Mark Story: On balance, Mitch Barnhart left Kentucky athletics better than he found it

Mitch Barnhart served as the Kentucky athletics director for 24 years, having been recruited from Oregon State in 2002 by president Lee T. Todd Jr. During his extensive tenure, the financial investment in UK sports experienced explosive growth. Overall, Barnhart is credited with leaving the Kentucky athletics department in a better position than it was when he first arrived, marking a significant period of expansion and investment for the university's sports programs.