UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart receives raise

Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart has signed an amended contract approved by university president Eli Capilouto that will give him a sizable raise this year.

Barnhart will make an additional $195,000 in salary this year, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader, bumping his base pay to $925,000.

That’ll make Barnhart the sixth-highest paid athletics director in the SEC, according to sportsinfo.pro.

“Now, more than ever, a sense of stability, continuity and absolute trust in leadership is essential in college athletics,” Capilouto said, according to the Herald-Leader.

Barnhart will also have additional incentives in his new amended contract, including a $12,500 bonus when athletics posts a collective 3.0+ GPA. There’s also bonuses for success in the Director’s Cup, including a $20,000 incentive if the program finishes in the top 30, a $150,000 bonus if they finish in the top five, and a $200,000 bonus if they finish first.

The contract is set to keep Barnhart around until 2024. He’ll get a retention bonus of $350,000 if he stays for 2023, and another bonus of that amount for 2024, according to the Herald-Leader.