke@emich.edu
College: University of Michigan - Bachelor’s degree in education - 1992
University of Akron Law School - Juris Doctorate - 1995
THE HEATHER LYKE FILE
Professional Experience
Year School/Company Position
2013-Pres. Eastern Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics
2013 Ohio State University Senior Associate AD
2009-12 Big Ten Network Softball Color Analyst
2002-12 The Ohio State University Associate AD/Sport Administration
1998-02 The Ohio State University Associate AD/ Sport Administration, Compliance and Camp Operations
1996-98 University of Cincinnati Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance/SWA
1995-96 National Collegiate Athletic Association Enforcement Intern
1989-92 University of Michigan Four-year letter winner in softball
LINK:
http://www.emueagles.com/staff.aspx?staff=270
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Good point. However, I'm confident that they hired her because she was the most qualified person interested in the job, at least that's what Gallagher thinks
I think the people who will be the most unhappy with this will be the people saying we need to go all-out in football and basketball. By looking at her background, it seems like the funding for Olympic sports will either stay the same or go up.
The best predictor of future actions is past performance. Theres no evidence she can raise money. 80 percent of her athletic budget Is subsidized by the school and she's been there for four years.
And MAC schools get some money--not a lot--but some--for TV, bowl games, ticket sales.
So the level of fundraising at EMU has to be the equivalent of a hoagie sale.
As such, saying she "set a record" for fund raising at EMU is kind of misleading. They are LAST in the MAC in terms of the level of school subsidy to an athletic department.
Too Much Fluff Huff & Puff Like Pederson,
Again, Not A Football AD:
Look At The Number Of Weasel Words Her Bio?
Old Saying In Personnel Selection To Much Puff......Look At More Stuff!
First Ever Is Tokenism And Did not Stay Long?
But To Be Fair She Has Better Backgrounds Stevie & Barnes!
More Bio On Pitt AD:
Eastern Michigan University’s first ever Mid-American Conference (MAC) Cartwright Award for all-around athletic department excellence (2013-14)… EMU’s first ever MAC Jacoby Award for female athletic excellence (2014-15)… A National Championship for Excellence in Athletic Management (2015-16). (Did She Coach Them? Caution For Heather.....Pederson was once Voted Athletic Director of the Year by his Peers, then got Fired twice with Buyout$ that left Barnes with problems)
The Football program’s first bowl game in 29 years (2016-17)… The highest overall GPA in EMU Athletic History (3.259)… The highest term (3.238) and cumulative (3.266) Athletic Department GPAs in EMU history... The highest graduation rates in EMU Athletic History (81%)… 5000+ hours of student-athlete community service in a single year… ‘Champions Built Here’ has been more than an athletics mantra during the first two three years of Heather Lyke’s tenure as EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics, it has defined a new era.(All Done In Just in One Year???? Oh No, Smell Pederson? Not One Mention of EMU's President Vision?)
Lyke, the 13th Director of Athletics in Eastern Michigan history, and the first woman to hold the full-time athletic director position at EMU, oversees the MAC’s most comprehensive and one of its most successful collegiate athletics programs. The department sponsors 21 fully-funded varsity sports with more than 550+ student-athletes who have won the most Conference Championships, 137, since joining the MAC in 1973 regularly competing for MAC Championships and NCAA Championship selection. (Too Many HIGHEST MOST BOASTS!)
With a firm commitment to student-athlete experience and comprehensive excellence, (What Happen To Just Excellence?) Lyke has set about raising the bar for the MAC’s most dominant athletic program.
Under her leadership EMU Athletics has hired 10 head coaches, including Head Football Coach, Chris Creighton, and 13 key administrators. During her three year tenure, EMU coaches and staff have won 17 MAC Coach of the Year Awards, one National Coach of the Year Award, and mentored no less than 15 MAC Team Champions, 17 MAC Players of the Year, 79 MAC individual champions, 213 All-MAC student-athletes and 389 All-MAC Academic Award winners. (Why Leave All That You DID with The MAC?)
Lyke’s unwavering emphasis on academic achievement has supported student-athletes who have broken and re-broken EMU academic records under her watch. (Above They Are Describe As Firsts?) In 2013-14, EMU student-athletes turned in a then all-time high overall GPA of 3.159 in the fall, and followed it up with the second highest all-time GPA (3.145) (They Dropped?) in the winter. 67 student-athletes earned 4.0 GPAs during at least one term and 68% of all student-athletes had a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. EMU’s Graduation Success Rate of 77% and Federal Graduation Rate of 61% were also both new EMU records. (Are These Student Accomplishments She Is Taking Credit For?)
