Mitch Barnhart is retiring. Here’s what it means for UK coaches’ contracts
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- Athletic director Mitch Barnhart is set to retire in June after 24 years at Kentucky.
- Barnhart’s retirement affects several contracts for UK head coaches.
- This includes the contract of men’s basketball head coach Mark Pope.
A major shakeup is coming for University of Kentucky Athletics.
On Tuesday afternoon, the school announced that athletic director Mitch Barnhart will retire in June.
Barnhart’s retirement comes with implications for three of UK’s highest-profile coaches.
Three of Kentucky’s 17 varsity head coaches — Mark Pope (men’s basketball), Kenny Brooks (women’s basketball) and Nick Mingione (baseball) — would owe UK less money for leaving the school during the life of their contracts with Barnhart not in the AD role.
New football coach Will Stein’s contract with UK is unaffected by Barnhart’s upcoming job change.
With Barnhart as the AD, if Pope were to leave UK without cause during his contract, he would have to pay Kentucky 33% of the prorated salary he would have received over the rest of the contract.
Without Barnhart in the athletic director role, Pope would have to pay UK 20% of that prorated salary. Pope’s contract with UK runs through March 2030.
If Brooks were to leave Kentucky between March 31, 2026, and April 1, 2027, while Barnhart was the AD, he would owe the school $500,000. If Brooks were to leave UK between March 31, 2027, and April 1, 2028, he would have to pay the school $250,000. Should Brooks opt to leave Kentucky after March 31, 2028, there would be no payment due to the school.
But these potential payments from Brooks to Kentucky will decrease by 50% with Barnhart no longer UK’s athletic director. Brooks’ deal with UK runs through June 2030. Brooks reworked his contract with Kentucky this past fall.
With Barnhart as the AD, if Mingione were to leave UK without cause during his contract, he would have 60 days (from the effective date of termination) to pay UK “an amount equal to the prorated base salary and media and endorsements that would otherwise have been paid” to him during the remainder of his contract.
This potential payment from Mingione to Kentucky will decrease by 50% with Barnhart no longer in the athletic director post. Mingione’s contract with Kentucky runs through June 2030.
In a previous version of Mingione’s contract, he would have owed Kentucky nothing if he left during the life of his contract and Barnhart wasn’t the athletic director.
This story was originally published March 3, 2026 at 1:52 PM.
