LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The University of Louisville Athletic Association board unanimously approved a five-year contract extension for Director of Athletics Josh Heird, UofL said in a release.

UofL President Kim Schatzel is recommending the agreement, the university said. It must now be approved by the UofL Board of Trustees, who are scheduled to meet Thursday, Dec. 12 at 1 p.m.

“I believe that we have one of the finest athletic directors in the country serving the University of Louisville, and that the building of a team and the confidence this board performance of excellence that he’s brought to the University of Louisville athletic department is one that we want to continue,” Schatzel said. “He’s the right person for this leadership role and the right person to build upon.”

“What we have is a legacy of the University of Louisville athletics department and to take it to its very bright future.” 

UofL said terms of the contract are not being disclosed as the deal has not been finalized.

Heird was named interim director of athletics in Dec. 2021 and was upgraded to the permanent position in June 2022. His UofL career goes back to 2007, where he worked until 2016, including assistant athletic director for championships and facilities from 2012-16. He left to be associate athletic director for internal operations and finance at Villanova University for nearly two years before spending the 2018-19 season as senior associate athletics director and chief athletics operating officer. He returned to UofL to serve as deputy athletic director in 2019.

Some of his biggest moves as AD so far include overseeing the hirings of football coach Jeff Brohm and men’s basketball coach Pat Kelsey and the dismissal of former men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne. 

Louisville athletic director Josh Heird, left, presents newly named football coach Jeff Brohm with a jersey in Louisville, Ky., Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Heird’s current contract with UofL runs through June 2027 and includes a base salary of $850,000, plus yearly bonuses and other perks. 

Before his career in collegiate athletics, Heird spent five years in Washington, D.C., working for Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho and former Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colorado. 

He is a 2002 graduate of Mississippi College, where he was a member of the cross country, track and field and football teams. Besides 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 his Master of Business Administration from UofL in 2009.