Kentucky Athletics is approaching a major leadership shift as longtime athletic director Mitch Barnhart prepares to step away after more than two decades guiding the program. With the role soon to be vacant, speculation about the next leader of the Wildcats’ athletic department has quickly intensified.
One of the prominent voices weighing in is former Kentucky star DeMarcus Cousins. The NBA All-Star and Wildcats legend recently made his position unmistakably clear on social media, publicly backing a familiar name to take over the job.
DeMarcus Cousins Pushes for DeWayne Peevy as Kentucky’s Next AD
DeMarcus Cousins has stepped directly into the conversation surrounding Kentucky’s upcoming athletic director search, offering a strong endorsement for a candidate he believes perfectly fits the role.
The former Wildcats standout posted on X in support of DeWayne Peevy, the current athletic director at DePaul and a longtime former Kentucky administrator.
Cousins argued that Peevy’s familiarity with the university makes him an ideal choice. In his message, Cousins wrote, “I believe the next AD for Kentucky should be @BlueDemonsAD. Let’s not overthink this! He fully understands the program as he was once apart of it and knows the expectations that follow. The perfect guy for the job!”
Peevy’s connection to Kentucky runs deep. Before accepting the athletic director position at DePaul in August 2020, he spent 12 years working within Kentucky’s athletics department. During that time, he advanced from media relations roles to deputy athletic director and played a key part in overseeing the Wildcats’ basketball program.
Prior to arriving in Lexington, Peevy also served as the Southeastern Conference’s media relations director. His time at Kentucky placed him in close proximity to the basketball program during Cousins’ lone season with the Wildcats.
Since taking over at DePaul, Peevy has continued to build his reputation as a forward-thinking administrator. The university later expanded his responsibilities by naming him vice president slightly more than a year after his hiring. DePaul also extended his contract in 2023, securing his leadership in Chicago through June 2027.
Mitch Barnhart’s Departure Opens the Door for a New Era in Lexington
The search for Kentucky’s next athletics leader follows the decision by Mitch Barnhart to step away from the position he has held since 2002.
Barnhart’s tenure leaves behind one of the most stable and successful periods in the department’s history. During his leadership, Kentucky programs captured six national championships and accumulated 63 conference titles through regular-season or tournament victories.
The department also generated $750 million to fund facility construction and upgrades across campus.
Academic performance also became a hallmark of the program under Barnhart. Kentucky’s student-athletes have maintained a collective 3.0 grade-point average for 27 consecutive semesters since first reaching that benchmark in the spring of 2010.
University President Eli Capilouto emphasized Barnhart’s continued influence in the new role, saying, “Mitch is distinctly equipped to help us think about the future of intercollegiate sports. I am excited he accepted my offer to take on this new role.”
Barnhart reflected on the transition as well, stating, “You get to a spot where you finish one job and the next one starts and then the next task and the next task. At some point you have to say the baton is someone else’s to carry.”
Attention now turns toward who will guide Kentucky athletics through an increasingly complex era defined by NIL opportunities, revenue-sharing discussions, and rapid change across the SEC.
Among the names gaining early traction are internal deputy director Marc Hill, compliance leader Rachel Newman-Baker, and longtime communications official Tony Neely. Yet for Cousins, the answer remains straightforward.