Not to be outdone, the 2014-15 EMU fall student-athlete GPA of 3.242 set another all-time record, only to be bested once more when the winter GPA registered at 3.259. The academic year included 73% of all student-athletes, and 16 of 21 teams, achieving a GPA over 3.0. An astonishing 67 student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA during at least one term for the second year in row. EMU also held steady at its record 61% Federal Graduation rate and achieved its second highest ever Graduation Success Rate of 75%. (This Is Pure Resume BS & Over The Top Brag With Average Results) The Teams went 10-37 over 4 years?
2015-16 was distinguished by the number 81, with a record 81 student-athletes who earned a 4.0 semester GPA and a new record Graduation Success Rate of 81%. EMU’s 178 Academic All MAC Award winners were the most in the league by 37 over the next closest school. (It Is MAC Schools) (This Is Just Repeat Weasel Words From Above?)
However, the fall 2016 semester has already proven to be the most decorated in Lyke’s tenure and EMU Athletics history. EMU student-athletes achieved the highest term GPA (3.238) and cumulative GPA (3.266) in Athletic Department history, led by 46 student-athletes who earned a 4.0 GPA. Five teams also set program records for GPA, including football who broke their team GPA record in the classroom while they secured the university’s first bowl invitation in 29 years on the field. (This University Must Have Had The Dumbest Students Athletes Before She Got There? ONE BOWL GAME In 29 YEARS, 2-10, 2-10, 1-11, 7-6?)
Lyke is fond of saying great coaches and student-athletes need great teaching environments, and she has wasted no time spearheading a number of necessary capital upgrades, including: substantial completion of the EMU rowing boathouse, ADA improvements and restrooms at softball’s Varsity Field, bleachers and an ADA walkway at soccer’s Scicluna Field, a new Daktronics scoreboard, bleacher motors and electrical upgrades at swimming’s Jones Natatorium, an upgraded football student-athlete lounge area, new football turf field, new basketball and volleyball practice court, basket stanchions, ceiling and electrical upgrades (basketball and volleyball), remodeling and design of the EMU nutrition/fueling station, renovation of the gymnastics practice gym, renovation of the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, new loge seating and renovation to the athletic suite for football donors in Rynearson Stadium, a new baseball turf infield, upgraded scoreboard and outfield fence at Oestrike Stadium and a complete interior re-branding of the Convocation Center atrium, office suites, hallways and Eagles Nest suite with the Champions Built Here theme. (Hard to figure out if she is a Maintenance Engineer Designer or she is taking the credit for other people's work???) One Question, Is Eastern Michigan AN URBAN CAMPUS?....because Pitt Is and Fans Told No Space to Build Anything?)
Again, Not A Football AD:
Look At The Number Of Weasel Words Her Bio?
Old Saying In Personnel Selection To Much Puff......Look At More Stuff!
First Ever Is Tokenism And Did not Stay Long?
But To Be Fair She Has Better Backgrounds Stevie & Barnes!
More Bio On Pitt AD:
Eastern Michigan University’s first ever Mid-American Conference (MAC) Cartwright Award for all-around athletic department excellence (2013-14)… EMU’s first ever MAC Jacoby Award for female athletic excellence (2014-15)… A National Championship for Excellence in Athletic Management (2015-16). (Did She Coach Them? Caution For Heather.....Pederson was once Voted Athletic Director of the Year by his Peers, then got Fired twice with Buyout$ that left Barnes with problems)
The Football program’s first bowl game in 29 years (2016-17)… The highest overall GPA in EMU Athletic History (3.259)… The highest term (3.238) and cumulative (3.266) Athletic Department GPAs in EMU history... The highest graduation rates in EMU Athletic History (81%)… 5000+ hours of student-athlete community service in a single year… ‘Champions Built Here’ has been more than an athletics mantra during the first two three years of Heather Lyke’s tenure as EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics, it has defined a new era.(All Done In Just in One Year???? Oh No, Smell Pederson? Not One Mention of EMU's President Vision?)
Lyke, the 13th Director of Athletics in Eastern Michigan history, and the first woman to hold the full-time athletic director position at EMU, oversees the MAC’s most comprehensive and one of its most successful collegiate athletics programs. The department sponsors 21 fully-funded varsity sports with more than 550+ student-athletes who have won the most Conference Championships, 137, since joining the MAC in 1973 regularly competing for MAC Championships and NCAA Championship selection. (Too Many HIGHEST MOST BOASTS!)
With a firm commitment to student-athlete experience and comprehensive excellence, (What Happen To Just Excellence?) Lyke has set about raising the bar for the MAC’s most dominant athletic program.
Under her leadership EMU Athletics has hired 10 head coaches, including Head Football Coach, Chris Creighton, and 13 key administrators. During her three year tenure, EMU coaches and staff have won 17 MAC Coach of the Year Awards, one National Coach of the Year Award, and mentored no less than 15 MAC Team Champions, 17 MAC Players of the Year, 79 MAC individual champions, 213 All-MAC student-athletes and 389 All-MAC Academic Award winners. (Why Leave All That You DID with The MAC?)
