The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 students attend the university. Historically, the women's teams and athletes were referred to as the "Lady Kats", but all athletic squads adopted the "Wildcats" nickname in 1995. Collectively, the fans of the Kentucky Wildcats are often referred to as the Big Blue Nation. Their main and most intense rival is the University of Louisville. The Wildcats are composed of 25 varsity teams that compete nationally—23 in NCAA-recognized sports, plus the cheerleading squad and dance team.
On April 25, 2025, the UK board of trustees approved a proposal to transfer the athletic department to a non-profit company to be known as Champions Blue, LLC. Articles of incorporation for Champions Blue had been filed on April 17. Both UK and outside media characterized this move, considered to be the first by a major U.S. university, as a response to the impending settlement of the House v. NCAA legal case, which is expected to establish revenue sharing between athletic programs and student athletes. Champions Blue will be chaired by the UK president, with its board otherwise consisting of "outside experts" which will regularly meet with the president and athletic director.
Background
The nickname "Wildcats" became synonymous with UK shortly after a 6–2 football road victory over Illinois on October 9, 1909. Commandant Philip W. Corbusier, then head of the military department at old State University, told a group of students in a chapel service following the game that the Kentucky football team had "fought like Wildcats". Later the name Wildcats became more and more popular among UK followers as well as with members of the media. As a result, the nickname was adopted by the university.
The university adopted blue and white as its official colors in 1892. Originally, however, UK students had decided on blue and light yellow prior to the Kentucky-Centre College football game on December 19, 1887. The shade of blue, which is close to a royal blue, was chosen when a student asked the question, "What color blue?" At the time, Richard C. Stoll (who lettered in football at UK in 1889–94) pulled off his necktie and held it up. The students then adopted that particular shade of blue. A year later, UK students officially dropped the light yellow color for white because the two colors did not look good together.
Sports sponsored
UK has won 13 national championships including the 2012 men's basketball title. UK also boasts the 1988 women's cross country national championship; 2020–21 women's volleyball championship; 2011, 2018, and 2021 rifle championships, and 8 men's basketball titles. UK was also crowned an NCAA co-champion, after knocking off #1 Oklahoma in the 1951 Sugar Bowl to win the 1950 National Championship in college football.
Basketball
Beginning in the 1890s, students at the University of Kentucky started scheduling football games with neighboring colleges. The basketball program began on campus in 1902, originally as a women's sport; a men's team was added one year later. Several decades later, in 1930, then-high school coach Adolph Rupp was hired as a basketball coach for the university, a career that would span over 40 years until 1972. During his tenure, he led the Kentucky Wildcats to four NCAA crowns in 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1958. The Wildcats later won a fifth championship under Joe B. Hall in 1978, another in 1996 under Rick Pitino, in 1998 under Orlando "Tubby" Smith, and its most recent in 2012 under Coach John Calipari. Calipari has been the coach since the 2009–10 season.
In 2007, the university unveiled the Joe Craft Center, a $30 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for both the men's and women's teams, named after businessman and philanthropist Kentuckian Joe Craft.
Men's
Considered to be an elite NCAA basketball program, the University of Kentucky men's basketball team is the winningest program in the history of college basketball. The team was the first ever Division I squad to reach 2,000 victories after defeating Drexel University on December 21, 2009. Kentucky also leads all NCAA schools in all-time winning percentage (.762) with an all-time record of 2111–661.
The men's team has earned a total of eight NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships, second only to UCLA's eleven championships. UK's eight championships were won by five different coaches – Adolph Rupp in 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1958, Joe B. Hall in 1978, Rick Pitino in 1996, Tubby Smith in 1998, and John Calipari in 2012. Kentucky's 1933 and 1954 teams were also awarded the Helms national championship, and his 1934, 1947, and 1948 teams were retroactively recognized as the national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. The Wildcats also won two NIT Championships in 1946 and 1976. The program has garnered 45 SEC regular season titles. Since the 2009–10 season, John Calipari has coached the Wildcats with a "one-and-done" approach to recruiting, resulting in freshman-laden lineups – including a record 5 first-round draft picks in the 2010 NBA draft and 6 Wildcats taken in the 2012 NBA draft.
Women's
The first University of Kentucky women's basketball team was organized in 1902, competing for the first time on February 21, 1903. However, in 1924, the University Senate passed a bill to abolish women's basketball in part because "basketball had proven to be a strenuous sport for boys and therefore was too strenuous for girls." After a 50-year absence, women's basketball finally reached varsity status in 1974. The team was given the nickname "Lady Kats" and was coached by Debbie Yow.
Led by UK all-time leading scorer Valerie Still, Patty Jo Hedges, and Lea Wise, the Lady Kats won the SEC Tournament in 1982. The following year, the same trio led the team to a #4 ranking in the country, the highest in the team's history.
