{"682621":{"#nid":"682621","#data":{"type":"news","title":"J Batt Heads to Michigan State After Record-Setting Tenure ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJ Batt, Georgia Tech\u2019s vice president and director of Athletics since October 2022, has accepted the position of vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Michigan State University. His departure marks the close of a transformative chapter in Georgia Tech Athletics, marked by bold leadership, record-breaking milestones, and competitive momentum.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cJ has made a remarkable impact in a short time,\u201d said Georgia Tech President \u00c1ngel Cabrera. \u201cHis vision and leadership elevated our athletics program \u2014 on the field, in the classroom, and across the national landscape. From fundraising and facilities to academic and competitive success, his legacy will be felt for years to come.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring Batt\u2019s tenure, Georgia Tech made significant strides. He led the hiring of Brent Key as head football coach, Damon Stoudamire as head men\u2019s basketball coach, and Karen Blair as head women\u2019s basketball coach \u2014 each bringing fresh energy and long-term promise to their programs.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn 2023, Batt launched Full Steam Ahead, a $500 million initiative to modernize facilities, enhance the student-athlete experience, and strengthen Georgia Tech\u2019s competitive edge. The campaign has already attracted more than $300 million in pledges. In fiscal year 2024, Athletics raised a record $78.2 million, surpassing the previous single-year high by 43%.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also played a key role in securing a multidecade partnership with Hyundai Motor Company \u2014 one of the largest in Institute history \u2014 bringing new revenue streams and cross-campus collaboration in sustainability and innovation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAcademically, student-athletes achieved record success under Batt\u2019s leadership, including a 94% graduation success rate and an all-time high GPA of 3.30 in Spring 2025.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOn the field, Georgia Tech Athletics saw strong postseason performance: 14 of 17 varsity teams advanced in 2023-24 and 2024-25. Football earned consecutive bowl berths for the first time in a decade, and fans celebrated consecutive NCAA semifinal appearances in golf, a Sweet 16 berth in volleyball, and several exciting wins by both men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball over nationally ranked opponents.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe made a clear commitment to athletics, and that commitment remains stronger than ever,\u201d Cabrera added. \u201cWe will continue competing at the highest level and seize the momentum in place to recruit the very best to lead Georgia Tech into its next chapter.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA national search for Georgia Tech\u2019s next director of Athletics will begin shortly. Additional details about the transition plan will be shared in the coming days.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJ Batt, Georgia Tech\u2019s vice president and director of Athletics since October 2022, has accepted the position of vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Michigan State University.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"J Batt, Georgia Tech\u2019s vice president and director of Athletics since October 2022, has accepted the position of vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Michigan State University. "}],"uid":"27469","created_gmt":"2025-06-02 12:23:18","changed_gmt":"2025-06-02 14:02:02","author":"Kristen Bailey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-06-02T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"677164":{"id":"677164","type":"image","title":"J Batt at Georgia Tech\u0027s Spring Football Game","body":"\u003Cp\u003EJ Batt at Georgia Tech\u0027s Spring Football Game\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1748867239","gmt_created":"2025-06-02 12:27:19","changed":"1748867239","gmt_changed":"2025-06-02 12:27:19","alt":"J Batt at Georgia Tech\u0027s Spring Football Game","file":{"fid":"261035","name":"_SpringGame_041225_DK-59.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/02\/_SpringGame_041225_DK-59.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/06\/02\/_SpringGame_041225_DK-59.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":2552635,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/06\/02\/_SpringGame_041225_DK-59.jpg?itok=eJCDddbi"}}},"media_ids":["677164"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/msutoday.msu.edu\/news\/2025\/msu-taps-j-batt-as-next-director-of-athletics","title":"MSU taps J Batt as next Director of Athletics (MSU Today)"}],"groups":[{"id":"200921","name":"GT Athletics"},{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}