The University of Louisville community is mourning the loss of Kenny Klein, the longtime sports information director and senior athletics administrator whose nearly four decades of service helped shape one of the nation’s premier collegiate athletic programs. Klein died on June 25, 2026, at the age of 66, following a recent medical emergency. His family confirmed his passing.
For 39 years, Klein served as one of the most recognizable and respected figures within Louisville Athletics. Joining the university in 1983 as a sports information director, he steadily rose through the department before retiring in 2022 as senior associate athletics director. Throughout his career, he became the trusted voice of Louisville men’s basketball, serving as the program’s primary media contact for an extraordinary 1,309 consecutive games.
Klein worked alongside legendary coaches Denny Crum and Rick Pitino during some of the Cardinals’ greatest moments, including NCAA national championships in 1986 and 2013, four Final Four appearances, and Louisville’s transition through five athletic conferences. During his tenure, the Cardinals compiled an impressive 888-421 record while establishing themselves as one of college basketball’s elite programs.
Known for his professionalism, integrity, and calm demeanor, Klein also guided the university through some of its most difficult periods, including NCAA investigations and public controversies. Colleagues consistently praised his commitment to honest communication and his unwavering dedication to the university.
Following his retirement, Klein remained active in college basketball, spending the past two seasons as a special advisor to Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino at St. John’s University. Pitino frequently referred to him as his “main man” and expressed profound grief following his passing.
Beyond Louisville, Klein earned national recognition throughout the sports information profession. He coordinated computerized statistics operations at the NCAA Final Four for more than 35 years, assisted media operations for the Kentucky Derby, and was inducted into the College Sports Information Directors of America Hall of Fame in 2015. He was also inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 and received the U.S. Basketball Writers Association’s Katha Quinn Award for outstanding service to the media.
