< Previous70 @KentuckyMBB Rifle Qualifies for 2025 NCAA Championships A fter a great regular season topped off by an incredible NCAA qualifying score last weekend inside the UK Rifle Range, the Uni- versity of Kentucky rifle team has qualified for its 31st NCAA Rifle Championships and will compete in and host the 2025 NCAA Ri- fle National Championships on march 14-15 inside Historic Memorial Coliseum. Kentucky is one of the most decorated programs in NCAA rifle history, with four na- tional titles – 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2022 – six runner-up finishes and 23 top-five finish- es. The 2025 championships will technically mark the second time UK has hosted the na- tional event. The first was in 2020 when UK turned Memorial Coliseum into a first-class range before the NCAA canceled the cham- pionships after Thursday’s practice day due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. That season, Kentucky was ranked No. 1 in the nation and was having an undefeated season. “I am proud of the team for handling their business this season and making sure we were in a good position to qualify for the national championships,” UK head coach Harry Mullins said. “This will be an excit- ing two days in Historic Memorial Coliseum and I hope Big Blue Nation comes out and supports us. Until then, we are going to be working hard in training to get better and hopefully we can take another step forward.” UK’s recent NCAA qualifying score was the last factor determining the field for the 2025 NCAA Rifle Championships. Each team’s three score aggregate average – the score based on each team’s highest three regular season scores fired at three different locations – was already recorded. last week- end’s qualifier score was then added to that average and the teams with the eight high- est combined scores qualified for the NCAA Championships. UK’s three scores it counted as part of its NCAA qualifying score was its 4748 in Col- orado, an impressive 4742 fired to start the 2025 schedule in Lexington and its 4740 at Ole Miss in the fall of 2024. With UK’s 4740 qualifying score Saturday, the Wildcats to- tal qualifying score is 9483.33, placing the Wildcats third overall entering the champi- onships. Alaska is seeded first with a 9509 score, followed by West Virginia second at 9496. TCU, Ole Miss, Murray State, Georgia Southern and Air Force complete the field. Several other individuals were selected as well from teams that did not make the team championships. Full tournament listings can be found at NCAA.com. Both all-session tickets and single-session tickets are now on sale for Big Blue Nation to watch the championships inside the newly reimaged Historic Memorial Coliseum. The two-day event will see the best air rifle and smallbore competitors in the nation compete on the Historic Memorial Coliseum floor. The smallbore competition will be March 14 fol- lowed by air rifle competition on March 15. All-session and single-session tickets are on sale now through the UK Athletics Account Manager. All-session tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for youth (ages 3-18) and seniors (age 65+). Single-session tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for youth (ages 3-18) and seniors (age 65+). Children ages 2 and under will be admitted free of charge. Fans should purchase tickets for the event in advance through UK Athletics Account Manager through Ticketmaster or may call the UK Athletics Ticket Office during regular business hours. Tickets will also be available for purchase in person at the UK Athletics Ticket Office inside the Joe Craft Center. Accessible seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. For safety rea- sons, only the Lexington Avenue entrance will be available for fans to enter Historic Memorial Coliseum. The Avenue of Champi- ons and Rose Street entrances will be closed for this event. On the season, Kentucky is averaging 2347.86 in smallbore and 2382.14 in air ri- fle for a 4730 team aggregate average. UK’s season-best team score came Nov. 24 in a tri- match with Air Force and Akron in Colorado Springs, Colorado, earning a 4748. The Wild- cats are one of four teams in the nation to post a 2360 or higher team smallbore score, while Kentucky’s 2391 season-best air rifle score is tied for the third highest team score in the nation this season. For more information on the Kentucky rifle team, visit UKathletics.com or follow UKRifle on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. By Evan Crane UK Athletics Communications and Public RelationsWealth is time to focus on moments that matter. American Trust Wealth can help you achieve financial success so you have more time to focus on what’s important. Let’s Talk 866-934-5078 americantrustwealth.com Before investing it is important that you understand that securities and insurance products involve risk and may lose value. They are not FDIC insured or insured by any Federal government agency and are not deposits of, guaranteed or insured by American Trust. Asset allocation of your investments does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of loss of value of assets. American Trust does not provide tax, accounting or legal advice, and information presented about tax considerations is not intended as tax advice and should not be relied