Sunday [URL=”http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/kentuckys-barnhart-finalist-for-kansas-ad-job-29240″]”Sports by Brooks”[/URL] reported the following:
[I]
“Two SEC school administration sources have told me in the past 48 hours that University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart will interview for the Kansas University Athletic Director position in early December.”[/I][PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
Today Mitch Barnhart officially responded to the story and the rumor that he could potentially leave Kentucky for a new home in Kansas. Here is Mr. Barnhart’s statement, which was officially released by the University of Kentucky’s Cat Scratches blog.
[QUOTE]”Being a Kansas native with family in the area, having gone to Ottawa University in Kansas and my wife, Connie being a Kansas alum, I have many ties to the state,” Barnhart said. “We have received calls from friends and supporters of the university about the athletic director position at Kansas. I have not been formally contacted by the University of Kansas. I am 100 percent focused on UK Athletics.”[/QUOTE]Despite ties to Kansas, which includes a bachelor’s degree from Ottawa University in Kansas, the Kansas City, Kan., native said he is focused on improving the facilities at Kentucky.
[QUOTE]”We have made progress in many areas over the last eight years, but we need to provide our coaches and student-athletes with the facilities to compete at the highest level,” Barnhart said. “We have initiated the process of building a new track and are now focused on how we can upgrade Commonwealth Stadium and our football facilities. Our 22 sports receive unbelievable support from the Big Blue Nation and our fans deserve championship level success across the board.”[/QUOTE]Well, there you have it folks. As of now, it appears Mitch Barnhart is not actively seeking the Kansas AD position. Could he eventually, if contacted by KU? I’m sure he could, but for now it appears Mitch is here to stay.
Go Cats!!!
[URL=”http://www.ukathletics.com/blog/2010/11/barnhart-i-have-not-been-contacted-by-kansas.html”]
Full story at UK athletics Cat Scratches blog.[/URL]
[SIZE=2]Contact Chip Miller with your Kentucky questions or comments at [EMAIL=”[email protected]”][email protected][/EMAIL], via twitter at [URL=”http://twitter.com/ukbigbluenation”]@ukbigbluenation[/URL] or here at N of B, at his NofB Profile, by [URL=”http://www.nationofblue.com/members/chip-miller/”]clicking here[/URL]. [/SIZE]
