< Previous6-4 | F | Lexington, Ky. | Bryan Station 62 @KentuckyMBB JACK GIVENS 1975-78 21UK SPORTS NETWORK TV AFFILIATES UK SPORTS NETWORK TV AFFILIATES SPORTS NETWORK Louisville Paducah Bowling Green Johnson City, TN SPORTS NETWORK6-5 | F | Hamilton, Ohio | Taft 64 @KentuckyMBB KEVIN GREVEY 1973-75 35KENTUCKY BASKETBALL 66 @KentuckyMBB Blue and White The University of Kentucky adopted blue and white as its official colors in 1892. UK students had first decided on blue and light yellow before the Kentucky-Centre foot- ball game Dec. 19, 1891. The yellow was soon dropped from the combination and replaced by white. The particular Kentucky shade of blue, close to royal blue, was determined without ceremony. After settling on the base colors, a student posed the logical question, “What color blue?” Letterman Richard Stoll looked down at his necktie and raised it to the air. The vote was unanimous. Wildcats Nickname The official nickname for the University of Kentucky’s athletics teams is “Wildcats.” The nickname became synonymous with UK shortly after a 6-2 football victory over Illinois on Oct. 9, 1909, on the road. Commandant Carbusier, then head of the military department at old State Uni- versity (UK), 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. UK Dance Team The University of Kentucky Dance Team helps generate excitement and enthusiasm at Wildcat athletics events. Under the direction of head coach Dawn Duncan Walters and as- sistant coach Janet Brock, the dance team in- cludes both Blue and White Squads. The team placed second in the Universal Dance Associ- ation national championships in 2020 in both the hip-hop and gameday competitions. Fan-tastic! The Kentucky cheerleaders, band and dance team combine to entertain the nation’s largest and most loyal fan base in college basketball. Sure, Ashley Judd, Tommy Lasorda, Muham- mad Ali and Backstreet Boy Kevin Richardson steal the attention, but those Big Blue stars are just a few of the Cat fans in attendance at UK games. It’s each and every one of the many Kentucky fans who deserve the credit for help- ing the Wildcats lead the nation in attendance 22 times since Rupp Arena opened in 1976-77, including 14 of the last 15 years. And the tremendous fan base is not limit- ed to just Lexington. Each year, Kentucky fans flock to Freedom Hall in Louisville, to fill the arena with more than 20,000 fans for an an- nual “home” game. The Southeastern Conference Tourna- ment? Well, it might as well be called the Kentucky Invitational. March Madness? Nearly the same result. The nation’s largest media contingent follows the Cats from start to finish simply because of the fans’ incessant appetite for information on their Wildcats. Trademark Swoosh Only the best wear Nike. Kentucky not only wears Nike, but is under an all-school contract with the athletic apparel company. In 1997, UK signed the contract with the pop- ular makers of the trademark swoosh. Thanks to Nike’s exten- sive research and product development, UK student -athletes stay on the cutting edge of quality and style with all of their gear. All 22 sports use Nike shoes and equip- ment, and over the course of the contract, the Wildcats will receive millions of dollars worth of clothing, equipment and cash. The men’s basketball team has been recognized by the apparel company as a “Nike Elite” team. While clothing adorned with “Kentucky” was already popular throughout the nation, thanks to Nike and its international market- ing reach, Kentucky’s blue and white can now be found worldwide. Kentucky TraditionsKENTUCKY BASKETBALL Kentucky Traditions Cawood’s Court Prior to the UK-Louisville game on Dec. 29, 2001, the court at Rupp Arena was named “Cawood’s Court” in honor of Cawood Led- ford, the beloved “Voice of the Wildcats” for 39 years (1953-92). Ledford passed away in Sep- tember 2001, after a long battle with cancer. The ceremonies included the unveiling of a logo courtside, not far from where Ledford called the action. Also included in the cere- mony were donations by two area business- es to the Cawood Ledford Scholarship Fund, established in 1992 to assist former student- athletes in obtaining their degrees. The Wildcat The Wildcat mascot originated during the 1976-77 academic year at UK. Gary Tanner was the original Wildcat, dancing and entertaining thousands of UK fans at Commonwealth Stadium and Rupp Arena during athletics events. A few years later, he was joined by an- other Cat — walking on stilts — who made his appearance during UK’s twin tower era of Melvin Turpin and Sam Bowie. Today, both the Wildcat and his sidekick, Scratch, attend each football and basketball game, several academic functions and gen- erally serve as friendly ambassadors for the University. Scratch Scratch joined the cheerleading squad in the mid ’90s in conjunction with the UK Kids’ Club, but today he has become almost as recognizable as the Wildcat. The lovable face of UK Athletics gar- nered national attention after being named to the 2003 Capital One Mascot All-Ameri- ca team, an honor he earned again in 2004. Senior Day Senior Day at Kentucky has become