< PreviousThank You to Our CORNERSTONE PARTNERSNEn Record retention and graduation rates and bold goals for contin- ued growth in our strategic plan n More than 8,000 degrees and 1,000 certificates awarded in the last academic year n Campus community with students from all 120 Kentucky counties, all 50 states and more than 100 countries n More than $6 billion in campus transformation, much of it fi- nanced in collaboration with private and public partners, focused on student living and learning communities, modern research lab- oratories, innovative teaching and learning spaces and one of the fastest growing academic medical centers in the country n A nearly $8.4 billion enterprise, UK is the region’s largest employer n The $504 million UK spent on research and development in FY23 generated $925 million in economic activity across the state, sup- porting more than 4,900 jobs throughout Kentucky n UK students compete successfully for prestigious scholarships and awards, such as the Fulbright, Astronaut, Truman, Goldwater, Marshall, Udall, Rhodes and Gates Cambridge n The hospitals and clinics of UK HealthCare provide advanced sub- specialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from Kentucky and beyond. UK HealthCare is also home to the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center, the region’s only Level 1 trauma center and Ken- tucky’s top hospital ranked by U.S. News & World Report for the past nine years 32 @UKFootball University of Kentucky n The Commonwealth’s Flagship InstitutionLEARN 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 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. 34 @UKFootball Eli Capilouto n President of the University of KentuckyWhether supporting their team on the field or each other in the community, Big Blue Nation is committed to the success of the Wildcat family. The UK Alumni Association operates under the same game plan as it works to serve the students, alumni and friends of the University of Kentucky. FAMILY IS EVERYTHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE When you stand for and with UK, you’re investing in the future of the university and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Show your true colors by becoming a Life or Active Member of the UK Alumni Association today! www.ukalumni.net/membershipN 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. 36 @UKFootball Mitch Barnhart n Director of Athletics n University of KentuckyF rom UK’s first All-American, Clyde John- son, to its most recent, Lynn Bowden Jr. and Max Duffy; from Professor A.M. Miller to Coach Mark Stoops; from old Stoll Field to Commonwealth Stadium to Kroger Field; from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association to the Southeastern Conference; and with all the ensuing changes, Kentucky football holds a unique and storied tradition that began in 1881. UK football holds a captivating list of firsts: UK was the first South eastern Confer- ence team to introduce football, which it did in 1881; UK played in the first and only Great Lakes Bowl in 1947, defeating Villanova, 24- 14; Kentucky tackle Bob Gain was awarded the 1950 Outland Trophy, making him the first player from the SEC to claim the honor; Josh Allen was the first UK player to win the National Defensive Player of the Year when he received the Bednarik Award, the Nagur- ski Award and the Lott Trophy in 2018; the Wildcats’ Nat Northington was the first Af- rican-American player to sign with a South- eastern Conference institution and the first to play in a league contest – vs. Ole Miss in 1967, and in 1969 Wilbur Hackett became the first African-American captain for any SEC team. Then, in 1989, UK became the first SEC school to win the coveted College Football Association Academic Achievement Award for highest graduation rate. In 130 seasons, Kentucky has participat- ed in 1,305 contests. UK football has won one national championship, two South- eastern Conference championships and ap- peared in 20 bowls. UK football has had 17 National Foot- ball League first-round draft choices, one Bednarik Trophy winner, one Nagurski Trophy winner, one Lott Trophy winner, one Outland Trophy winner, one Hornung Award winner, one Ray Guy Award winner, one Wuerffel Trophy winner, 29 first-team All-Americans (selected 33 times), 20 Ac- ademic All-Americans (selected 25 times), 86 first-team All-SEC players (selected 112 times), 700 Academic All-SEC selections and one SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Kentucky football got its start on Nov. 12, 1881. Kentucky, known in those days as A&M College, Kentucky State College and/ or State University of Kentucky, defeated Kentucky University by the clumsy score of 7 1/4 to 1. The game of football resembled more of a rugby form and the scoring proce- dure is still unclear. Though football came to Kentucky in 1881, it quickly vanished after the three-game season. UK finished 1-2 in the inaugural campaign, but the lid was shut on UK football for the next nine seasons. Football returned to the University of Ken- tucky in 1891, when UK defeated George- town College, 8-2, on April 10, 1891. The sport would not again be interrupted until the 1943 season because of World War II. The first known head football coach at Kentucky was Professor A.M. Miller, who the students asked to coach despite his admitted limited knowledge of the game. Miller began the 1892 season, then graciously stepped aside later in the year for John A. Thompson, who had more experience with the sport. Some successful years in the early 1900s dot the UK record book. Kentucky finished 7-1 in 1903 under Coach C.A. Wright; 9-1 in 1904 under Coach F.E. Schact; 9-1-1 in 1907 with Coach J. White Guyn, and 9-1 in 1909 under E.R. Sweetland. The greatest UK team of that era was the 1898 squad, known simply to Kentuckians as “The Immortals.” To this day, the Immor- tals remain the only undefeated, untied, and unscored upon team in UK football history. The Immortals were coached by W.R. Bass and ended the year a perfect 7-0-0, despite an average weight of 147 pounds per player. Victories came easily for this squad, as the Immortals raced by Kentucky University (18- 0), Georgetown (28-0), Company H of the 8th Massachusetts (59-0), Louisville Athletic Club (16-0), Centre (6-0), 160th Indiana (17- 0) and Newcastle Athletic Club (36-0). Besides Bass, two of the most successful coaches in the early stages of UK football were E.R. Sweetland and Harry Gamage. Sweetland compiled a 23-5 mark in three seasons (1909-10, 12). His best year was 9-1 in ’09. Gamage took the reins of the UK program in 1927 and remained until follow- ing the 1933 campaign. In between, Gam- age led the Wildcats to a combined 32-25-5 record. His best season was 6-1-1 in ’29. One of Gamage’s brightest moments came during the 1930 season. During the 57-0 blanking of Maryville, UK running back Shipwreck Kelly rushed for a school-record 280 yards in leading the Cats. More than a decade after Gamage had left UK, a young man by the name of Paul “Bear” Bryant arrived on the scene at Lex- ington in 1946. Bryant quickly grabbed the UK program by the collar and turned the Cats into a national power. Bryant took UK to eight consecutive winning seasons (1946-53) and helped the Wildcats claim their first national champi- onship and Southeastern Conference cham- pionship in 1950. He also sent UK squads to four bowl games which included the 1947 Great Lakes Bowl, 1950 Orange Bowl, 1951 Sugar Bowl, and the 1952 Cotton Bowl. The biggest win in UK football history came under Bryant. After leading Kentucky to its first SEC title and a 10-1 regular-sea- son record, UK found itself matched with defending national champion Oklaho- ma in the 1951 Sugar Bowl. The Wildcats scored early and held off the Sooners, 13- 7, breaking Oklahoma’s 31-game winning Walt Yowarsky was named MVP of the 1951 Sugar Bowl. Coach Bear Bryant guided Kentucky to eight consecutive winning seasons and four bowl games from 1946-53. 38 @UKFootball Kentucky Football HistoryWe’re your Shield. We’re your Shelter. 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