Arizona AD Dave Heeke Fired for ‘Financial and Operational Mismanagement’
Arizona fans cannot catch a break this offseason.
According to a report from ActionNetworkHQ’s Brett McMurphy, Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke has been fired for financial and operational mismanagement, which reportedly resulted in an athletic department financial disaster.
McMurphy also mentioned that the setbacks under Heeke included the loss of several major donors and the mishandling of former head coach Jedd Fisch’s contract.
University of Arizona President Robert Robbins released an official statement on the decision to fire Heeke which reads, “I want to thank Dave for his outstanding efforts in leading our athletics program through a period of significant change. He helped get our men’s and women’s basketball programs and our football program on a strong trajectory, oversaw the success of several of our sports teams, and greatly enhanced the student-athlete experience. Dave always displayed the highest integrity, and I am appreciative of his partnership and dedication. On behalf of all Wildcats, I wish Dave and Liz and their family all the best in the years to come.”
According to a Monday report from Wildcat Authority’s Jason Scheer, there was an audit on the Arizona Athletic Department that will be released within the next week, and the results were not good. Following the dismissal of Heeke at Arizona, former head softball coach, Mike Candrea, will be serving as interim AD starting February 5th.
The Wildcats will now begin the search for a full-time replacement, and the next AD will step into a unique situation, responsible for not only navigating the waters of name, image, and likeness, and the transfer portal but also leading Arizona into its first year of the Big 12 Conference.
