The U.S. State of Kentucky is currently home to two professional soccer teams: Louisville City FC, which plays in the USL Championship, and Racing Louisville FC, which plays in the NWSL. Kentucky has had professional sports teams in its past, such as the Louisville Brecks/Colonels of the NFL in the early 1920s.

High school sports

Despite the national stereotype that Kentucky is a diehard basketball state, at the high school level the state produces many times over more top nationally ranked football players than basketball. In the past ten years the state has produced many players ranked among the top 20 in their position, notably Tim Couch, Jacob Tamme, Chris Redman, Dennis Johnson, Eric Shelton, Michael Bush, Brian Brohm, Mario Urrutia, Earl Heyman, André Woodson, Micah Johnson, and DeVante Parker. An increasingly growing number of top baseball talent is also coming from Kentucky, such as Brandon Webb, Austin Kearns, Jo Adell, and Paul Byrd.

Louisville has had practically a monopoly on the state's top players since their recent success on the national stage. The football Cardinals have historically depended on the states of Florida and Georgia for a majority of their talent, and currently over 65% of the team's starters are from those two states.

As of 2012, there were six high school rugby teams in Kentucky.[1]

College sports

Despite a recent surge in the quality of the University of Louisville football team, and all UofL sports during the "year of the cardinal" or "Louisville slam", college basketball remains the sport of choice in most of Kentucky. Western Kentucky University's men's basketball program is one of the ten most winning in the history of the NCAA, and has one Final Four appearance (1971). Murray State University is a perennial threat to win the Ohio Valley Conference and appear in the NCAA Tournament, having done so 13 times. However, the question in Kentucky college athletics is most often "Red or Blue?" referring to the primary colors of its two flagship universities – the University of Kentucky (blue) and the University of Louisville (red).

In recent years, the Louisville Cardinals have further proven themselves, not only as one of the state's best organized college athletic programs, but elite on the national stage. The University of Louisville Cardinals are consistently the most profitable college sports franchise in the nation, ranking first in Kentucky with a basketball revenue of $42,434,684 during the 2012 fiscal year. Kentucky came in at 5th on the list making $21,598,681.[2] The Cardinals' program has been deemed to have the most equitable fanbase of any school in the country, according to a study conducted by Emory Sports Marketing Analytics.[3] The University of Kentucky is ranked 7th on the list.

The Battle for the Bluegrass

The rivalry between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Duke Blue Devils is perhaps the only in-state basketball rivalry that compares on a national scale to the rivalry between the Kentucky Wildcats and Louisville Cardinals.

A 2006 Lexington Herald-Leader article stated that interest in UofL sports is surging across the state of Kentucky, especially in Hopkinsville and Owensboro.[4] An October 21, 2006 Louisville Courier-Journal article also stated that the total sales of UofL merchandise has tripled since 2001 and that the school now ranks 32nd nationally in sales, up from 41st in 2001. UofL ranks 2nd in the Big East Conference and the 3rd highest among all urban universities (to Southern California and Miami) in merchandise sales. UK's merchandise sales have steadily remained around 14th in the nation, by far the best in the state. UofL now has more registered collegiate license plates than the University of Kentucky (18,300 to 17,000); a fourfold increase since 2004. In 1995 UK had a 15,000 plate lead on UofL.[5] It is also important to note that in the last few years the Louisville Cardinals have been the most profitable college sports franchise in the nation and have been deemed to have the most equitable fanbase of any school in the country according to a few studies.

Fuel was added to the fire of this rivalry when Rick Pitino, the UK coach who led the Wildcats to their 1996 National Title before leaving to become coach of the NBA's Boston Celtics, returned to the Bluegrass State to coach the Cardinals in 2001. Many in the state compared the move to the treachery of Benedict Arnold. The situation was exacerbated by the transfer of underachieving Wildcat power forward/center Marvin Stone. Stone's best season with the Cats was his sophomore season, when the former McDonald's All-American averaged 6.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.[6] Under Pitino, however, Stone averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Cards, including a 16-point, 7-rebound, 2-block performance against the Wildcats in an 81–63 Louisville win on December 28.[7]

College basketball

Basketball is the iconic sport in Kentucky today. However, the first organized team on campus is the women's basketball team. Because after the establishment of the sports department, girls often carry out sports activities in response, and female physical educators also take action quickly. Provide professional assistance to any student run sports club. In the past, the relationship between basketball and the Department of physical education was very bad. Florence Stout, director of women's physical education, tried to make this sport a very limited part of her whole teaching plan. There has been no similar project for female students for nearly 20 years. It was not until the end of 1901 that the school council voted to establish a sports department with both men and women.