upon for the purpose of avoiding any tax penalties. Clients should review any planned financial transactions or arrangements that may have tax, accounting or legal implications with their personal professional advisors. Not FDIC Insured | No Bank Guarantee | May Lose Value72 @KentuckyMBB Eli Capilouto n President of the University of Kentucky D r. Eli Capilouto became the 12th Pres- ident of the University of Kentucky on July 1, 2011. Under his leadership, the Commonwealth's flagship and land grant research university has grown from $2.7 bil- lion to nearly $8.4 billion in total operations and has gained significant momentum in advancing Kentucky – the institution’s sin- gular yet multifaceted mission. President Capilouto has led a more than $5.4 billion transformation of the campus, aimed at enriching the living-learning ex- perience of UK's students, ensuring their success; strengthening the university's re- search infrastructure dedicated to solving Kentucky's most intractable health and economic challenges; and expanding UK HealthCare's capacity to teach, heal and serve. Through partnerships with the private sector, increased philanthropy and effective financial management, UK is self-financing much of this aggressive infrastructure devel- opment with the purpose of equipping the next generation of leaders who will impact our world for the better. Under his leadership, the priorities out- lined in the strategic plan and the innova- tion of the campus has resulted in histor- ic student success; improved care of our people; unrivaled ingenuity; greater trust, transparency and accountability; and a community of belonging. The progress on campus is resulting in a high-quality work- force and improved well-being for the Commonwealth UK has served for near- ly 160 years — all essential to advancing Kentucky. A native of Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. Capilouto previously served as provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and dean of the UAB School of Pub- lic Health – a period of remarkable growth and transformation at one of the leading academic and health sciences institutions in the South. Dr. Capilouto holds several undergraduate and graduate degrees from schools within the University of Alabama system, a Doctorate of Dental Medicine from UAB and a Doctorate in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University. He and his wife, Dr. Mary Lynne Capilouto (D.M.D.) a former Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry, have one daughter. LEARN MORE AT GO.UKY.EDU/UKINVESTS OR BY SCANNING THE QR CODE. go.uky.edu/ukinvests | ukinvests@uky.edu The University of Kentucky is boldly committed to transforming our students' lives – both in and out of the classroom. In August 2023, we proudly introduced UK Invests – a first-of-its-kind initiative nationally and a holistic wellness program anchored by financial education. Through UK Invests, we are empowering and encouraging students to understand the importance of investing in themselves and their future. Ultimately, through this initiative, every student on campus can receive a personal investment account that will be used to incentivize and reward them for developing healthy habits – from wellness to career skill building to financial literacy. During the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 7,500 students opened a brokerage account through UK Invests. Collectively, those students participating in the program have earned more than $920,000. This program sets UK apart from other colleges and universities by teaching real-world situations to demonstrate the benefits of saving and investing early. “We can say we’re going to put students first, but by stepping forward in this way, we do put students first,” UK President Capiluoto said. “We believe in them, their future and what it can mean for Kentucky.” *Fidelity Bloom® is a mobile app designed to help with student’s saving, spending and investing behaviors through the Save and Spend accounts, which are brokerage accounts covered by SIPC. They are not bank accounts and therefore are not covered by FDIC insurance. Account made available via the app may be subject to fee. Brokerage account products and services offered by Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC. Member NYSE, SIPC. 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, RI 02917. Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Compliance eReview number: 1102478.1.0 A WILDLY POWERFUL COMMITMENT “It means a lot that UK takes the time to educate students on how to manage money because it shows that they don’t just care about their students’ success in the classroom.” Langston Jackson, Class of 2023 N ow in his 23rd year as Director of Athletics at the University of Kentucky, Mitch Barnhart continues to expand his impact on national and regional levels, all while leading his Wildcats to consistent achievement in the arenas of competition, in the class- room and in the community. Having the second-longest term of service among current ADs at schools in the Power 4 conferences, Barnhart’s experience, knowledge and synthe- sis of athletic and academic success have made him a highly respected and sought-after presence across the scope of collegiate sports. Barnhart has a long history of na- tional service, highlighted