one of the most celebrated ceremonies in col- lege basketball. Honoring its senior class, UK’s event is one of the most elaborate and moving programs of its kind. The pregame ceremony begins with player introductions. Once they have all burst through banners bearing their likenesses, their families join them at center court. Then the state song, “My Old Kentucky Home,” is sung as the home crowd bids farewell. UK Cheerleaders Rooting on the Wildcats at every game are the award-winning UK Cheerleaders. Under the direction of head coach Ryan Martin O’Connor, the UK Cheerleaders are the gold standard in the nation. Kentucky has won 24 Universal Cheer Association national championships, more than all oth- er schools combined. UK placed third in the nation in 2020. UK Pep Band With more than 100 members, the Uni- versity of Kentucky pep band is one of the largest in the nation. Clad in its recognizable blue and white outfits, the pep band is direct- ed by Scott-Lee Atchison. Performing at both home football and basketball games, the UK pep band has been named by Southern Liv- ing as one of the “top 10 bands in the South.” @UKSportsNetwork 67A dolph Rupp was synonymous with win- ning. As coach of Kentucky, he was a pioneer in the Wildcats’ fast-break offense while becoming the winningest coach the game had ever seen. The site that now serves as a tribute to his outstanding coaching accomplishments – Rupp Arena – has become one of the most recognizable gym- nasiums in the world while serving as home to college basketball’s most storied program. Now in its 48th season as the home court of Kentucky basketball, the facility has seen UK win more than 88% of its home games since it opened in 1976. Long considered the mecca of college basketball, Rupp Arena received a $16 mil- lion upgrade over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons that has enhanced the fan experi- ence and once again made it one of the pre- mier venues in all of college basketball. The most notable updates include: n State-of-the-art Daktronics center-hung video board n 15mm ribbon boards n Replaced 16mm LED corner video boards with 6mm LED video boards to pro- duce HD quality image n L Acoustic Line Array audio speaker system n Total sanding and repainting of the floor to reflect UK’s updated branding and logo n New basketball goals and new shot clocks n Added press box seating to the east side of the arena n Replaced LED scorer’s table with 6mm version and moved the old 10mm scorer’s table to the opposite side of the floor for ra- dio broadcast seating n Replaced static ad panels in lower four corners of the arena with LED ad panels After renovations, Rupp Arena seats 20,500. Following the 2012 season, the Wild- cats received a $3.1 million renovation to their locker room. Funded with private donations, the facility features the actual floor from the 2012 championship game. It has its own kitchen and dining area, as well as hot and cold tubs inlaid with the UK logo. There is also a recruiting room that is available to all 22 sports at the Uni- versity of Kentucky. Since the fall of 1976, the arena in downtown Lexington has served as home to four national championship teams at Kentucky. Six others have advanced to the Final Four. Thirteen seasons have witnessed the Cats go unbeaten at home. It has played host to more than 700 UK games, more than 30 KHSAA Sweet Six- teens, a number of NBA exhibitions, 12 Men’s NCAA Tournaments, three South- eastern Conference Tournaments and two Ohio Valley Conference Tournaments. A new floor was installed in 2001. With so many unforgettable moments, the old floor still maintained a value to hoop fans across the Bluegrass and beyond. There- fore, officials made pieces of the relic available for public sale, with proceeds going to the UK Basketball Museum, the KHSAA and to help offset the costs of the new playing floor. Thanks to an auction of additional sections, like coaching boxes and lettered end zones, the old floor gener- ated more than $250,000. Midcourt of the old floor rests in the main entrance of the Lexington Center. When assembled, the court lies 118 feet below the ceiling and is made of a high- grade northern maple. The floor can be re- moved and an ice rink can be constructed for ice shows or hockey games thanks to a $2.5 million renovation during the summer of 1996. But the playing surface is just one aspect of the impressive home of the Cats. Situ- ated in downtown Lexington, Rupp Arena has played host to several premier basket- ball events. In March of 1985, all roads led to Lexington for the NCAA Final Four as Villanova shocked Georgetown in a mem- orable finale. In 1986, Rupp played host to both the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Women’s Final Four. On numerous other occasions, the arena has served as one stop en route to the NCAA title game. Starting in 2016, Rupp Arena hosted three straight NCAA women’s regional rounds. An awesome structure in sight and scope, the arena is divided into two seat- ing areas. The lower level features 10,000 cushioned theater seats. The upper level has 10,500 seats with