Pitt hires female A.D. with excellent credentials

… and no baggage

[In the first draft, I was writing Central instead of Estnern Michigan. I apologize for the mistake. Need a proofreader or editor at almost the age of 70.]

The search for a new athletic director at the University of Pittsburgh has ended, and the school hired the first female A.D. in its history.

And, she is a very well-qualified person with excellent credentials.

Heather Lyke is currently Vice President and Athletic Director at Eastern Michigan University, where she has served since 2013. She had previously served as an assistant and associate A.D. at Ohio State for 18 years, and even worked in the media as a softball analyst for the Big Ten Network, according to her bio on the Central Michigan website.

In addition, Lyke is a lawyer, graduating from the University of Akron. She still maintains her law license in Ohio.

Excellence at CMU

Lyke has presided over EMU athletics during a period in which she pursued capital improvements and some accomplishments in the classroom.

According to the Tribune-Review, "During the fall semester of 2016, Eastern Michigan student-athletes achieved the highest term GPA (3.238) and cumulative GPA (3.266) in school history, including 46 with a 4.0. Five teams set program records for GPA, including football, which secured the university's first bowl invitation in 29 years."

Central Michigan also stressed her emphasis on academic achievement, writing, "Lyke’s unwavering emphasis on academic achievement has supported student-athletes who have broken and re-broken EMU academic records under her watch."

Strength on business end

Another aspect of her background that should please Pitt fans is her emphasis on the business aspect of the athletic model. She has also raised money by attracting corporate sponsors to the mid-major school. "It takes champions to build champions, and from day one Lyke set about upgrading the business model of Eastern Michigan Athletics. Just a few of the companies that have developed first-ever partnerships with EMU during Lyke’s two year tenure include IMG, Learfield Licensing, Aspire, Follett, Fanatics and Google."

Yes, even Google.

Community-oriented

Pitt followers will love this. She is an excelent speaker and loves to work with the community. "With her undergraduate degree in education and a passion for reading, Lyke immediately set about establishing EMU Athletics as a key partner with the 2nd and 7 Foundation, whose goal is to 'tackle illiteracy' by having student-athletes visit, deliver books and read to 2nd grade classrooms," her CMU bio indicated.a

Athletic background

In addition, unlike some previous Pitt A.D.s, Lyke was an athlete:

"Lyke grew up in Canton, Ohio, and attended the University of Michigan on a softball scholarship. While at U-M, she was a four-year letter winner as a first baseman, two-time team captain, Big Ten champion and Academic All-Big Ten honoree. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Education from University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law. She was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1995."

Lyke and her husband, David Catalano, have three children: Elle, Sophie and Eli.

No baggage

While some stories today noted that she is the second female A.D. of a large school in Pa., Lyke comes to Pitt without the baggage that Sandy Barbour brought with her to Penn State. Barbour had been removed from her job as A.D. at Cal because she could not raise money, could not balance her athletic checkbook, and because of the horrible academic grades in the men's basketball and football programs. Yet, Dr. Eric Barron hired her.

She will have hands full

Now, what will Lyke do about Kevin Stallings and the men's basketball program. If she is a great communicator, she may be able to convince him to look for another job.

But, that is just hope on the part of Pitt fans.