A college athletic director has stunningly been fired after Week 2 of the 2024 college football regular season.
Heather Lyke, the athletics director at Pittsburgh, has reportedly been relieved of her duties, according to a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Christopher Carter first reported the stunning news on social media on Monday morning.
“BREAKING: Sources have informed the @PittsburghPG that #Pitt has relieved athletic director Heather Lyke of her duties. Lyke, hired in March 2017, signed an extension with Pitt in 2019 that tied her to the university through 2024,” he reported.
BREAKING: Sources have informed the @PittsburghPG that #Pitt has relieved athletic director Heather Lyke of her duties.
Lyke, hired in March 2017, signed an extension with Pitt in 2019 that tied her to the university through 2024.
More: https://t.co/IN7hTuGV7T
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) September 9, 2024
Pitt chancellor Joan Gabel released a statement on the stunning decision.
“Today, I informed University of Pittsburgh director of athletics, Heather Lyke, that I was making a change in the leadership of our athletics program,” Gabel’s statement read.
“Upon her arrival at Pitt in 2017, Heather guided our program through a unique period in college athletics and we thank her for her leadership during that time,” he continued.
“Her tenure included successes from football’s first ACC championship to volleyball reaching its first-ever NCAA Final Four, while representing the University at the conference and national levels. However, as we enter a new era in college athletics, one that seems to change by the day, we need a new vision and a new leader of our athletics department. On behalf of all Panthers, we wish Heather and her family the best with appreciation for their service to Pitt.
“We are immediately initiating a national, comprehensive search for a new Panthers director of athletics, and we are confident that under the direction of interim director of athletics Jennifer Tuscano, Pitt Athletics will continue to do its part to elevate our University and win the Pitt way – both in the classroom and in competition.”
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Pitt is off to a 2-0 start this season, defeating Kent State and Cincinnati to open the 2024 season.
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