The origin of basketball is very humble. It took almost 20 years to establish itself as a viable sport and the main element of school.[8] Basketball was invented in 1891. Its origin is similar to college football. Charles Eliota repeatedly called for the end of football and basketball when he was president of Harvard. And football, like basketball, is short of resources and often can't buy the necessary equipment. The famous coach Adolph Rupp held many positions in the university before basketball was slowly proved. It was many years later that the sports department let him focus on basketball training.[8] Gradually, the basketball team developed from a trivial sport to a strong passion.

The modern series, which began in 1983, was started with a win by the Louisville Cardinals. However, in recent years the Kentucky Wildcats have dominated the series, winning 5 of the last 7 meetings. At least three college coaching legends have been associated with programs in the state of Kentucky: Adolph Rupp (UK), Denny Crum (UofL), and Rick Pitino (both UK and UofL). Also, several successful NBA players played in the state, including Pat Riley, Wes Unseld, and Dan Issel. Only the UCLA Bruins have won more NCAA championships than the Kentucky Wildcats, with the Wildcats ranking first in almost every other significant measure of a successful program. In addition to UK and UofL, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are also a historically successful basketball program.

In 2011, the University of Pikeville won the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, followed only days later by Bellarmine University, who won the 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball Division II National Championship in Springfield, Massachusetts. Both teams began their 2011–2012 seasons ranked #1 in the nation in their respective leagues. Bellarmine has since moved its athletic program to Division I, joining the ASUN Conference in 2020.

Team Kentucky Wildcats Louisville Cardinals Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
All-time win–loss record (rank) 2,021-637 (1st) 1,726-874 (12th) 1,622–720 (14th)
All-time winning percentage (rank) 76.0% (1st) 66.1% (8th) 66.5% (7th)
NCAA Tourney appearances 55 (1st) 41 (5th) 21
NCAA Tourney wins (rank) 121 (1st) 75 (6th) 18
NCAA Final Fours 17 (T-2nd) 10 (T-5th) 1
NCAA titles 8 (2nd) 3 (6th) 0

Eras of dominance

The impressive history of college basketball in Kentucky has been punctuated by a few notable eras of dominance by the two flagship schools.

UK: Rupp's early years

Under Adolph Rupp, the Kentucky Wildcats were the most dominant team in the early history of the NCAA Tournament. From 1942 to 1958 the Wildcats won four NCAA titles (1948, 1949, 1951, 1958). They also won the 1942 National Invitation Tournament.

UofL: The Team of the 1980s

The Louisville Cardinals were dubbed "The Team of the 1980s", winning two national titles during that decade (1980 and 1986). (Only the Indiana Hoosiers equaled this number during the 1980s.) Under coach Denny Crum, UofL was the only team to go to four Final Fours during the decade, and had more wins than any other team over that span. Darrell Griffith won the John Wooden Award in 1980 and in 1986 "Never Nervous" Pervis Ellison became the first freshman to ever be named NCAA Final Four MVP, a feat equaled only by Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony.

UK: The Team of the 1990s

The Kentucky Wildcats were the most dominant team of the 1990s, winning two national titles (1996 and 1998), with three straight trips to the NCAA Championship game and four total trips to the Final Four. UK's 1996 National Championship team is considered to be the best NCAA team of all time, as evidenced by the nine players on the roster who played in the NBA.[9]

Basketball and race

Apartheid also existed in sports for a long time. From the first season in 1930 to his retirement in 1972, Adolph Rupp signed only one black player throughout his career in Kentucky. It was not until the 1960s that African American athletes began to be recruited in most regions. Even in the south, where apartheid lasted longer, schools such as Louisville signed their first black players in the early 1960s.

