Heather Lyke shares farewell message to Pitt community

Several hours after she was relieved of her duties as Pitt’s athetic director, Heather Lyke responded Monday night with a message on X (formerly Twitter), reflecting on her 7 1/2-year tenure at the university, asserting she left the athletics department in a better state than when she arrived in 2017.

Her message said, in part, “Today, I reflected on the wise words from a mentor: ‘If you can leave a place better than you found it, you can be proud of your work.’ Those words ring true for me.

“I am immensely proud of the accomplishments of the student-athletes, coaches, staff, alumni, donors and community members that I have had the privilege to work alongside at the University of Pittsburgh.

“This great university’s reputation and standing in intercollegiate athletes has never been stronger, a testament to the work of so many during my tenure.

Thank you for a memorable seven years with @Pitt_ATHLETICS @PittTweet #H2P At your convenience, please read my attached statement. pic.twitter.com/fOk0YW9fgb

— Heather Lyke (@HeatherRLyke) September 9, 2024

“With the focus on our purpose to build champions and remain committed to excellence, while preserving the mission of collegiate athletics, we have adapted our mindset, and internal and external operations, to ensure sustainability and long-term victories for the Panthers.

“We have worked tirelessly to establish and cement a national brand for Pitt Athletics that embodies selflessness, confidence, relentlessness and transformation.”

She also thanked coaches, staff, student-athletes and “donors, supporters and strategic thinkers” for their contributions in seeking to reach those goals.

She pointed out that at the outset of her tenure, Pitt had won “only one” ACC championship.

“Today, we have 10 and six coach of the year accolades,” she wrote. “And our graduation rates have consistently broken records and continue to rise. As someone who deeply values our team, and Pitt Athletics, I encourage everyone to stay the course and continue to strive for new heights.”

Lyke concluded her message by expressing her “immense pride in the culture we have built within our athletic department, across our campus and our community.”

“At the end of the day, you win with people and our winning culture is directly attributed to our staff, coaches, donors and fans who have meaningfully impacted Pitt Athletics and our student-athletes for years to come.”

She said he looks forward “to what the future holds.”

There was no specific mention in her message of former Pitt Chancellor Patrick D. Gallagher, who hired Lyke, or current Chancellor Joan T.A. Gabel.