Lyke’s unwavering emphasis on academic achievement has supported student-athletes who have broken and re-broken EMU academic records under her watch. (Above They Are Describe As Firsts?) In 2013-14, EMU student-athletes turned in a then all-time high overall GPA of 3.159 in the fall, and followed it up with the second highest all-time GPA (3.145) (They Dropped?) in the winter. 67 student-athletes earned 4.0 GPAs during at least one term and 68% of all student-athletes had a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. EMU’s Graduation Success Rate of 77% and Federal Graduation Rate of 61% were also both new EMU records. (Are These Student Accomplishments She Is Taking Credit For?)
Not to be outdone, the 2014-15 EMU fall student-athlete GPA of 3.242 set another all-time record, only to be bested once more when the winter GPA registered at 3.259. The academic year included 73% of all student-athletes, and 16 of 21 teams, achieving a GPA over 3.0. An astonishing 67 student-athletes achieved a 4.0 GPA during at least one term for the second year in row. EMU also held steady at its record 61% Federal Graduation rate and achieved its second highest ever Graduation Success Rate of 75%. (This Is Pure Resume BS & Over The Top Brag With Average Results) The Teams went 10-37 over 4 years?
2015-16 was distinguished by the number 81, with a record 81 student-athletes who earned a 4.0 semester GPA and a new record Graduation Success Rate of 81%. EMU’s 178 Academic All MAC Award winners were the most in the league by 37 over the next closest school. (It Is MAC Schools) (This Is Just Repeat Weasel Words From Above?)
However, the fall 2016 semester has already proven to be the most decorated in Lyke’s tenure and EMU Athletics history. EMU student-athletes achieved the highest term GPA (3.238) and cumulative GPA (3.266) in Athletic Department history, led by 46 student-athletes who earned a 4.0 GPA. Five teams also set program records for GPA, including football who broke their team GPA record in the classroom while they secured the university’s first bowl invitation in 29 years on the field. (This University Must Have Had The Dumbest Students Athletes Before She Got There? ONE BOWL GAME In 29 YEARS, 2-10, 2-10, 1-11, 7-6?)
Lyke is fond of saying great coaches and student-athletes need great teaching environments, and she has wasted no time spearheading a number of necessary capital upgrades, including: substantial completion of the EMU rowing boathouse, ADA improvements and restrooms at softball’s Varsity Field, bleachers and an ADA walkway at soccer’s Scicluna Field, a new Daktronics scoreboard, bleacher motors and electrical upgrades at swimming’s Jones Natatorium, an upgraded football student-athlete lounge area, new football turf field, new basketball and volleyball practice court, basket stanchions, ceiling and electrical upgrades (basketball and volleyball), remodeling and design of the EMU nutrition/fueling station, renovation of the gymnastics practice gym, renovation of the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, new loge seating and renovation to the athletic suite for football donors in Rynearson Stadium, a new baseball turf infield, upgraded scoreboard and outfield fence at Oestrike Stadium and a complete interior re-branding of the Convocation Center atrium, office suites, hallways and Eagles Nest suite with the Champions Built Here theme. (Hard to figure out if she is a Maintenance Engineer Designer or she is taking the credit for other people's work???) One Question, Is Eastern Michigan AN URBAN CAMPUS?....because Pitt Is and Fans Told No Space to Build Anything?)
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I thought she was just checking a box on an interview....guess not. Hopefully this isn't true.
From all appearances the school was NEVER considering dropping football, but the school does appear to have a block of professors who have made it their mission to get the school to drop football. Rutgers, to name a prominent example, has a group like that as well.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/04/26/eastern-michigan-were-keeping-football/83563300/
Eastern Michigan University's top leaders were blunt[URL='http://emueagles.com/news/2016/4/26/general-open-letter-to-the-emu-campus-community-alumni-friends-and-supporter.aspx'] in an open letter sent Tuesday to their community – we've got no plans to ever drop football and we're not thinking about switching conferences.
"We have absolutely no plans to eliminate football or move into any other division or conference," the letter said. "We are pleased to be a member of an outstanding conference, the Mid-American Conference, where all of our sports and our talented student athletes have the opportunity to compete at the highest levels with neighboring institutions in the Midwest. Any headlines or claims that Eastern is considering dropping football, or reducing our support of the program in any way, are false."
[/URL]
http://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/faculty-wants-eastern-michigan-to-drop-d-i-football-athletics-denies/
A new report from the faculty and students of Eastern Michigan suggest that the school drop out of Division I football and move to the Horizon League for all sports, making football an optional part of the school's athletic department.
