LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — For two decades, Tom Jurich didn’t just lead the University of Louisville athletic department — he helped reimagine what it could be.

Now, that legacy is set to be honored in a permanent way.

Multiple sources say that a section of Floyd Street on U of L’s campus — past some of the athletics facilities Jurich helped build or renovate — is expected to be renamed after Jurich. The effort, spearheaded by friends and supporters of Jurich in the community and backed by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, has been under way for some time.

The renaming is expected to be unveiled during a June 28 ceremony on campus at 10 a.m. that will feature Greenberg and Jurich and others.

In an interview on WHAS Radio Tuesday morning, Greenberg confirmed the ceremony -- but did not announce the street naming.

"Tom has made such contributions to the city," Greenberg told WHAS morning host Nick Coffey. "I'm very thrilled that U of L was supportive of this and participating with us in this recognition. So this is an opportunity for everybody who has benefitted from Tom's contributions that he made to our city to recognize him in a really fun, unique way."

The mayor also posted about an upcoming celebration honoring Jurich in a video on X. 

Jurich’s 20-year tenure at Louisville marked one of the most transformative eras in school history, turning the Cardinals into a nationally competitive, multi-sport brand — with lasting results across nearly every corner of the department.

He championed women’s sports and Title IX efforts, pushing for the women’s basketball team to play downtown at the KFC Yum! Center (and before that, Freedom Hall). The 2012-13 school year, which included a BCS bowl win, men’s basketball national championship, women’s Final Four run and College World Series appearance, was dubbed “The Year of the Cardinal.”

His tenure ended in controversy, when the board of trustees removed him in the wake of the national college basketball pay-for-play scandal that threatened to implicate the program. Jurich was not found to have been at fault in the matter, and then-Louisville coach Rick Pitino was largely exonerated by an independent panel that heard the case.

Jurich filed suit against the school for the remainder of his contract and deferred compensation, and the two settled in 2018 in a deal that gave Jurich Jurich $4.5 million and an additional $2.7 million in deferred compensation. The sides also agreed to term his departure a retirement.

His impact on the program, meanwhile, remains indelible. A look at it, by the numbers:

Financial growth

  • Athletics budget: Increased from $16.5 million to $104.5 million
  • TV revenue: Up from $1.4 million to $10.9 million
  • Sponsorships/merchandise: Up from $328,000 to $9.14 million
  • Apparel deal: From $18,000 to $16 million
  • CAF seat donations: $3.8 million to $16.9 million
  • Financial aid/scholarships: $767,000 to $5.5 million
  • Facilities investment: $278.8 million

Academic/structural development

  • Graduation success rate: From 66% to 83%
  • Learfield Directors’ Cup ranking: From No. 100 to No. 26
  • Academic support staff: Increased from 6 to 15
  • Sports performance staff: Increased from 7 to 29
  • Female student-athletes: Increased from 147 to 391
  • Female head coaches: tripled
  • Coaches for women’s teams: From 20 to 39

Competitive success

  • 67 conference championships
  • 42 conference tournament titles
  • 125+ Top 25 national team rankings
  • 3 men’s basketball Final Fours (1 national title)
  • 2 women’s basketball national title game appearances
  • Orange Bowl & Sugar Bowl wins
  • 1 Heisman Trophy
  • 4 College World Series appearances
  • 30 Academic All-Americans
  • 191 pro draft picks

The facilities Jurich developed didn’t just reshape Louisville athletics — they helped spark broader development on the university’s south side, much of which has continued since his departure in 2017. 

More than the numbers, Jurich was known for hiring and empowering top-tier coaches and fostering programs with national competitiveness and deep local ties.

“I just wanted Louisville to become a destination,” Jurich said in a 2023 interview with WDRB. “Not a place you passed through — but one people aimed for.”

He’s lived largely out of the spotlight in Florida since leaving the job. But he'll return for one morning, later this month.

“It’s not about rewriting anything,” John Ramsey, a longtime Jurich friend and supporter said. “It’s about remembering what was real — and how much he meant to this university and city.”

THIS STORY WILL BE UPDATED.

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