Michigan State athletic director J Batt leaves to take Kentucky AD job

Michigan State University athletic director J Batt is leaving to become the new athletic director at the University of Kentucky, departing East Lansing just one year after his hiring. 

On Monday, Kentucky named Batt as its new athletic director and CEO of Champions Blue LLC. 

"We couldn't be more excited to join the University of Kentucky and the Big Blue Nation," Batt said in a statement. "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 resources to our teams and our student athletes that position them for success. With that standard as our North Star, Kentucky Athletics and Champions Blue are well positioned to deliver results in the changing landscape that is college athletics today."

Batt was hired by MSU in June 2025, replacing Alan Haller, who announced earlier that spring that he was leaving the university. 

During his time at MSU, Batt helped secure a $400 million commitment — the largest single gift in university history and one of the largest in college athletics — of which about $290 million was used for FOR SPARTA, an MSU athletics campaign. 

Before MSU, Batt had served as the vice president and director of athletics at Georgia Tech since 2022. Batt also held roles at the University of Alabama, where he served as executive deputy director of athletics, chief operating officer, and chief revenue officer, as well as East Carolina University, the University of Maryland, James Madison University, William & Mary and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently serves as chair of the College Football Hall of Fame.

"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," University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said in a statement. "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 earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications and a master's degree in sports administration from North Carolina, where he was a member of the 2001 NCAA championship men's soccer team.