I thought what was most interesting was the fact in the second article you linked. EMU football has the lowest attendance in the country in 2015.
I am sure Heather will have no problem selling out Heinz Field.
I mean who can question this resume?
But don't worry. She sold 59 percent of seats in 2016 for an average of around 17k fans.
Took Three Post of 10000 Word Limit To Put Up All Her Big Bio?
During the spring of 2015, she and her administrative team also has also begun designing the future of the EMU Athletics footprint. Lyke EMU Athletics has contracted with construction design firm, AECOM, to create an Athletics five year facility master Championship Building Plan which will sets forth the vision and priority plan for all facility improvements in the next five years.
Lyke’s penchant for facility trend-setting and creative branding was on full display almost immediately with the installation of college football’s first gray Revolution Field Turf football field in 2014. As phase one of a comprehensive branding plan for EMU Football and Rynearson Stadium, the new turf received immediate recognition as a USA Today fan vote ranked EMU’s new field #2 in the nation behind only the University of Tennessee.
With a field designed for players ‘tough enough to play on a parking lot,’ Lyke and her team have embraced South East Michigan’s blue collar roots and automotive history, inspiring an organic re-branding of Rynearson Stadium to become “The Factory.” This comprehensive campaign has included Factory signage upgrades throughout the stadium, a re-design of the football team’s student-athlete lounge, Factory driven merchandise options and in-game team and fan elements. The campaign is emboldened by the ever-present slogan ‘Champions Built Here.’ Now a fixture throughout EMU facilities, social media and marketing materials, Champions Built Here aggressively pronounces that at EMU, and in The Factory, we build champions on the field, in the classroom and in life.
In just the third year of her tenure, Champions were built at Rynearson Stadium as Eastern Michigan’s football program finished the regular season 7-5 and received an invitation to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, EMU’s first bowl invitation in 29 years. The team defeated two schools that played in their respective conference championship games and set school records for total offense, passing yards, total points and touchdown passes. All the while the team led the MAC in Team GPA for the second consecutive year, and the fans came out to watch, with a 100% increase in total season ticket growth from 2014 to 2016.
It takes champions to build champions, and from day one Lyke set about upgrading the business model of Eastern Michigan Athletics. Just a few of the companies that have developed first-ever partnerships with EMU during Lyke’s two year tenure include: IMG, Learfield Licensing, Aspire, Follett, Fanatics and Google. She has also re-negotiated lucrative new pouring rights and apparel contracts with Pepsi and Adidas that position EMU’s agreements as some of the most lucrative competitive in the Mid-American Conference.
Lyke’s resource development focus has also led to the creation of two critical new groups already making major contributions to the future of the department. Eagles Pride, EMU Athletics’ first ever annual fund, was founded in 2014 complete with benefit structure, renewal process and dedicated website to encourage enrollment. The fund is committed to providing financial support for all EMU teams and providing donors a platform to impact EMU Athletics and its student-athletes. This vision for engagement has yielded record breaking numbers in FY16 with both the most cash received and most donors in EMU history. Total donations received have increased 45% over FY15 and number of donors has increased by 21%. FY17 has started strong as well, with Athletics accounting for 64% of all University cash and pledges to date. Total donations received this year have increased by 52%, already ahead of FY16. Lastly, Lyke has also inspired her staff to lead by giving with 3 straight years of 100% participation in an Athletics Staff ‘All-In’ campaign to give back.
2015 also saw Lyke’s recruitment of the EMU Champions Advisory Board. This group of 17 key stakeholders plays a number of key roles for EMU Athletics as ambassadors, advocates, advisors and major donors to the department. The group is currently engaged and invested in the master Championship Building facility Plan process.
Lyke’s ability to build relationships has also extended into the Ypsilanti and Southeast Michigan community. With her undergraduate degree in education and a passion for reading, Lyke immediately set about establishing EMU Athletics as a key partner with the 2nd and 7 Foundation, whose goal is to “tackle illiteracy” by having student-athletes visit, deliver books and read to 2nd grade classrooms. In total, EMU averaged better than 10 community service hours per student-athlete in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 with 5000+ hours of service performed. In 2014-15 she also served as Chair of the Washtenaw County American Heart Association Heartwalk, setting a university record for fundraised dollars and registered walkers. Lyke has also reached out to some of Detroit’s most underfunded neighborhoods and schools by striking a long-term partnership with buildOn, a program for inner city youth to overcome the cycle of poverty through community service leadership. In 2014, Lyke cultivated an anonymous donation of $100,000 to the buildOn program and parlayed that into an annual commitment to host 300 students a year on campus for a service event, campus tour and EMU Football game. The program, now dubbed ‘Building Bright Futures’ has garnered the attention and support of the American Heart Association and Trinity Health System who both donate generously of their time and resources to support the effort.
