Report: Louisville 'Locked In' on Josh Heird as Full-Time Athletic Director

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville's search for their next full-time athletic director is reportedly set to end soon, and they won't have to look very far.

The university has "locked in" on Interim Athletic Director Josh Heird to be stripped of the interim tag and get the full-time position, according to a report by Sports' Illustrated's Pat Forde. An announcement could come as early as this week, Forde reports.

Forde also says that UofL had interviewed "multiple other candidates" before deciding on Heird, all of whom were already sitting athletic directors. The Athletic’s Matt Fortuna also reported that the “lack of a full-time president scared suitors off”, and that’s Heird’s “leadership during yet another transition period made this the ideal outcome.”

Heird had previously served as Louisville's Deputy Athletic Director, and was elevated to Interim Athletic Director on Dec. 13 following the sudden resignation of Vince Tyra. Around the same time, UofL President Dr. Neeli Bendapudi left for Penn State, elevating Dr. Lori Gonzalez to interim.

While he has been the interim for only half a year, Heird has already shown exceptional leadership during his short time in change. He navigated the men's basketball program through a mutually parting of ways with head coach Chris Mack, and negotiated his buyout from $12 million to $4.8 million.

Heird then went on to hire Louisville alum and former Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne to be the program's next head coach - a move that has been widely praised amongst the UofL fanbase and college basketball experts.

He also made a pledge to the football program to bolster their recruiting department, adding several new hires. Since the start of the new year, the Cardinals have been on recruiting hot streak, with their Class of 2023 on track to be the best in school history.

Women’s basketball head coach Jeff Walz and volleyball head coach Dani Busboom-Kelly also received contract extensions under Heird.

Heird is currently in the tail end of his 11th year working for the Louisville athletic department. He got his start in 2007 under then-athletic director Tom Jurich, serving as the Assistant Athletic Director until 2016. He then spent he spent two years at Villanova University, then was brought back to Louisville by Tyra in 2019.

"I've worked here for a long time now. This university, this athletic department, these student-athletes, coaches, this brand, it's really really important to me, it means a lot to me," Heird said during his first press conference as Interim AD.

(Photo of Josh Heird: Jeff Faughender - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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