Kentucky hires MSU’s J Batt as athletic director, deepening Spartans’ leadership churn

Kentucky announced the hiring of Michigan State athletic director J Batt as its new AD and CEO of Champions Blue, prompting MSU to search for an interim leader amid ongoing leadership turnover. Batt’s year at MSU saw the creation of Spartan Ventures, a major fundraising push for athletics, a stadium renovation plan, and a high-profile coaching change, all set against a backdrop of tensions between MSU leadership and the board.