The vision for EMU Athletics success was solidified in 2015 with the implementation of ‘The Blueprint,” EMU Athletics’ first strategic plan. With an emphasis on practicality and accountability Lyke designed the 6 ‘Pillars’ that guide the Athletic Department’s values, then bolstered the department’s measurable success with the ‘Cornerstones,’ a set of quantifiable goals by which the department measures itself annually. A truly living document, EMU coaches and staff literally walk past the Blue Print’s key concepts each day at work, as they were incorporated into the EMU Convocation Center’s graphic re-design in 2015.
An ardent proponent of growing the profession, Lyke is a sought after national speaker, presenter and leader in the business of college athletics. In 2014, she became the first woman ever to chair the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Committee, and led the Mid-American Conference as chair of their Cost of Attendance Task Force. She is an active member of the NACWAA Board of Directors, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Board of Directors and the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau Sports Commission.
Lyke came to EMU after working for 15 years at The Ohio State University where she was a member of the athletic department’s executive team and responsible for the assessment, design and development of the department’s strategic plan. She directly oversaw 10 of OSU’s 36 athletic programs and managed/supervised 31 full-time coaches and staff. She also had oversight over all facets of the athletic councils involving budget oversight, revenue generation and facilities as well as the golf course operations. Additionally, she supervised the sport performance division of the department, which includes the strength and conditioning coaches, athletic training staff and sports medicine staff. In 2013, she developed the first ever student-athlete internship program within the Department of Athletics, ‘Bucks Go Pro.’
Her previous roles at OSU included associate athletic director for sport administration (2002-12) and associate athletic director for sport administration, compliance and camp operations (1998-02). Prior to Ohio State, Lyke was at the University of Cincinnati for two years, serving as the assistant athletic director for compliance as well as the senior woman administrator. Lyke began her athletics administrative career at the NCAA national office as an intern in the enforcement and student-athlete reinstatement department. She also has worked for the Big Ten Network as a color analyst for softball games for five years.
Lyke grew up in Canton, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan on a softball scholarship. While at U-M, she was a four-year letter winner as a first baseman, two-time team captain, Big Ten champion and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1995.
Lyke and her husband, David Catalano, have three children, Elle, Sophie and Eli.
TOO MUCH PUBLIC RELATIONS & REBRANDING
TOO LESS OF EVERYTHING ELSE!
LINK:
http://www.emueagles.com/staff.aspx?staff=270
During the spring of 2015, she and her administrative team also has also begun designing the future of the EMU Athletics footprint. Lyke EMU Athletics has contracted with construction design firm, AECOM, to create an Athletics five year facility master Championship Building Plan which will sets forth the vision and priority plan for all facility improvements in the next five years.
Lyke’s penchant for facility trend-setting and creative branding was on full display almost immediately with the installation of college football’s first gray Revolution Field Turf football field in 2014. As phase one of a comprehensive branding plan for EMU Football and Rynearson Stadium, the new turf received immediate recognition as a USA Today fan vote ranked EMU’s new field #2 in the nation behind only the University of Tennessee.
With a field designed for players ‘tough enough to play on a parking lot,’ Lyke and her team have embraced South East Michigan’s blue collar roots and automotive history, inspiring an organic re-branding of Rynearson Stadium to become “The Factory.” This comprehensive campaign has included Factory signage upgrades throughout the stadium, a re-design of the football team’s student-athlete lounge, Factory driven merchandise options and in-game team and fan elements. The campaign is emboldened by the ever-present slogan ‘Champions Built Here.’ Now a fixture throughout EMU facilities, social media and marketing materials, Champions Built Here aggressively pronounces that at EMU, and in The Factory, we build champions on the field, in the classroom and in life.
In just the third year of her tenure, Champions were built at Rynearson Stadium as Eastern Michigan’s football program finished the regular season 7-5 and received an invitation to the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, EMU’s first bowl invitation in 29 years. The team defeated two schools that played in their respective conference championship games and set school records for total offense, passing yards, total points and touchdown passes. All the while the team led the MAC in Team GPA for the second consecutive year, and the fans came out to watch, with a 100% increase in total season ticket growth from 2014 to 2016.
It takes champions to build champions, and from day one Lyke set about upgrading the business model of Eastern Michigan Athletics. Just a few of the companies that have developed first-ever partnerships with EMU during Lyke’s two year tenure include: IMG, Learfield Licensing, Aspire, Follett, Fanatics and Google. She has also re-negotiated lucrative new pouring rights and apparel contracts with Pepsi and Adidas that position EMU’s agreements as some of the most lucrative competitive in the Mid-American Conference.