College football

College football started late in Kentucky. Sports historian Ronald Smith pointed out that as early as the 1850s, football originated from the bullying and entrance ceremony of Freshmen in some schools in the eastern United States.[10] Teachers at universities such as Harvard and Yale were so shocked that they voted to ban the ceremony. The sport was born in the late 19th century. In 1924, the University of Kentucky's school newspaper, the Kentucky Kernel, reported that a group of students from the University of Transylvania had football they had seen for the first time in the blue grass area. In 1880, with the efforts of this group of college students, they ordered a football and a rule book and organized an internal game. And in the following ten years, people knew little about these competitions, and sports "had no special management". The first student sports association was established in 1892. Although the team ushered in the first winning season in 1893, it was plagued by various financial problems in the following decades. In the same year, the school council was disturbed by the informal status of sports on the university playground and the violence of football. Raised objections to the existence of the team. In 1900, it was the only team to beat the powerful Louisville sports club. But with success, more and more accusations came out of thin air that a team in Lexington hired professional players to play at festivals. Then, in view of these dark statements, football became a valuable symbol of masculinity in America's best universities. As Buck became president, the uncertain status of college sports has changed. He said that football is a symbol of good qualities such as courage and perseverance.

UofL has recently dominated the football rivalry, winning 70% of the games in the Modern Series which began in 1994. UK leads the all-time series, 10–8.

For all their success in basketball, the Kentucky Wildcats have been unable to remain consistently competitive in football. The last two Kentucky football seasons have resulted in an embarrassing 2–10 record. Playing in the brutally competitive Southeastern Conference, the Wildcats won an SEC title in 1950 under legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and shared SEC titles in 1976 and 1977 under Fran Curci. Bryant left the school in 1953; some attribute the move to a conclusion that the football program's popularity would always remain a distant second to the basketball program, at that time coached by Adolph Rupp, a legend in his own right.

UofL hired legendary coach Howard Schnellenberger in 1984. The team has continued to rise under coaches John L. Smith, Bobby Petrino, and Charlie Strong. On November 2, 2006, the 5th-ranked UofL football team defeated the 3rd-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers in what was dubbed "The Dream Game", the second time in Big East history that two top-5 teams had ever met. The game was ranked as the most-viewed ESPN Thursday night football game ever.[11] The game marked a new high in a program that had been on the rise for several years.

Only one week later the Cardinals were defeated by a third undefeated Big East team, the upstart and 15th-ranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights, in what was billed as the biggest college football game in the New York City Metro Area in 60 years; with the Empire State Building even being lit with the Rutgers team colors. The game was also one of the highest rated ESPN Thursday Night games ever as a record crowd in Piscataway, New Jersey stormed the field in celebration. The loss ended the Cardinals' national title hopes, but the team did receive a bid to the FedEx Orange Bowl. On January 2 the Cardinals defeated Wake Forest 24–13[12] in the Orange Bowl to claim the team's first BCS Bowl win.

More recently, the state has been at the forefront of coaching integration in Division I FBS football. Following the 2009 season, all three of the state's FBS programs filled their coaching vacancies with African Americans. The first to do so was Western Kentucky, who hired Willie Taggart to replace the fired David Elson. Louisville followed suit by hiring Charlie Strong to replace the fired Steve Kragthorpe. Finally, Joker Phillips, who had been the designated successor to Rich Brooks at Kentucky, took over after the latter announced his retirement. The first African American head coach at any of the Division I football programs in Kentucky was Ron Cooper, who coached at Louisville between 1995 and 1997.

The Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Eastern Kentucky Colonels have held a long tradition of football success. Until the 2009–2010 season, the Colonels were tied with Florida State University for the most consecutive winning seasons (32). In that season, EKU finished 5–6. Eastern returned to the FCS Playoffs in the 2011 season, in which it lost to #17 James Madison 20–17 in the opening round. The Colonels have won 20 Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) titles and two FCS (formerly I-AA) National Championships, in 1979 and 1982. Much of Eastern Kentucky's success came during the long tenure of head coach Roy Kidd, who led the team from 1964 through 2002. The program has continued its success under more recent coaches Danny Hope and Dean Hood.

