LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto has announced that he is extending Mitch Barnhart's contract through June 2028.
Barnhart has served as UK's athletics director since 2002. His tenure as AD has included:
- Six national championships
- 54 conference regular-season and tournament titles
- 22 consecutive semesters with a department-wide GPA of 3.0 or higher
His current contract expires at the end of 2026. The extension will take Barnhart's contract through June of 2028.
"We have, in my judgment, the nation's best athletics director," said Capilouto. "Continuing that leadership at such a critical juncture and ensuring ongoing stability amidst so much change is the right thing to do for UK Athletics. It's the right thing to do for the University of Kentucky."
"I am deeply appreciative of the faith in me expressed by President Capilouto and the university," said Barnhart. "It is an honor to represent this university and state and to guide our athletics department through a period of such consequential change in college athletics."
There is no change to Barnhart's base salary for the previously existing years of the agreement; however, the retention incentives for the athletics director reflect changes of $100,000 in the first year with $50,000 increases in the two subsequent years. Other performance incentives – for academic and athletic metrics – would not change.
Beginning July 1, 2026, Barnhart could, with six months' notice, elect to step down from the role of athletics director. At that time, he would assume the position of special assistant to the president for two years at a reduced salary of $800,000 annually.