Lyke’s resource development focus has also led to the creation of two critical new groups already making major contributions to the future of the department. Eagles Pride, EMU Athletics’ first ever annual fund, was founded in 2014 complete with benefit structure, renewal process and dedicated website to encourage enrollment. The fund is committed to providing financial support for all EMU teams and providing donors a platform to impact EMU Athletics and its student-athletes. This vision for engagement has yielded record breaking numbers in FY16 with both the most cash received and most donors in EMU history. Total donations received have increased 45% over FY15 and number of donors has increased by 21%. FY17 has started strong as well, with Athletics accounting for 64% of all University cash and pledges to date. Total donations received this year have increased by 52%, already ahead of FY16. Lastly, Lyke has also inspired her staff to lead by giving with 3 straight years of 100% participation in an Athletics Staff ‘All-In’ campaign to give back.
2015 also saw Lyke’s recruitment of the EMU Champions Advisory Board. This group of 17 key stakeholders plays a number of key roles for EMU Athletics as ambassadors, advocates, advisors and major donors to the department. The group is currently engaged and invested in the master Championship Building facility Plan process.
Lyke’s ability to build relationships has also extended into the Ypsilanti and Southeast Michigan community. With her undergraduate degree in education and a passion for reading, Lyke immediately set about establishing EMU Athletics as a key partner with the 2nd and 7 Foundation, whose goal is to “tackle illiteracy” by having student-athletes visit, deliver books and read to 2nd grade classrooms. In total, EMU averaged better than 10 community service hours per student-athlete in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 with 5000+ hours of service performed. In 2014-15 she also served as Chair of the Washtenaw County American Heart Association Heartwalk, setting a university record for fundraised dollars and registered walkers. Lyke has also reached out to some of Detroit’s most underfunded neighborhoods and schools by striking a long-term partnership with buildOn, a program for inner city youth to overcome the cycle of poverty through community service leadership. In 2014, Lyke cultivated an anonymous donation of $100,000 to the buildOn program and parlayed that into an annual commitment to host 300 students a year on campus for a service event, campus tour and EMU Football game. The program, now dubbed ‘Building Bright Futures’ has garnered the attention and support of the American Heart Association and Trinity Health System who both donate generously of their time and resources to support the effort.
The vision for EMU Athletics success was solidified in 2015 with the implementation of ‘The Blueprint,” EMU Athletics’ first strategic plan. With an emphasis on practicality and accountability Lyke designed the 6 ‘Pillars’ that guide the Athletic Department’s values, then bolstered the department’s measurable success with the ‘Cornerstones,’ a set of quantifiable goals by which the department measures itself annually. A truly living document, EMU coaches and staff literally walk past the Blue Print’s key concepts each day at work, as they were incorporated into the EMU Convocation Center’s graphic re-design in 2015.
An ardent proponent of growing the profession, Lyke is a sought after national speaker, presenter and leader in the business of college athletics. In 2014, she became the first woman ever to chair the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Committee, and led the Mid-American Conference as chair of their Cost of Attendance Task Force. She is an active member of the NACWAA Board of Directors, Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Board of Directors and the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Convention and Visitors Bureau Sports Commission.
Lyke came to EMU after working for 15 years at The Ohio State University where she was a member of the athletic department’s executive team and responsible for the assessment, design and development of the department’s strategic plan. She directly oversaw 10 of OSU’s 36 athletic programs and managed/supervised 31 full-time coaches and staff. She also had oversight over all facets of the athletic councils involving budget oversight, revenue generation and facilities as well as the golf course operations. Additionally, she supervised the sport performance division of the department, which includes the strength and conditioning coaches, athletic training staff and sports medicine staff. In 2013, she developed the first ever student-athlete internship program within the Department of Athletics, ‘Bucks Go Pro.’
Her previous roles at OSU included associate athletic director for sport administration (2002-12) and associate athletic director for sport administration, compliance and camp operations (1998-02). Prior to Ohio State, Lyke was at the University of Cincinnati for two years, serving as the assistant athletic director for compliance as well as the senior woman administrator. Lyke began her athletics administrative career at the NCAA national office as an intern in the enforcement and student-athlete reinstatement department. She also has worked for the Big Ten Network as a color analyst for softball games for five years.
Lyke grew up in Canton, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan on a softball scholarship. While at U-M, she was a four-year letter winner as a first baseman, two-time team captain, Big Ten champion and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1995.
Lyke and her husband, David Catalano, have three children, Elle, Sophie and Eli.
TOO MUCH PUBLIC RELATIONS & REBRANDING
TOO LESS OF EVERYTHING ELSE!
