‘Behind the Blue’: UK President Eli Capilouto on what’s next for UK Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 26, 2026) — For the first time in nearly a quarter century, the University of Kentucky is searching for new leadership in UK Athletics. Mitch Barnhart is stepping down after more than two decades of incredible success across a 23-sport program that has won multiple national championships, while experiencing unprecedented success in student performance in the classroom as well.
At the end of June, Barnhart will leave UK Athletics, but stay at the university to help lead an initiative around workforce development, specifically growing and supporting careers in an evolving and rapidly changing sports industry. UK President Eli Capilouto has recently initiated a process to find new leadership for UK Athletics.
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Capilouto talks with UK Chief Communications Officer Jay Blanton about the process and how UK fans can stay involved in it, as well as Barnhart’s new role and why it’s critical to future workforce efforts in the Commonwealth.
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“Behind the Blue” is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for most episodes are now embedded in the audio file and can be accessed in many podcast apps during playback. Transcripts for older episodes remain available on the show’s blog page.
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This interview has been edited for time and clarity.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.