In 2022, sprint football, a variant played under standard NCAA football rules but with a strictly enforced weight limit of 178 pounds (81 kg) (also with a minimum of 5% body fat), came to Kentucky with the establishment of the Midwest Sprint Football League. Two of the six charter MSFL members are the Bellarmine Knights and Midway Eagles.

List of NAIA teams

School Nickname Conference
Alice Lloyd College Eagles River States Conference
Asbury University Eagles River States Conference
Brescia University Bearcats River States Conference
Campbellsville University Tigers Mid-South Conference
University of the Cumberlands Patriots Mid-South Conference
Georgetown College Tigers Mid-South Conference
Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders Mid-South Conference
Midway University Eagles River States Conference
University of Pikeville Bears/Lady Bears Mid-South Conference
Union College Bulldogs Mid-South Conference

    List of NJCAA Teams

    School Nickname Division
    Elizabethtown Community and Technical College Barons III
    Simmons College of Kentucky Panthers I

    Professional sports teams

    Professional football, baseball and basketball all at one time had teams in Kentucky. The National Football League and National League had early franchises in Louisville, and the Kentucky Colonels were a mainstay of the American Basketball Association that joined the National Basketball Association with the ABA-NBA merger in 1976; the Colonels were one of only two ABA teams that were kept out of the merger (the other was the Spirits of St. Louis).

    In 2004, the New ABA added a Louisville-based team called the Kentucky Colonels, which was replaced by a team in Murray, Kentucky in 2007.[13] That team was originally also named the Kentucky Colonels, but the name was changed to the Kentucky Retros in March 2007 in deference to the tradition of the Louisville-based teams.[14] The team eventually announced that they would relocate to Louisville.[15] The team folded during the 2007–08 season. Pikeville, Kentucky was also home to pro basketball in the 2007–2008 season, with the East Kentucky Miners joining the Continental Basketball Association.[16] But they met the same fate and folded sometime between 2009 and 2010.

    The state's first top-level professional team since the demise of the Colonels is Racing Louisville FC, an expansion team in the National Women's Soccer League that began play in 2021. The NWSL team is owned by Louisville City FC, which has played in the second-level men's league now known as the USL Championship (USLC) since 2015.

    The state is home to several minor league sports teams:

    Minor League Baseball in Kentucky

    Minor league baseball

    Football

    Semi-pro football

    • Kentucky Banditz[17] (Impact Developmental Football League, Men's Outdoor)
    • Kentucky Spartans[18][17] (Impact Developmental Football League, Men's Outdoor)
    • Western Kentucky Thoroughbreds[19][17] (Impact Developmental Football League, Men's Outdoor)
    • Kentuckiana Kurse[20][21] (Impact Developmental Football League, Men's Indoor)

    Women's football

    Basketball

    Soccer

    Rugby

    • Lexington Blackstones RFC[31][32] (USA Rugby Midwest Men's Division III)[33]
    • Louisville Bulls RFC[34][35] (USA Rugby Midwest Men's Division III)

    Women's Rugby

    • Lexington Black Widows[36][37]
    • Louisville Women's Rugby Club/Riversharks[38][39] (USA Rugby Midwest Women's D2 East Green)[40]

    Former professional/semi-pro teams

    Motorsport

    Indianapolis 500 winner Danny Sullivan was born in Louisville. Kentucky Motor Speedway opened in 1960 and was the home track of Owensboro natives Darrell Waltrip, Michael Waltrip and Jeremy Mayfield. MotoGP world champion Nicky Hayden and his brothers Tommy Hayden and Roger Lee Hayden were also born in Owensboro.

    Louisville Motor Speedway hosted NASCAR Truck Series races from 1995 to 1999. Kentucky Speedway opened in 2000 to host IndyCar Series, NASCAR Truck Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and later NASCAR Cup Series races.

    Horse racing

    Churchill Downs opened in 1875 and is home of the Kentucky Derby, part of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. The venue has also hosted several editions of the Breeders' Cup.

    Keeneland opened in 1936 and hosts the Blue Grass Stakes and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes. Other Thoroughbred racetracks include Kentucky Downs, Ellis Park and Turfway Park. In addition, The Red Mile is one of the major harness racing venues in the country, hosting the Kentucky Futurity.

    Venues

    Venues with a minimum capacity of 5,000 are listed here.

