Greene Announces Two Executive Leadership Appointments
3/17/2025 12:00:00 PM | General
PITTSBURGH—University of Pittsburgh athletic director Allen Greene announced the additions of Brant Ust and Kyle Bruce to his Pitt Athletics executive team.
Ust will serve as senior deputy athletic director for administration. He will focus on the Panthers' competitive excellence and advancing strategic priorities for the overall department.
Bruce joins the Panthers as senior deputy athletic director for external relations and chief revenue officer. He will oversee Pitt's external units and have a strategic focus on revenue generation operations.
"Brant and Kyle not only bring exceptional professional experience to Pitt but also embody the innovation and humility that defines our ethos, making them the perfect fit for our family," Greene said. "They are champions for the greater good, inspiring others to push boundaries and elevate performance immediately and, ultimately, better positioning Pitt Athletics for the present and future.
"From excelling as a student-athlete to competing at the professional level, Brant has always thrived in high-performance environments. That same drive, discipline and leadership defines his administrative career. Brant is hardworking with endless curiosity that allows him to think critically and not only solve problems but anticipate them. To be sure, Brant is genuinely motivated to provide the best experience possible for our young people who represent the Script Pitt.
"Generating revenue to support the ambitions of our student-athletes remains paramount in today's landscape. With a keen eye for strategy and a passion for innovation, Kyle's unique ability to seamlessly adapt to new environments and drive creative solutions makes him a powerhouse in revenue generation, business advancement and brand elevation. Beyond Kyle's talent for driving growth, he is passionate about building a thriving team culture, recognizing that strong chemistry is the foundation of success. His unique skill set will be a game-changer for our department's continued excellence."
Both appointments were made prior to the University's March 10 hiring freeze announcement.
Ust owns impressive, wide-ranging administrative experience
Ust previously served in leadership roles at Air Force Academy (2023-25), Auburn (2018-23) and his alma mater, Notre Dame (2014-18). He also owns administrative experience with USA Baseball (2010-14) and was an assistant baseball coach at Michigan (2008-09).
As a senior associate athletic director at Air Force, Ust was the administrator for the Falcons' football, cross country, track and field, wrestling and tennis teams. As football administrator, he was a key liaison between the Academy and Mountain West Conference (MWC).
Ust was an instrumental figure in Auburn's planning and strategy implementation. In his senior associate athletic director role, he oversaw the Tigers' equipment, sports performance, sports medicine and sport psychology and counseling divisions.
Ust was also integral for Auburn's partnerships with Under Armour and Aramark, while providing administrative support for the Tigers' baseball, soccer, cross country and track and field programs.
A 2001 graduate of Notre Dame, Ust served his alma mater as executive director of the Monogram Club and was the sport administrator for men's golf. A former infielder for the Irish, he is one of the most decorated players in Notre Dame baseball history, earning All-America (1998), Big East Player of the Year (1998) and Big East Rookie of the Year (1997) accolades.
Selected in the sixth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft, Ust played nine professional seasons. In addition to the Tigers, he also spent time with the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners organizations. Ust is also a two-time alum of Team USA, having played for the Collegiate National Team (1998) and International Baseball Federation (IBAF) World Cup Team (2005).
"I want to thank Allen Greene for this opportunity as I am thrilled and honored to join the Pitt Athletics team during these historic and exciting times in college athletics," Ust said. "I look forward to working with coaches, student-athletes and administrators in the spirit of innovation and ingenuity which define the University of Pittsburgh. Hail to Pitt!"
Bruce brings innovative track record of success to Pitt
Bruce joins the Panthers from Ole Miss, where he was the senior associate athletic director for strategic engagement (2023-25). In this role, he spearheaded the department's external strategy with a focus on brand advancement, fan development and revenue generation. He had direct oversight of the department's broadcast, communications, marketing, content strategy, fan experience, creative and in-venue production units.
A key architect of Ole Miss' external growth, Bruce served on the department's revenue generation working group tasked with finding new sources of revenue, and coordinated plans that resulted in record attendance, engagement and revenue. He also worked closely with the Rebels' corporate partnerships team in the development and fulfillment of sponsorships, and liaised with the department's NIL collective on marketing and revenue generation campaigns.
Bruce is very familiar with the ACC, having worked at Virginia Tech from 2020-23. As the associate athletic director for digital strategy and innovation, he drove department-wide initiatives inclusive of ticket sales, fundraising, branding and public relations. He built the Hokies' digital strategy unit from the ground up, dramatically impacting revenue and attendance across a variety of sports.
From 2017-20, Bruce was the director of digital strategy at Washington, where he was responsible for the Huskies' digital presence across the web and social media. Twice during his tenure, the Huskies' marketing department was a finalist for the Marketing Team of the Year award presented by the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA). Bruce's efforts with Washington's ticket sales team garnered the Breakthrough Innovator award from Paciolan in 2019.
His additional professional experience includes external roles at Iowa State and Eastern Washington.
Bruce is a 2011 graduate of Western Oregon University. He earned a master's degree from University of the Pacific in 2013. He currently serves as a NACMA board member and has presented at several conferences, including the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and PACnet.
"I am incredibly grateful to Allen Greene for this opportunity to join Pitt Athletics and contribute to the positive momentum surrounding the Panthers," Bruce said. "I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the student-athletes, staff and leadership at Ole Miss for an unforgettable experience. I'm also thankful for the mentors, colleagues and friends who have supported my growth along the way. Pitt is a world-class institution with a rich tradition and incredible fan support, and I couldn't be more excited to get to work and help elevate our external engagement and revenue generation efforts."