Josh Heird - Director of Athletics - Staff Directory - University of Louisville Athletic

Staff Directory

Josh Heird

Title:
Director of Athletics
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Josh Heird, who has over 15 years of experience in athletics administration at the University of Louisville and at Villanova University, was named the Cardinals’ Director of Athletics on June 3, 2022. Prior to that appointment following a comprehensive national search, he had been operating as the Cardinals’ Interim Athletic Director since December 2021.

Under Heird’s leadership, he has shaped the path of the department by bringing hometown hero Jeff Brohm back to Louisville to lead the football program in December 2022 and hiring Pat Kelsey to take the reins of the men's basketball program in March 2024.

Louisville continued its strong run on the playing field in 2023-24. eight teams earned a national ranking during the season and nine programs reached the NCAA postseason. Football reached its first-ever ACC Championship game in Jeff Brohm's first season, while the All-Girl cheer squad captured its 10th consecutive national title.

In the classroom, 10 programs received a perfect 1,000 APR score and the department earned a 93 percent graduation rate. UofL student-athletes combined to produce a 3.311 GPA for the 2024 spring semester, extending Louisville's streak to 27 straight semesters with a department-wide GPA of 3.0 or better.

Heird also oversaw the creation of the partnership with 502Circle to make it the Official NIL Collective of the Louisville Cardinals. Operating independently from the University of Louisville, 502Circle works directly with UofL student-athletes to maximize their opportunities in the NIL space.

The 2022-23 academic year yielded another accomplished campaign on the playing field. Heird saw 13 teams reach the top 25 in the national rankings and six squads received invitations to the NCAA Tournament. The women’s volleyball team finished as the national runner-up and women’s basketball made their fifth consecutive trip to the Elite Eight.

Academically, the department earned a 92 percent graduation rate and a 3.28 grade point average, both high marks in the history of the athletic department. Ten programs achieved perfect APR marks and 510 student-athletes achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better during the 2022-23 school year.

Led by Heird’s vision, he spearheaded the department’s fundraising efforts to establish a new naming rights deal and completed a number of key capital projects.

Heird finalized a $41 million naming rights deal to rename Cardinal Stadium to L&N Stadium, one of the highest gifts in school history, and secured a $4 million commitment to open the Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club. He also received a $1 million donation for the enhancement of Jim Patterson Stadium and finished Denny Crum Hall, a state-of-the-art residence hall on the UofL campus.

Committed to providing a world-class student-athlete experience, Heird has improved NIL alignment and advancement for student-athlete acquisition and retention, launched an expanded Elevate NIL Program and improved alignment and communication with 502 Circle, a collective to support UofL student-athletes.

In inking a record-breaking deal with UofL Health, Heird’s department became the ACC leader in mental health by increasing resources. The athletic department added 10 mental health professionals and personnel commitment to support mental health, sports performance and sports science — tops in the industry.

After a previous stint at UofL, Heird returned to Louisville as the Deputy Athletic Director in April 2019. In that role, Heird served as the sport administrator for baseball, men’s basketball, and football, as well as provided 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.

Heird served as Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief Athletics Operating Officer at Villanova in 2018-19 after operating nearly two years as Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Finance. In those roles, he provided leadership for all internal units of the athletic department and had administrative oversight with finance and budget, capital projects, ticket and equipment operation, food service, camps and overall project and event management. He also was the sport administrator for the men’s lacrosse and men’s soccer programs, as well as the secondary administrator for men’s basketball.

Before moving to Villanova, Heird worked nearly 10 years at UofL (2007-16), most recently as Assistant Athletic Director for Championships and Facilities from 2012-16. In that role, he had oversight of capital projects approved by the UofL Athletic Association. He also assisted with the day-to-day management of facility operations. Heird was responsible for the management of all ACC and NCAA postseason events hosted by UofL.

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. Louisville also served as home to the 2015 and 2012 Men’s and Women’s Cross Country National Championships, the 2015 and 2012 Men’s Basketball Second and Third Rounds, the 2014 Women’s Basketball Regional, the 2012 Women’s Volleyball National Championship and the 2012 Field Hockey National Championship.

He began his career at UofL as Assistant Director of Championships in April of 2007 before being promoted to the Director of Championships in 2009. Before starting a career in collegiate athletics, Heird spent five years in Washington, D.C. working for Congressman Mike Simpson of Idaho and Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado.

Heird is a 2002 graduate of Mississippi College, where he was a member of the cross country, track & field and football teams.

In addition to being the American Southwest Conference 800 meter champion in 2001, Heird was an all-conference cross country selection in 2001 and was an academic all-conference honoree every semester of his career. He earned an MBA from Louisville in 2009.

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