Lexington, Ky. — Mitch Barnhart, the longest-tenured athletic director in the Southeastern Conference, will retire in June and take a new role with Kentucky, university president Eli Capilauto announced Tuesday.
“Mitch Barnhart has led University of Kentucky athletics for nearly a quarter century,” Capilauto said in a statement released by the university. Capilauto said he had a “deep mix of emotions” to announce Barnhart’s retirement.
“Mitch often talks about the idea that our goal at UK is for student-athletes to have championship rings on their fingers and diplomas in their hands,” Capiluto said. “These are not mere words. They are aspirations that have continually helped our program, our people, and our students meet.”
Barnhart, 66, was named Kentucky’s 10th athletic director in 2002, succeeding Larry Ivey. Kentucky has won six NCAA championships under Barnhart, including men’s basketball in 2012. Barnhart previously served as the athletic director at Oregon State from 1998 to 2002.
Capiluto said Barnhart had agreed to “another new and exciting chapter” as the UK Sport and Workforce Initiative’s first executive-in-residence.
“I’m not sure there’s ever a finish line for leaders,” Barnhart said. “You get to a point where you finish one job and the next one starts and then the next job and the next job and the next job. At some point you have to say it’s somebody else’s to carry the baton.
“I’m so grateful that Dr. Capilauto is providing ‘what’s next’ after he leaves this position and we can make an impact in other ways. It’s important to the university, it’s important to our department, it’s important to Kentucky. I’m so grateful for this opportunity. My love for this place is overflowing.”
A native of Kansas City, Barnhart earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Ottawa in Kansas and a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio University.
Barnhart is the second longest-tenured athletic director among Power 4 schools, behind Oklahoma’s Joe Castiglione, who plans to retire in 2028 after 27 years.
