LEXINGTON, Ky. — UK Athletics Director J Batt is settling into his new role as the Southeastern Conference's athletic programs begin competition in the 2026 season, marking his first full year at the helm of the department he has led since late July.

Batt officially began his tenure on July 28 after being named Chief Executive Officer of Champions Blue LLC and UK Athletics Director on June 15. He succeeds Mitch Barnhart, who led the department for nearly a quarter century and brought home six NCAA championships and more than 60 conference titles during his tenure.

As the fall season approaches, Batt is focused on maintaining the "lofty standards of excellence" established by his predecessor. "We will not shy away from lofty standards of excellence — not only in competition but in how we support our student-athlete experience, how we engage our fanbase and how we conduct our operations," Batt said in July.

The Kentucky football program, now under first-year head coach Will Stein, opens its season September 5 at home against Youngstown State. The schedule includes Alabama, LSU, Vanderbilt and Florida at Kroger Field, along with a rivalry game against Louisville scheduled for November 28.

Batt brings significant experience to the role, having previously held leadership positions at Georgia Tech and Michigan State, where student-athletes achieved the highest department-wide GPA in school history, and eight teams earned NCAA tournament bids during his final year there.