The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB Announces Leadership Transition in Athletics Department
8/18/2026 2:41:00 PM | General
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The University of Alabama at Birmingham today announced a leadership transition within UAB Athletics.
After 11 years of service, Mark Ingram and UAB have agreed to part ways.
"Mark has played an important role in the growth and evolution of UAB Athletics," said UAB President Ray L. Watts. "During his tenure, UAB Athletics achieved significant milestones, including major facility investments, a successful transition to the American Conference, and continued support for our student-athletes and coaches. We are grateful for Mark's dedication to UAB and the impact he has made over the past 11 years, and we wish him continued success in the years ahead."
"It has been an honor to serve UAB Athletics for the past 11 years," Ingram said. "I am proud of the accomplishments we achieved together and grateful for the relationships that made those successes possible. I wish everyone connected with UAB Athletics great success in the future. I leave with tremendous pride in what we accomplished together."
Moving forward
As college athletics continues to undergo significant transformation, university leadership believes this is the right time to position the department for its next era of growth and opportunity.
To provide continuity during the transition, Andy Kennedy will serve as interim director of UAB Athletics while the university begins a national search for its next director of athletics.
Kennedy is one of the most recognizable and respected leaders in UAB Athletics history. Under his leadership, the men's basketball program has emerged as a consistent championship contender, while his commitment to student-athlete success, competitive excellence, and the Blazer community has strengthened the program's impact both on and off the court. Widely respected across collegiate athletics, Kennedy has played a significant role in advancing the visibility and success of UAB Athletics.
"Our commitment to athletics has never been stronger," Watts said. "We are excited about the future and focused on supporting our student-athletes, coaches and fans as we continue to build on UAB's momentum. Success increasingly depends on an institution's ability to adapt, innovate, strengthen community partnerships, engage supporters, and compete in a rapidly changing environment. UAB is committed to doing exactly that."
UAB's institutional vision is to build an athletics program that thrives in the modern era of collegiate sports by supporting student-athlete success and well-being, strengthening fan engagement, expanding community support, enhancing fundraising efforts, and creating a sustainable model for long-term competitive excellence.
"We would not be able to aspire to that vision without the steadfast partnership and shared commitment to the future of UAB Athletics from our University of Alabama System Board of Trustees," Watts said. "Together, we remain committed to investing in the success of our student-athletes, strengthening engagement with our supporters, and building an athletics program that reflects the excellence of this institution."