by a five- year term on the NCAA Men’s Basket- ball Tournament Committee that included a historic year as Chair of the first COVID-era event. He also served a stint on the College Football Playoff committee and is one of only four people who have served on the football playoff committee and as chair of the men’s basketball tournament. Dedicated to the advancement of those whom he guides, Barnhart’s national influ- ence has grown through his “AD tree” – ad- ministrators and coaches who have worked for him and become Division I athletics di- rectors – which now numbers seven. At Kentucky, the Wildcat athletic pro- gram placed in the top 20 of the NACDA Directors’ Cup national all-sports stand- ings from 2017-23 (no standings in 2020 because of the pandemic), one of only 10 schools that earned that distinction. The Directors’ Cup was established in 1993-94 and the best nine finishes in school histo- ry have been under Barnhart, all of which have come in the last 11 years that had final standings. UK Athletics hit a peak in the Directors’ Cup in the 2021-22 school year. Sparked by a national championship in rifle, an NCAA Tournament runner-up slot by men’s tennis, and third-place national finishes by wom- en’s indoor and outdoor track and field, UK ascended to a school-record ninth place among Division I schools, which now totals 362 members. Barnhart’s legacy at Kentucky includes success in a wide array of sports. All count- ed, UK has earned six NCAA champion- ship rings during Barnhart’s term, including men’s basketball in 2012, volleyball in ’20 and rifle in 2011, ’18, ’21 and ‘22. UK also has totaled 58 regular-season and tourna- ment conference championships under his leadership, including first-time titles in baseball, women’s tennis, men’s golf and women’s swimming and diving. Since 2020, five Wildcats have been named National Athlete of the Year in their sport. In addition, Asia Seidt of swimming and diving was chosen for the highly pres- tigious NCAA Woman of the Year award, covering all female athletes in all divisions, for her combination of athletic success, academic excellence and dedication to community service. Numerous additional Wildcats have won national awards for their performances on the field, in the classroom and in the community. On the conference level, during Barn- hart’s term, Wildcats have been named the SEC Male and Female Athlete of the Year, the SEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and the SEC Male and Female Community Service Leader of the Year. A school-record total of 20 Wildcat ath- letes and coaches participated in the Tokyo Olympics, bringing home a school-record 10 medals, including seven gold. With qualifying in progress while this was writ- ten, UK will have another strong contingent in the 2024 Paris Olympiad. The competitive success has been fol- lowed by personal recognition. In 2022, he was inducted into the (state of) Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and he received the John L. Toner Award for excellence in ath- letics administration from the National Foot- ball Foundation and College Hall of Fame. Those honors added to a grow- ing list of accolades for Barnhart, who was selected the 2019 Division I AD of the Year by the SportsBusi- ness Journal. The accomplishments are a result of Barnhart’s work since his arrival in the summer of 2002. He has steadi- ly invested in the growth of all UK teams while maintaining a singular commitment to the holistic devel- opment of Wildcat student-athletes. At the heart of everything are the core values Barnhart has instilled in the department he leads: character, integrity, knowledge, stewardship and competitiveness. A department-wide 3.0 grade- point average among student-ath- letes and increased community service have been long-standing goals for Barn- hart. The GPA benchmark was first met in the spring semester of 2010 and has now reached a streak of 24 consecutive semes- ters. In spring 2020, UK achieved a cu- mulative GPA of 3.534, the best in school history. Community service has reached as much as 4,000 hours annually and includes out- reach to the Lexington area, the Common- wealth of Kentucky and as far away as Ethi- opia, the Dominican Republic and Panama. In December of 2021 and August 2022, when natural disasters devastated western and eastern Kentucky, a pair of telethons sponsored by UK Athletics raised more than $8 million and numerous student-athletes and staff took part in other fundraising proj- ects, supply assistance, cleanup and the re- building process. In addition to the extraordinary achieve- ments of his work world, reaching new heights is also a theme of his personal life. An avid mountain climber, Barnhart has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, along with two of the most challenging peaks in the United States, Mount Rainier in Washington and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. He also has performed two tandem parachute jumps with the Army Golden Knights. Impactful in community service, Barnhart has taken part in mission trips and is on the national advisory board of K-Love Radio. Barnhart is a native of Kansas City, Kan- sas. He and his wife, Connie, have three children and six grandchildren. 74 @KentuckyMBB Mitch Barnhart n Director of Athletics n University of KentuckyNext >