Louisville selects interim athletics director and president to stabilize leadership

Four days after a rapid and surprising upheaval in leadership at the University of Louisville, the school named an interim president and an interim athletics director on Monday.

Lori Stewart Gonzalez was named U of L’s interim president by the school’s Board of Trustees on Monday morning. She replaces Neeli Bendapudi, who departed last week for Penn State. A short time later, Gonzalez selected Josh Heird as interim director of athletics. Heird steps in for Vince Tyra, who joined Bendapudi in resigning from U of L last Thursday.

Heird has served as deputy athletic director for nearly three years and has more than 13 years of experience in athletics administration.

Tyra spent four years overseeing U of L athletics after the school fired longtime boss Tom Jurich amid a series of scandals at the school that also led to the departure of basketball coach Rick Pitino.

Heird worked in U of L athletics administration from 2007-16. After two years in a similar role at Villanova, Heird returned to Louisville in April 2019.

Since his return, Heird has served as the sport administrator for baseball, men’s basketball and football, as well as providing administrative oversight for championships, facilities/events, capital projects and equipment operations; plus sport oversight for men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s swimming and diving.

During his time at Louisville, Heird helped design and oversee the construction of the Jim Patterson Baseball Stadium expansion, the Ulmer Softball Stadium expansion, the building of the Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Soccer Stadium, the lacrosse stadium press box, as well as the Thorntons Academic Center of Excellence.

Heird coordinated several postseason events hosted by Louisville, including the 2016 NCAA men’s basketball regional.

Before starting a career in collegiate athletics, Heird spent five years in Washington, D.C., working for legislators.

Heird is a 2002 graduate of Mississippi College, where he was a member of the cross country, track and field and football teams. He earned an MBA from Louisville in 2009.

Heird is married to the former Abbey Woolley. The couple has two children, Hadley and Gus.