LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky athletics department set a school record by finishing 10th in final 2016-17 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings released last week.
“I want to congratulate our students, coaches and staff on this unprecedented Top 10 finish in the Directors’ Cup, which is an important gauge of our competitive success,” said UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart (pictured). “I am so thankful for their dedication and the way they continually make the Commonwealth proud. This is an important step toward our goals, but we are not going to rest in our work to establish UK Athletics as one of the truly elite departments in America.”
The 10th-place finish breaks the previous school record of 11th set in 2013-14 and gives UK its seventh consecutive Top 30 finish. UK had placed in the Top 30 only twice in the history of the Directors’ Cup prior to 2009-10, with 26th place being the highest finish.This year, UK also finished second among Southeastern Conference schools behind only Florida, which marks a school record. The previous best was third place in 2013-14.
The Directors’ Cup measures competitive success for all Division I schools. For each NCAA-sanctioned sport, schools are awarded points based on NCAA championship participation.
Twenty-one of UK’s 22 varsity teams reached NCAA play to score points toward UK’s Directors’ Cup tally, the most in school history. The rifle, women’s outdoor track and field, men’s basketball, women’s indoor track and field, softball, and baseball teams gave UK six top-10 finishes.
91 Wildcats Placed on 2016-17 SEC First-Year Honor Roll
UK placed 91 student-athletes on the 2016-17 Southeastern Conference First-Year Honor Roll, it was announced recently by the SEC Office. Kentucky ranks third in the league for most players on the honor roll.
The 2016‐17 First‐Year SEC Academic Honor Roll is based on grades from the 2016‐17 academic calendar.
The women’s swimming and diving team led the way with 10 honorees, most in that sport among league schools. The baseball and women’s soccer teams each placed nine on the honor roll, the second-most in the conference in both sports.
Any student‐athlete who participates in a SEC championship sport or a student‐athlete who participates in a sport listed on his/her institution’s NCAA Sports Sponsorship Form is eligible for nomination to the Academic Honor Roll.
The following criteria will be followed: (1) A student‐athlete must have a grade point average of 3.00 or above for either the preceding academic year (two semesters or three quarters) or have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above at the nominating institution. (2) If a student‐athlete attends summer school, his/her grade point average during the summer academic term must be included in the calculation used to determine eligibility for the Academic Honor Roll. (3) Student‐athletes eligible for the Honor Roll include those receiving an athletics scholarship, recipients of an athletics award (i.e., letter winner), and non-scholarship student‐athletes who have been on a varsity team for two seasons. (4) Prior to being nominated, a student‐athlete must have successfully completed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours of non‐remedial academic credit toward a baccalaureate degree at the nominating institution. (5) The student‐athlete must have been a member of a varsity team for the sport’s entire NCAA Championship segment.
UK Honorees
Baseball (9)
J.P. Bitzenhofer, Baseball, Economics
Colton Cleary, Baseball, MBA
Carson Coleman, Baseball, Integrated Strategic Communication
T.J. Collett, Baseball, Finance
Brayden Combs, Baseball, Finance
Luke Heyer, Baseball, Civil Engineering
Chris Machamer, Baseball, Integrated Strategic Communication
Brett Marshall, Baseball, Communication
Zack Thompson, Baseball, Business Management
Women’s Basketball (4)
Ogechi Anyagaligbo, W Basketball, Biology