LINK:
http://www.emueagles.com/staff.aspx?staff=270
Barf, I understood that Gallagher was being pressured to hire a diverse candidate as was the case when Pitt hired their general counsel. Strikes me as a loouy hire from a a backwater school. Pitt nimrods strike again,
"HailToPitt725, post: 1845914, member: 38562"]I think the people who will be the most unhappy with this will be the people saying we need to go all-out in football and basketball.
This is where the money is made????
By looking at her background, it seems like the funding for Olympic sports will either stay the same or go up.
If Football does not succeed into Top 25....Olympic Sports can't stay or go up....just go away?
This is where the money is made????
By looking at her background, it seems like the funding for Olympic sports will either stay the same or go up.
If Football does not succeed into Top 25....Olympic Sports can't stay or go up....just go away?
You do realize that if Pitt were ever to win 10 games for a few seasons that they would neee to pay Narduzzi about 4 million a year. The people higher up the food chain would make that call. It would not be the AD's decision.
Story on her and EMU football on ESPN: http://www.espn.com/espnw/culture/feature/article/18111706/rebuilding-football-program-wrench-hammer
Don't know what to think about this one. Hopefully it is a hire based completely on merit and nailing the interviews, but I know it is naive to think that is always the case in academia.
This isn't a hire that will excite the fanbase off the bat, and like the Stallings hire, that is not a positive. She's going to have to win over people.
Fundraising is perhaps the most important part of the job and she was fairly successful in that at a place nearly impossible to fundraise at. The subsidization level isn't something that is set by the Athletic director, and 80% really isn't that much more than most of the rest of the schools in the MAC. WMU, Buffalo, Kent & Ball State were all around 75%. What it did do was place EMU's athletic budget at 2nd in the MAC and that is a good thing because she can deliver the narrative if you want to be competitive in your conference you better have a comparable budget. But for those bringing up the subsidization level at EMU, it is a complete non-issue and absolutely irrelevant to what her job will be at Pitt. It is a completely disingenuous reason to not like the hire, especially from those whose cry is always to spend more and go "all-in".
Don't know what to think about this one. Hopefully it is a hire based completely on merit and nailing the interviews, but I know it is naive to think that is always the case in academia.
This isn't a hire that will excite the fanbase off the bat, and like the Stallings hire, that is not a positive. She's going to have to win over people.
Fundraising is perhaps the most important part of the job and she was fairly successful in that at a place nearly impossible to fundraise at. The subsidization level isn't something that is set by the Athletic director, and 80% really isn't that much more than most of the rest of the schools in the MAC. WMU, Buffalo, Kent & Ball State were all around 75%. What it did do was place EMU's athletic budget at 2nd in the MAC and that is a good thing because she can deliver the narrative if you want to be competitive in your conference you better have a comparable budget. But for those bringing up the subsidization level at EMU, it is a complete non-issue and absolutely irrelevant to what her job will be at Pitt. It is a completely disingenuous reason to not like the hire, especially from those whose cry is always to spend more and go "all-in".
See link. Sure seems like some impressive accomplishments. I mean, how many other Athletic departments lost 52 million dollars over 2 years?
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/04...ment-lost-52-million-over-the-last-two-years/
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2016/04...ment-lost-52-million-over-the-last-two-years/
The subsidization is not a non issue. It speaks directly to her ability to raise money. She's been there four years.
I never said I was apart of this group. I've always had a stance on here wishing that all of our teams were in a position to win ACC championships. I was just stating this since there's been a lot of talk on here lately about "going all-out" and emphasizing Olympic sports less and less. Both sides have good points, I just don't want to try to pump all of their money into football and basketball when they're already on life support to begin with.
How the hell could Pitt emphasize Olympic sports less than they have over the past 40 years? That in itself is completely detached from any actual knowledge of what has been going on in Pitt's athletic department.
That's your argument? Don't worry because she won't be involved in the really important decisions?
I wouldn't go as far as to say that. I think we just expected something different and a "bigger" move, such as the Tressel one. I don't think we were given a chance to see her full potential at EMU since they tried to push back on a lot of her athletic proposals. It is nice to see that fundraising went up 40% under her and they had a re-energized brand, something that we've been looking for here. The football is also coming off their best season in a long time, although they won 5 games in the previous 3 seasons before that.
I'm skeptical, but at least there's some signs of potential. Like the others said on here, this is definitely not a football hire. Nothing wrong with that, though.
I don't try to pretend that I know what's going on in the department. I was simply replying to Capt's post and how I wouldn't like to see some sports succeed at the cost of others, referring to Olympic sports. Originally I was referring to a lot of the debate lately about going "all-out" in football.
If anyone thought Tressel was coming to Pitt, they've haven't been paying attention over the last 50 years.