The team was previously coached by Matthew Mitchell, named as the SEC Coach of the Year in 2010 after leading the 2009–10 team to a surprising 28–8 season in which they set school records for best start, most consecutive SEC wins, best SEC finish, and most wins in a season, culminating in their first NCAA regional final since 1982. The team also had the conference Player of the Year in Victoria Dunlap and Freshman of the Year in A'dia Mathies.
Under later coach Kyra Elzy, the Wildcats upset top-ranked South Carolina in the 2022 SEC Women's Basketball Tournament finals. The star of this team, Rhyne Howard, would become the first overall pick in that year's WNBA draft. Elzy would be dismissed after the 2023–24 season.
The current head coach, Kenny Brooks, was hired away from Virginia Tech shortly after Elzy's firing.
Football
Kentucky plays at Kroger Field (formerly Commonwealth Stadium from 1973 to 2017), which replaced Stoll Field in 1973.
Paul "Bear" Bryant era
Paul "Bear" Bryant was Kentucky's head football coach for eight seasons. Under Bryant the Wildcats won the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl, lost the 1950 Orange Bowl, won the 1951 Sugar Bowl and the 1952 Cotton Bowl Classic. In final AP polls, the Wildcats were ranked #11 in 1949, #7 in 1950, #15 in 1951, #20 in 1952 and #16 in 1953.
At the time of the 1951 Sugar Bowl win over #1 Oklahoma, the final polls were taken before the bowl games. The NCAA has never officially recognized a national champion from among the bowl coalition institutions, but in 2004 the NCAA commissioned Jeff Sagarin to use his computer model to retroactively determine the highest ranked teams for the years prior to the BCS. His champion for the 1950 season is Kentucky.
Fran Curci era
The 1976 Wildcats retroactively claimed a share of the Southeastern Conference championship under coach Fran Curci via a loss later forfeited by Mississippi State (and despite losing at home to conference champion Georgia) and won the Peach Bowl, finishing #18 in the final AP poll. The 1977 Kentucky team went 10–1 and was undefeated in SEC play but, despite finishing the season ranked #6 in the AP poll, did not play in a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions. Kentucky finished at #6 and Penn State at #5 despite the fact that Kentucky defeated Penn State at Penn State during the regular season.
Jerry Claiborne era
Coach Jerry Claiborne led the Wildcats to the 1983 Hall of Fame Bowl. In 1984 Kentucky returned to the Hall of Fame Bowl and defeated a ranked Wisconsin team to finish the season with a 9–3 record and a #19 ranking in the final AP poll.
Bill Curry era
The Wildcats played in the 1993 Peach Bowl under coach Bill Curry.
Hal Mumme era
Coach Hal Mumme led the Wildcats to the 1998 Outback Bowl and the 1999 Music City Bowl but the program was hit with severe sanctions for infractions during Mumme's tenure.
Guy Morriss era
Under coach Guy Morriss the Wildcats posted a 7–5 record in 2002 but were not eligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions.
Rich Brooks era
Coach Rich Brooks led the team to an 8–5 regular season record in 2006, including a memorable upset over the defending SEC champion Georgia, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Bulldogs. Brooks also led the football team to its first bowl game since 1999 and its first bowl game victory since 1984, as Kentucky defeated the Clemson University Tigers 28–20 in the 2006 Music City Bowl. On September 15, 2007. Brooks led UK to a 40–34 win over number 9 ranked Louisville. This marked UK's first win over a top 10 team since #4 Penn State in 1977. The Wildcats were ranked 8th in the nation before a loss to South Carolina on October 4. After the loss to South Carolina, Kentucky bounced back on October 13 to defeat #1 LSU in an historic triple overtime game.
The 2007 Kentucky Wildcats football defeated the Florida State Seminoles 35–28 in the 2007 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 31, 2007. It was the Wildcats second straight bowl appearance. Quarterback Andre' Woodson was named the Music City Bowl MVP for the second year in a row. The last three bowl appearances for the Cats have been in the Music City Bowl, which they have appeared in more than any other SEC team in the conference's affiliation with the game, which dates back to the inaugural game in 1998.
On January 2, 2009, Kentucky football set a record with the school's first back to back to back bowl games. After a bad start in the Liberty Bowl, Kentucky made a comeback from a 16–3 deficit at halftime to beat East Carolina 25–19. After a fumble by the East Carolina running back, UK Defensive Tackle Ventrell Jenkins returned the ball over 50 yards for the score that gave Kentucky their first lead of the game.
