Arizona’s AD Is Out Amid University’s Financial Struggles

Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke is out after seven years leading Wildcat athletics, the university announced Monday.

Financial struggles have bogged down the department in recent weeks. The university loaned the athletic department $55 million during the pandemic and now blames sports for the school’s $240 million budget shortfall. The school’s CFO Lisa Rulney resigned from her position but still works for the university in a new role and makes the same salary, as first reported by the Tucson Agenda.

“Everything is on the table in terms of dealing with athletics,” university president Robert Robbins previously told the Arizona Daily Star. Many wondered if that would mean cutting sports before Heeke shut down the idea on Jan. 11, along with a series of next steps. His plan included a continued hiring freeze, halting new construction projects, shaving off areas of the budget, and growth in certain revenue streams and investments.

The decision is based on Heeke’s “financial and operational mismanagement” that lost important donors and failed to properly manage former head football coach Jedd Fisch’s contract, according to The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

The school will move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 in the fall. The Pac-12’s lower media rights payouts prompted universities to consider switching conferences for better financial opportunities.

“It has been my honor and privilege to have served the University of Arizona for the last seven years,” Heeke said in a statement. “I want to thank President Robbins, our talented coaches, devoted staff, and loyal supporters for their partnership on this journey.”

Heeke hired Fisch, who revitalized the football program before being poached by Washington, and one week ago replaced him with Brent Brennan, who turned around a struggling San Jose State program. Another Heeke hire, men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd, won national coach of the year in 2022 following his first season on the job.

Former Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea will take the reins from Heeke in an interim capacity on Feb. 2. Candrea won eight national championships with the Wildcats and retired in 2021 as the winningest coach in NCAA history.