    VenueCityCapacityTypeTenant(s)Opened
    Kentucky SpeedwaySparta86,000MotorsportsNo races; previously Quaker State 4001998
    Kroger FieldLexington61,000FootballKentucky Wildcats1973
    L&N Federal Credit Union StadiumLouisville60,800FootballLouisville Cardinals1998
    Churchill DownsLouisville50,000Horse RacingMultiple races, most notably Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks1875[lower-alpha 1]
    Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green22,113FootballWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers1968
    KFC Yum! CenterLouisville22,090BasketballLouisville Cardinals2010
    Rupp ArenaLexington20,545BasketballKentucky Wildcats1976
    Roy Kidd StadiumRichmond20,000FootballEastern Kentucky Colonels1969
    Freedom HallLouisville18,252Multi-purposeBellarmine Knights1956
    Roy Stewart StadiumMurray16,800FootballMurray State Racers1973
    Louisville Slugger FieldLouisville13,131BaseballLouisville Bats2000
    Lynn Family StadiumLouisville11,700[lower-alpha 2]SoccerLouisville City FC, Racing Louisville FC2020
    Manual Memorial StadiumLouisville11,463[49]Football (high school)Manual Crimsons1954[lower-alpha 3]
    Jayne StadiumMorehead10,000Football, soccerMorehead State Eagles1964
    Truist ArenaHighland Heights9,400BasketballNorthern Kentucky Norse2008
    CFSB CenterMurray8,825BasketballMurray State Racers1998
    KeenelandLexington8,799Horse RacingMultiple races1936
    Memorial Stadium–McRight FieldPaducah8,500[50]Football (high school)Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado1956
    Memorial ColiseumLexington8,500BasketballKentucky Wildcats1950
    T. T. Knight StadiumLouisville8,500[51]Football (high school)Southern Trojans
    Maxwell FieldLouisville8,000[52]Football (high school)Male Bulldogs
    Reid StadiumOwensboro7,500[53]Football (high school)Daviess County Panthers2019
    E. A. Diddle ArenaBowling Green7,326BasketballWestern Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers1963
    Clark FieldSomerset7,000[54]Football (high school)Somerset Briar Jumpers
    Counter Clocks FieldLexington6,994[lower-alpha 4]BaseballLexington Counter Clocks, Wild Health Genomes (2022 only)2001
    Broadbent ArenaLouisville6,600Multi-purpose1956
    Alumni ColiseumRichmond6,500BasketballEastern Kentucky Colonels1963
    Eastern FieldMiddletown[lower-alpha 5]6,500[55]Football (high school)Eastern Eagles
    Ellis Johnson ArenaMorehead6,500BasketballMorehead State Eagles1981
    Brother Thomas More Page StadiumLouisville6,200[56][57]FootballSt. Xavier Tigers (high school), Bellarmine Knights sprint football2007
    Harrison County Athletic ComplexCynthiana6,000[58]Football (high school)Harrison County Thorobreds
    Louisville GardensLouisville6,000Multi-purpose1905
    Reed Conder Memorial GymnasiumDraffenville[lower-alpha 6]6,000[59]Basketball (high school)Marshall County Marshals
    Viking StadiumMorehead6,000[60]Football (high school)Rowan County Vikings
    Appalachian Wireless ArenaPikeville5,700[lower-alpha 7]BasketballPikeville Bears2005
    Alltech ArenaLexington5,517Equestrianism2009
    El Donaldson StadiumBowling Green5,500[61]Football (high school)Bowling Green Purples
    Putnam StadiumAshland5,500[62]Football (high school)Ashland Tomcats
    Racer ArenaMurray5,500Volleyball[lower-alpha 8]Murray State Racers1954
    Shawnee Alumni StadiumLouisville5,500[63]Football (high school)Shawnee Golden Eagles
    Mason County FieldhouseMaysville5,400[64]Basketball (high school)Mason County Royals
    Roy L. Winchester GymnasiumNew Castle5,400[65]Basketball (high school)Henry County Wildcats
    Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn StadiumLouisville5,300SoccerLouisville Cardinals2014
    Eagles' NestMayfield5,200[66]Basketball (high school)Graves County Eagles
    Alumni FieldFrankfort5,000FootballKentucky State Thorobreds