Joker Phillips era
Former Wildcat wide receiver and longtime assistant coach Joker Phillips was formally named head coach January 6, 2010 after Brooks' retirement. Phillips took Kentucky to the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Alabama in his first season as a head coach, losing to Big East Conference co-champion Pittsburgh 27–10. However, the Wildcats would not return to a bowl in either of the next two seasons. The main highlight of those years came in 2011, when Kentucky defeated Tennessee for the first time since 1984. Phillips was fired in November 2012, effective at season's end.
Mark Stoops era
Phillips was replaced by Florida State defensive coordinator Mark Stoops, younger brother of Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops. Stoops has gone on to become the winningest coach in Kentucky's history. In 2018, Stoops and Kentucky had arguably the best season in program history going 10–3 and beating Penn State 27–24 in the 2019 Citrus Bowl which was led by 2019 7th overall pick Josh Hines-Allen and all-time leading rusher Benny Snell. Stoops also led Kentucky to win the Belk Bowl along with the Gator Bowl. After a historic 6–0 start in 2021, the Wildcats lost three games in a row to fall out of contention for the conference title.
Baseball
The Wildcats baseball team began play in their new stadium, Kentucky Proud Park, in fall 2018, replacing Cliff Hagan Stadium, where they had played since 1969.
The baseball program, partly hampered by being the northernmost school in the heavily warm-weather SEC, has historically achieved only modest success at best. Wildcats baseball hit bottom at the turn of the 21st century, with only one winning season from 1997 through 2004, and last-place finishes in the SEC East division in every season from 2001 through 2005. In 2003, after the retirement of longtime coach Keith Madison, Kentucky hired Florida assistant John Cohen as head coach. Cohen was able to lead the Cats to a winning overall season in 2005, despite another SEC cellar finish. In 2008, Cohen left Kentucky to accept the coaching position at Mississippi State University. He was replaced by former Kentucky assistant Gary Henderson.
Few could have expected the season the Cats would have in 2006. They went from worst to first in the SEC, winning a regular-season conference title for the first time in three decades, and being ranked as high as fourth in the country by one major baseball poll during the season. However, the Kentucky fans saw the Cats crash out of the SEC tournament early and fail to make it out of the regionals of the NCAA tournament at home.
In 2012, Kentucky garnered its most successful season ever in program history. Henderson was voted SEC Coach of the Year by the league coaches. Henderson directed the Wildcats to a school-record 45-win season, with UK completing its best finishes in the SEC and NCAA tournaments in school annals. The 2012 season also marked the first time that UK had ever been ranked No. 1. UK finished the season with a No. 11 ranking by Baseball America. UK also achieved a program record by winning seven of ten series in SEC play. UK also ran up a school-record 22-game winning streak, which is the second longest in SEC history.
In 2014, Kentucky produced its first ever College Baseball National Player of the Year in A. J. Reed. During the regular season Reed was 11–2 with a 2.10 earned-run average on the mound and at the plate led the nation in home runs (23)—more than 193 entire Division I teams — slugging percentage (.768) and OPS (1.259). Reed also won SEC Player of the Year honors. The Wildcats made it to the Semifinals of the SEC Tournament and played in the Louisville regional of the 2014 NCAA tournament.
In 2017, Henderson had resigned and was replaced by Nick Mingione, who had been an assistant in the 2006 season. Mingione brought a new attitude to the team and they had a 43–23 record with 19–11 in the SEC. They went on to host an NCAA regional NCAA Regional. The Cats won the Regional and advanced on the Super Regional and were defeated by Louisville. Minione was named SEC coach of the year.
Softball
The University of Kentucky softball team had their inaugural season in 1997.
University of Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart hired Rachel Lawson in July 2007. Since Lawson's hire she has become the winningest coach in program history. She has also guided UK to six NCAA Super Regionals since 2011 including an appearance in the 2014 College World Series, the program's first.
Now sitting at 361–232 in her eleven seasons at Kentucky, Lawson is the winningest head coach in school history and already has more wins in SEC play than UK had total as a program when she took over in 2007. UK also finished 2016 in the top 14 of both collegiate softball rankings for the third time in school history with eleven wins over ranked teams.
Another accomplishment since Lawson's hire in 2007 is the integration of John Cropp Stadium. The facility cost $9.5 million, and debuted for the 2013 season. UK hosted the 2013 SEC Tournament as well as an NCAA regional, another first for the program. Since 2013, UK has hosted an NCAA regional in 2014 and 2016–2018.
Track and field
Edrick Floréal was hired a UK Track and Field coach in 2012, and has led the Wildcats to 6 NCAA individual championships and 29 individual SEC championships.
Notable track athletes:
Kendra Harrison – 100 meters hurdles
Jasmine Quinn – 100 meters hurdles
Rondel Sorrillo – sprinter