LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 15, 2026) — The University of Kentucky has appointed J Batt, one of the nation’s most respected leaders in college athletics, as the new chief executive officer of Champions Blue LLC and UK Athletics director.
Batt joins UK from Michigan State University, where he currently serves as vice president and director of athletics. His career includes leadership roles at Georgia Tech, the University of Alabama, and several other major athletics programs, earning a national reputation for guiding departments through transformational change, expanding revenue opportunities, and elevating competitive success.
UK President Eli Capilouto praised Batt’s track record and vision.
“Across these institutions, J has distinguished himself as a record-breaker in fundraising and as a leader who strategically invests in facilities to maximize resources and revenue,” Capilouto said. “Just as important, he has remained focused on ensuring student-athletes compete at the highest levels while being prepared for lives of meaning and purpose.”
Batt said he and his family are eager to join the Big Blue Nation.
“We couldn’t be more excited to join the University of Kentucky and the Big Blue Nation,” Batt said. “The championship standard has been established at Kentucky, and we are committed to upholding that standard of excellence. Our continued success will take everyone in the Big Blue Nation working together to provide the resources our teams and student-athletes need to thrive.”
He added that even amid rapid change in college athletics, the mission remains clear: creating opportunities for student-athletes to compete, earn degrees, and prepare for life after sport.
A Record of Innovation and Impact
At Michigan State, Batt helped secure a historic $400 million commitment — the largest single gift in college athletics — and launched Spartan Ventures, a nonprofit initiative similar in purpose to Champions Blue, designed to build new revenue streams and partnerships. He also played a key role in developing a new commercial district around the football stadium.
Under his leadership, Michigan State student-athletes achieved the highest department-wide GPA in school history, and eight teams earned NCAA tournament berths this past year.
During his tenure at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets became one of only nine schools nationally to earn postseason berths in football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, and baseball in the same year. Fundraising also surged, with records broken by more than 40%.
Nationally, Batt has been a leading voice during a period of sweeping change in college sports. He served on the House Settlement Implementation Committee and currently chairs the College Football Hall of Fame.
A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Batt was a member of a national championship soccer team and later earned his master’s degree. He and his wife, Leah, along with their two sons, look forward to joining the Kentucky community.
Transition and Next Steps
Batt will officially assume his role later this summer. In the coming weeks, he plans to meet with university leaders, athletics staff, donors, and other stakeholders as he prepares to lead UK Athletics and Champions Blue.
He succeeds Mitch Barnhart, who is retiring at the end of June after nearly 25 years of historic success. Under Barnhart’s leadership, UK captured six NCAA championships, more than 60 conference titles, and consistently placed in the Top 20 of the Director’s Cup, marking one of the most successful eras in program history.
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