EPISODE 520. JOSH HEIRD-Vice President and Director of Athletics, University of Louisville

Josh Heird is the University of Louisville’s Vice President & Director of Athletics, the senior executive responsible for Louisville Cardinals athletics and a member of the university’s executive leadership team.

UofL currently lists him as “Vice President & Director of Athletics” in its Office of the President leadership roster.

Heird was named permanent Director of Athletics on June 3, 2022, after serving as interim athletic director beginning in December 2021.

UofL says the permanent appointment followed a national search.

Before becoming AD, Heird had deep administrative experience at Louisville and Villanova.

His UofL athletics bio says he has over 15 years of experience in athletics administration and previously worked at Louisville from 2007–2016, including as assistant athletic director for Championships and Facilities.

He later served at Villanova as Senior Associate Athletics Director/Chief Athletics Operating Officer and Associate Athletic Director for Internal Operations and Finance before returning to Louisville in April 2019 as Deputy Athletic Director.

In his Louisville leadership role, Heird has been associated with major coaching and program decisions, including bringing Jeff Brohm back to Louisville to lead football and hiring Pat Kelsey as men’s basketball head coach.

UofL also credits his tenure with NIL alignment, fundraising/capital projects, student-athlete mental health investment, and academic-performance results including a reported 93% graduation rate and a dept. wide GPA streak above 3.0.

In December 2024, the University of Louisville Board of Trustees authorized a five-year contract extension for Heird through June 30, 2030.

UofL’s release also says he serves on the NCAA Women’s Basketball Selection Committee and is a board member of the American Heart Association and the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Bottom line:

Heird is not merely an athletics administrator; he is one of UofL’s senior institutional executives and the central decision-maker for the Cardinals’ athletic department during a high-change era in college sports—NIL, conference realignment pressures, revenue growth, facilities, coaching hires, and athlete welfare.