I'm not sure what "not a football hire" means. If it means football won't be the focus of the athletic department, that's not what her working history suggests at EMU. If it means she personally has a background in softball, but not football, than yes, that is true. Barnes didn't have a football background in that case either. But then, he only blew up the basketball program. Maybe the only program we have to worry about here is Holly Aprile's. One can only hope.
Gottya, I have many on ignore because they are so worthy of it.
Oh I am sure Holly and all the other coaches of sports that lose money for the school are thrilled with the hire. Because if there's one thing apparent about the EMU athletic department, it's that it knows how to lose money.
I think what they mean by that is hiring someone with a football background to appease Narduzzi (so he doesn't move on to another job?
) but this thinking is flawed since he served on the search committee. You have to think that they got his approval before they finalized this.
Unbelievable (or not, given the Yinzers who post).
None of you apparently have daughters, wives or women friends. A "diversity" hire? Go tell that to your daughter.
How has Pitt done over the last 40 years hiring old white guys?
Get real.
None of you apparently have daughters, wives or women friends. A "diversity" hire? Go tell that to your daughter.
How has Pitt done over the last 40 years hiring old white guys?
Get real.
I think what they mean by that is hiring someone with a football background to appease Narduzzi (so he doesn't move on to another job?
The experience at Pitt has been, at least recently, that there is more meddling in the sports where the ADs actually have their personal backgrounds in.
I view this hire as one that could result in more autonomy for Narduzzi.
I look at her work at EMU and the budget there compared to the rest of the conference, and the turn around that happened competitively, and see potential for her to be someone that will fight for funding from the university in order to allow her coaches to be competitive.
On paper, she seems competitive and aggressive. That could be a good thing.
There is no way to know how this could play out though. I'm not exactly boiling over in confidence considering the last two high profile hires made under Gallagher. I remain cautious and skeptical.
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I think her background gives her a grasp of both big time OSU and a DOA athletic program like EMU. In four years she accomplished a lot. Give her credit for both sports and academic success. I see nothing here to bitch about. She hit all the boxes with check marks and with ACC increasing cash and the ACC network coming on stream in two years, she will have a far better budgetary plan to work with.
It is probably really important for an AD at Pitt to have experience with having worked in a situation that doesn't have unfettered resources. Her OSU background will allow her to know what she is competing against (like a PSU or ND), but also how to get creative to get things done.
"HailToPitt725, post: 1845983, member: 38562"]I never said I was apart of this group. I've always had a stance on here wishing that all of our teams were in a position to win ACC championships.
I know your point and it is a good "WISH" I am with you. But This Ad can't even write a Good Resume & Just Puffs Up taking credit for everything in just the First Bowl game in 29 Years???? She did it???? This is lightweight in my opinion, and the Pitt Athletic Committee shoudl have dropped her from that Weasel Worded BS Bio alone?
I was just stating this since there's been a lot of talk on here lately about "going all-out" and emphasizing Olympic sports less and less.
I agree with "WISHING & HOPING" but All Olympic Programs are built from Football & Basketball, and they need to be built on solid foundations FIRST & FOREMOST, the other Sports follow later!
Both sides have good points, I just don't want to try to pump all of their money into football and basketball when they're already on life support to begin with.
I am bit confuse now......Pitt has money now to build Football & Basketball on the Clemson Blueprint Income Expenses Comparisons and you prefer to see what Soccer, Track, and Tennis instead?
Hail To Pitt Oblivion Again!
I know your point and it is a good "WISH" I am with you. But This Ad can't even write a Good Resume & Just Puffs Up taking credit for everything in just the First Bowl game in 29 Years???? She did it???? This is lightweight in my opinion, and the Pitt Athletic Committee shoudl have dropped her from that Weasel Worded BS Bio alone?
I was just stating this since there's been a lot of talk on here lately about "going all-out" and emphasizing Olympic sports less and less.
I agree with "WISHING & HOPING" but All Olympic Programs are built from Football & Basketball, and they need to be built on solid foundations FIRST & FOREMOST, the other Sports follow later!
Both sides have good points, I just don't want to try to pump all of their money into football and basketball when they're already on life support to begin with.
I am bit confuse now......Pitt has money now to build Football & Basketball on the Clemson Blueprint Income Expenses Comparisons and you prefer to see what Soccer, Track, and Tennis instead?
Hail To Pitt Oblivion Again!
Give it a rest. Pitt is first and foremost an academic institution, as it should be. This is an administrative position. She's not a coach. All is well. Don't like it? Go support PSU or WVU.
I probably sound a bit contradicting. Yes, football and basketball drives the revenue train, but at the same time there's glaring facility needs that need to be fixed such as the T&F and tennis facility (or should I say a lack of one.) I would just like to see progress in all sports, which they now have the ability to thanks to the ACC money. You bring up a good point though about how these sports are built off of football and basketball. This is probably why I wasn't chosen for the AD position
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