Georgia Tech has hired Alabama’s J Batt as its new athletics director effective Oct. 24, the school announced Friday.

Batt, a former North Carolina soccer player, had been Alabama’s Executive Deputy Director of Athletics, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Revenue Officer under Greg Byrne since 2017. At Georgia Tech, he replaces Todd Stansbury, who was fired Sept. 27 along with head football coach Geoff Collins.

“We’re excited to welcome J to Georgia Tech,” said Georgia Tech president Angel Cabrera. “His leadership experience at one of the most competitive programs in the nation and his extraordinary track record in fundraising and revenue generation will bring great value to Georgia Tech.

“As a former ACC student-athlete, J has a keen appreciation for what it takes for students to compete at the highest level while pursuing a degree at a top academic institution. He values and shares our culture of excellence and integrity and our commitment to student well-being and success. I look forward to working with him to secure and invest the resources necessary for a successful athletics program.”

Said Batt, “My family and I truly appreciate President Cabrera and his team for this opportunity, and we are incredibly excited to join the Georgia Tech family. I look forward to working with our student-athletes, coaches, staff, supporters, and fans to reach new heights, on and off the field, and to build on the rich tradition and history of this storied athletics department. We can’t wait to become a part of the Atlanta community. Go Jackets!”

Batt — who has also worked in the athletics departments at East Carolina and Maryland — is highly regard as a fundraiser, having coordinated charitable giving, ticketing and Alabama’s Tide Pride program. Among those giving him the seal of approval as an AD is Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

“Since arriving at Alabama, J has positively affected our program through the success of the Crimson Standard Initiative while being a trusted advisor to our athletic director, Greg Byrne, and an essential part of our administrative team,” Saban said. “We set a vision for the future of Alabama Athletics and Alabama football through the Crimson Standard and J as well as his team delivered with impressive results.”

Said Byrne: “J has been such a strong leader as part of our executive team at Alabama. He has incredible vision and has done an outstanding job overseeing many areas of the department, beginning with development when he arrived in 2017. He has done a masterful job with the operations of the department. J has been involved in all of our major decisions and has provided constructive insight and feedback to make us better. His experience working directly with our student-athletes, our coaches and Athletics staff, university leadership, and fan base has prepared him well for this moment. We are thrilled for J, his wife, Leah, and boys, Fitz and Graham. Georgia Tech made a home-run hire with J.”