LaShae Halsel, W Basketball, Economics
Paige Poffengerger, W Basketball, Biology
Jaida Roper, W Basketball, Psychology
Men’s Cross Country (4)
Alex Carrabre, M Cross Country, Business Management/Marketing
Cole Dowdy, M Cross Country, Biology
Tanner Dowdy, M Cross Country, Political Science
Matthew Thomas, M Cross Country, Marketing
Women’s Cross Country (3)
Sarah Crawford, W Cross Country, Biology
Emory Griffin, W Cross Country, Communication
Caitlyn Shepard, W Cross Country, Nursing
Football (9)
Jordan Bonner, Football, Community Communications and Leadership Development
Luke Fortner, Football, Materials Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
Jordan Griffin, Football, Integrated Strategic Communication/ Kinesiology
Dakota Holtzclaw, Football, Business Management/Community Communications and Leadership Development
Grant McKinniss, Football, Psychology
Justin Rigg, Football, Biology
Kayaune Ross, Football, Community Communications and Leadership Development
Jamar Watson, Football, Sociology
Landon Young, Football, Animal Sciences
Men’s Golf (5)
Jacob Cook, M Golf, Business Management
Evan Cox, M Golf, History
Allen Hamilton, M Golf, Economics
Matt Liston, M Golf, Finance
Max Mehles, M Golf, Business Management
Women’s Golf (2)
Josephine Chang, W Golf, Exercise Science
Sarah Shipley, W Golf, Marketing
Gymnastics (5)
Erynne Allen, Gymnastics, Exercise Science
Alaina Kwan, Gymnastics, Journalism
Hailey Poland, Gymnastics, Journalism
Bailey Stehler, Gymnastics, Exercise Science
Marisa Varrone, Gymnastics, Exercise Science
Rifle (2)
Morgan Duerr, Rifle, Biology
Ian Foos, Rifle, Psychology
Men’s Soccer (5)
Aime Mabika, M Soccer, Exercise Science
Keyarash Namjoupanah, M Soccer, Business Management
Sam Stockton, M Soccer, Finance
J.J. Williams, M Soccer, Communication
Tate Barney, W Soccer, Exercise Science
Women’s Soccer (9)
Marissa Bosco, W Soccer, Exercise Science
Gina Crosetti, W Soccer, Marketing/Integrated Strategic Communication
Danielle Hayden, W Soccer, Biology
Jada Holmes, W Soccer, Neuroscience
Jordan Holt, W Soccer, Integrated Strategic Communication
Foster Ignoffo, W Soccer, Elementary Education
Evangeline Soucie, W Soccer, Exercise Science
Kalli Vogel, W Soccer, Exercise Science
LaMaya Williams, W Soccer, Finance
Softball (6)
Brynlee Bigelow, Softball, Biology
Alex Martens, Softball, Integrated Strategic Communication
Kierston Moore, Softball, Public Health
Ashley Ruiz, Softball, Exercise Science
Larissa Spellman, Softball, Communication Sciences and Disorders
Bailey Vick, Softball, Accounting
Men’s Swimming & Diving (8)
Wyatt Amdor, M Swim & Dive, Marketing
Connor Blandford, M Swim & Dive, Computer Science
Glen Brown, M Swim & Dive, Accounting
Kevin Frebel, M Swim & Dive, Mechanical Engineering
Jason Head, M Swim & Dive, Exercise Science
Sam Hendrix, M Swim & Dive, Sociology
Alex Taylor, M Swim & Dive, Exercise Science
Peter Wetzlar, M Swim & Dive, Finance
Women’s Swimming & Diving (10)
Emma Dellmore, W Swim & Dive, Psychology
Ali Galyer, W Swim & Dive, Marketing
Morgan Lakes, W Swim & Dive, Human Health Sciences
Sarah Loheide, W Swim & Dive, Human Nutrition
Lizzy Merriman, W Swim & Dive, Exercise Science
Alex Nelson, W Swim & Dive, Psychology
Asia Seidt, W Swim & Dive, Exercise Science
Kierston Sepe, W Swim & Dive, Business Management
Emma Skinner, W Swim & Dive, Elementary Education
Madison Winstead, W Swim & Dive, Human Health Sciences
Men’s Tennis (1)
Alex Dominguez, M Tennis, Business Management
Women’s Tennis (2)
Lesedi Jacobs, W Tennis, Accounting
Milica Novakovic, W Tennis, Psychology
Women’s Track & Field (4)
Marie Josee Ebwea‐Bile, W Track & Field, Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles
Ellen Ekholm, W Track & Field, Marketing
Nicole Fautsch, W Track & Field, Psychology
Faith Ross, W Track & Field, Political Science
Volleyball (3)
Leah Edmond, Volleyball, Elementary Education
Jordan Fry, Volleyball, Biology
Kylie Schmaltz, Volleyball, Marketing
