Ron Cook: Athletic director of the year? Look no further than Pitt's Heather Lyke
The Pitt football program was in an uneasy place. Pat Narduzzi had been on the job for two seasons, but how long would he stay? Pitt had six coaches in the five seasons before Narduzzi’s arrival.
The Pitt men’s basketball program was an absolute mess. It was a year into the two-year nightmare of Kevin Stallings as head coach.
The Pitt facilities were, for the most part, shabby. Fitzgerald Field House was constructed in 1951 and still housed most of the Olympic sports. It was a dump.
Everything began to change for Pitt six years ago — almost to the day — on March 20, 2017.
That was the day Pitt chancellor Patrick Gallagher hired Heather Lyke as its first woman athletic director in its 106-year history.
“When you get to meet somebody personally, you get an idea of how they would fit with our university, our values and our system,” interim athletic director Randy Juhl said at the time. “She had outstanding experience, and she nailed the interview. She grabbed it by the throat and never let go.”
Still hasn’t.
These are good times for Pitt athletics — the best in years, actually. Lyke’s work has not gone unnoticed. She is one of six finalists for Sports Business Journal’s Athletic Director of the Year award.
“I attribute it to the extraordinary people around me,” Lyke said during a long telephone call last week. “Every day, our staff is working hard to make Pitt people proud. ...
“It’s also a tribute to my chancellor and to our board of trustees, who believe in what athletics bring to our university and our community and our alumni. I’m grateful for the leadership at our university.”
Where to start with Pitt’s success under Lyke?
You probably know the football team, led by Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett, won the ACC championship in 2021. It won nine games last season to finish in the top 25 for the second consecutive season for the first time since 1979-83.
Lyke balked at the idea Pitt can’t win big in football without an on-campus stadium.
“We’re happy to go down to Acrisure Stadium. Our students love it,” she said. “We have had success there. We’ve proven that is absolutely possible. We have an extraordinary coaching staff. It starts there. It’s more about the people than the place.”
Narduzzi, still on the job, has a contract extension from Lyke through the 2030 season.
“We really needed continuity in our football program,” Lyke said. “We went through tremendous turnover. I know Pat is our guy.”
You also know about the men’s basketball team’s surprising success this season. It came within a 3-point shot against Miami in the final regular season game of winning the ACC championship, then made the NCAA tournament, beat Mississippi State in a play-in game and Iowa State in the first round before losing to Xavier.
“That team was a true joy,” Lyke said. “Jeff [Capel] found kids that wanted to play at Pitt and do something that hadn’t been done before and build a championship-caliber program. That takes courage. It takes confidence. The story really is exceptional. Every single person was unselfish and focused on winning a championship. It’s hard to find kids who are truly unselfish and just excited about winning as a team.”
Lyke stuck with Capel after a rough start to this season after losing seasons in his first four years as coach. A lot of athletic directors wouldn’t have been so patient.
“I was undeterred in my belief in coach Capel,” Lyke said. “That’s because I know him. I know why he coaches and what it’s about for him. I saw a real focus on building this program the right way with the right kids.
“We really connected last spring after the season. He said to me in my office, ‘My dream growing up was to be a head coach of an ACC school. I’m living my dream.’ I know he’s thrilled to be here. I think he’s building something that hasn’t been built before. There’s something about doing that that is appealing. When we win an ACC championship and continue to advance in the NCAA tournament, he’ll have done things that haven’t been done before. I think that’s attractive to him. I just have confidence in him.”
Lyke wouldn’t talk about an extension for Capel, who is signed through the 2026-27 season other than to say, “We’ll work with Jeff. I’ll continue to evaluate that.” She did add, “I do believe continuity is important. We value our coaches. They are the reason for our success in many ways. We’re not going to lose someone to another Power Five school.”
The athletic success at Pitt in the past year goes beyond the two high-profile teams.
• Men’s soccer advanced to the College Cup for the second time in three years.
• Women’s soccer qualified for its first NCAA tournament and made it to the round of 16.
• Women’s volleyball shared the ACC championship with Louisville — its fourth title in six years — and made it to its second consecutive Final Four.
“Women’s volleyball really got things moving for us,” Lyke said. “I believe success is contagious. I think they were the first contagious crumb, if you will.
“Coach [Dan] Fisher is so integral to our department, engaged, a part of everything. I think people say, ‘If Dan, can do this, we can do it, too.’”
• Long jumper Ilse Steigenga was a first team All-American at the NCAA women’s indoor championship.
• Nino Bonaccorsi became Pitt’s first NCAA wrestling champion since 2008, winning the 197-pound title last Saturday. The wrestling team shared the ACC’s regular season championship.
• Pitt ranked ninth in the 2021-22 school year and first among Power Five schools in community service. The football team ranked No. 1 among all football programs.
Impressive accomplishments, all.
Lyke predicted better days ahead because of Pitt’s facilities upgrade. Phase I of the university’s Victory Heights initiative involved building a third floor on the Petersen Sports Complex to provide offices for the baseball, softball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and lacrosse coaches.
Ground has been broken on Phase II, construction of a 3,000-seat arena for the volleyball, gymnastics and wrestling teams. There also will be a sports performance center that services 16 of Pitt’s 19 athletic programs with strength, conditioning and medical facilities. Lyke said the $240 million project should be done by Fall 2025.
“The arena is basically to replace everything that’s in the Field House except the track. We’re going to build a track,” she said. “It’s really going to be extraordinary.”
All of Pitt’s recent success and the new facilities are having a positive, tangible impact on the university.
“You can attribute growth in enrollment and the quality of student applicants to the success in athletics,” Lyke said. “People want to be a part of something that is successful.
“We’re a reason why students might choose to come to Pitt. We’re also a reason why people — alumni — come back.”
The Sports Business Journal’s award will be announced on May 24 in New York City.
I don’t know if Lyke will win, but I do know this:
It will take a terrific athletic director to beat her.