new chairback seats in sections 211-217 and 228-234. The lat- ter can be visually isolated to provide more natural setting for small shows. Built by the city of Lexington, the are- na is the major portion of the $53 million Lexington Center complex, which includes an expanded convention-exhibition hall, a 50-store tri-level enclosed shopping mall and a Hyatt Regency Hotel. In January 2001, the Wildcats began utilizing a new lights-out introduction, featuring a video presentation and indoor fireworks. @UKSportsNetwork 69 Rupp Arena Facts Capacity: 20,500 UK’s record: 647-81 (.889) Most Wins in a Season: 19 (2014-15) Longest Winning Streak: 54 (11/13/09 to 12/1/12) Packed to the Rafters • Now in its 48th season as the home court of Kentucky basketball, the facility has seen UK win more than 89% of its home games since it opened in 1976 • Prior to reducing seating capacity for the 2019-20 season, Kentucky led the nation in average home attendance in 20 of the previous 24 seasons • Since Rupp Arena opened for the 1976-77 season, and excluding the 2020-21 season that was affected by the COVID-19 pan- demic, UK has ranked either first or sec- ond in average attendance every season • Excluding the 2020-21 season that was was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, UK has averaged more than 20,000 fans per game in all but two seasons of the John Calipari era • Chair-back seating was installed in the upper-sideline area prior to the 2019-20 season. Two club areas for season ticket holders opened in 2021-22 season with a third opening during the 2022-23 season • A center-hung scoreboard, ribbon boards, a new sound system and lighting were installed over the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasonsKENTUCKY BASKETBALL 70 @KentuckyMBB F ollowing a second-team All-American season in 2023, there is quite a bit of anticipation and excitement for Kentucky softball shortstop Erin Coffel in 2024. Last season, Coffel hit .440 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in, and she moved into second place on UK’s career home run list (55). In addition, she was named a fi- nalist for the USA Softball National Player of the Year. In addition to her achievements from the 2023 college softball season, Cof- fel competed in the Pan American Games in the summer of 2023. It was a rewarding experience for Coffel. “I played with some legends, I took away a lot of things,” she said. “The biggest thing was having fun. Girls that are getting into their 30s and they’re still playing softball – they are having fun at that point and trust- ing what they do. That’s the biggest thing I brought back was trusting what I do, they’ve all worked hard, I’ve worked hard.” Coffel is likely to break the UK career home run record this season. After the first weekend of the 2024 season, the senior has 56 career long balls and needs just six home runs to pass UK legend Abbey Cheek on that list. Despite her proclivity for hitting the long ball, it’s not something that crosses Coffel’s mind. “I don’t think about hitting home runs to be honest with you, it just kind of happens for me,” Coffel said. “If I thought about hit- ting home runs, I don’t think I would be very good.” Coffel and the Cats got the 2024 season off to a strong start last weekend. UK went 4-1 in San Diego while facing three ranked teams. The Cats earned two wins over then- No. 3 Stanford and also beat UC-Santa Bar- bara and Minnesota, while falling to home- standing San Diego State. Coffel went 4 for 16 with a double and a home run in five games. She also walked three times as op- ponents pitched her very carefully. Always a team player, Coffel believes the team has improved as a collective. She hopes there are big things ahead for the 2024 Cats. “I think this year, it’s more of a collec- tive piece and it has taken our culture a step ahead of where it was last year in a sense, so I’m really excited for that,” Coffel said. “I think in times of defeat, we can lean on a lot of girls a on our team.” Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson believes Coffel is a lot better than last year, mentioning that Coffel had hit five home runs in four scrimmages this offseason. Cof- fel knows that Lawson expects a lot from her in 2024. “She (Coach Lawson) challenged me this past fall because this previous spring was a struggle with me getting walked a lot,” Cof- fel said. “So, I really dove into that this fall and she challenged me a lot and that really helped going into the winter with the two weeks I was away from the team I made sure I dove into certain thing hitting wise, so I’ve gotten better at that.” Coffel figures to have a big season for the Cats in 2024. If Kentucky is to do big things this season, it would be no surprise if Cof- fel is not a key piece in the team’s success throughout the season. Erin Coffel, UK Softball Off to Strong Start in 2024 By Chris Shoals UK Athletics Communications and Public Relations Erin Coffelkentuckylegend.com For the finest, most flavorful meats, crafted and smoked with a patience unique to life in the South, there’s only one Kentucky original.Next >