    Badgett Athletic ComplexMadisonville5,000[67]Football (high school)Madisonville–North Hopkins Maroons
    Baker FieldMorganfield5,000[68]Football (high school)Union County Braves
    Boyd County Middle School GymnasiumSummit[lower-alpha 9]5,000[69]Basketball (high school)Boyd County Lions (HS)
    Bradner StadiumMiddlesboro5,000[70]Football (high school)Middlesboro Yellowjackets
    Colonel StadiumHenderson5,000[71]Football (high school)Henderson County Colonels
    Cunningham StadiumMount Sterling5,000[72]Football (high school)Montgomery County Indians
    Davis Memorial StadiumRosspoint[lower-alpha 10]5,000[73]Football (high school)Harlan County Black Bears
    Dr. Robert J. Bell StadiumLexington5,000[74]Football (high school)Henry Clay Blue Devils
    Fryar StadiumFort Campbell[lower-alpha 11]5,000[75]Football (high school)Fort Campbell Falcons[lower-alpha 12]
    Henry R. Evans/Ivan McGlone StadiumFlatwoods[lower-alpha 13]5,000[76]Football (high school)Russell Red Devils
    Jack D. Rose StadiumMurray5,000[77]Football (high school)Calloway County Lakers
    Jon R. Akers StadiumLexington5,000[78]Football (high school)Paul Laurence Dunbar Bulldogs
    Lions StadiumCannonsburg[lower-alpha 14]5,000[69]Football (high school)Boyd County Lions
    Morton Combs Athletic ComplexHindman5,000[79]Basketball (high school)Knott County Central Patriots
    Owensboro SportscenterOwensboro5,000BasketballKentucky Wesleyan Panthers, Owensboro Thoroughbreds, Owensboro Catholic Aces (HS)1949
    Pat Crawford StadiumLouisville5,000[80]Football (high school)Ballard Bruins
    Pike Central StadiumPikeville[lower-alpha 15]5,000[81]Football (high school)Pike County Central Hawks
    Preston Young ComplexLouisville5,000[82]Football (high school)Western Warriors
    Pulaski County High School GymSomerset5,000[83]Basketball (high school)Pulaski County Maroons
    Stadium of ChampionsHopkinsville5,000[84][lower-alpha 16]Football (high school)Christian County Colonels, Hopkinsville Tigers[85]
    Toyota StadiumGeorgetown5,000FootballGeorgetown Tigers, Lexington SC1997
    War Memorial StadiumMayfield5,000[86]Football (high school)Mayfield Cardinals
    1. ↑ Date of track opening. The current grandstands were first built in 1895, and have been expanded and renovated many times since.
    2. ↑ Fixed capacity; 15,304 with standing room.
    3. ↑ On-site replacement of a 1924 stadium of the same name.
    4. ↑ Fixed capacity; various picnic and grass seating areas bring the full capacity to over 9,000.
    5. ↑ Preferred mailing address is Louisville. Middletown is one of the 83 cities that retained their city limits following the 2003 merger of the governments of Louisville and surrounding Jefferson County.
    6. ↑ Physically located in Draffenville; mailing address in Benton.
    7. ↑ Fixed capacity; concert capacity is up to 7,000.
    8. ↑ Originally a basketball arena; reconfigured as volleyball-specific after the opening of CFSB Center.
    9. ↑ Physically located in Summit; mailing address in Ashland.
    10. ↑ Physically located in Rosspoint; mailing address in Baxter.
    11. ↑ Physically located on the Tennessee side of the Fort Campbell Army post; all mailing addresses on the post are in Kentucky.
    12. ↑ Although Fort Campbell High School physically lies in Tennessee, it is a member of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, presumably because the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity administers schools on Fort Campbell and Fort Knox (the latter entirely within Kentucky) as parts of a single district.
    13. ↑ The playing field is bisected by the Flatwoods/Russell city boundary, with the main grandstand in Flatwoods. The mailing address is in Russell.
    14. ↑ Physically located in Cannonsburg; mailing address in Ashland.
    15. ↑ Physically located in an unincorporated area of Pike County with a Pikeville mailing address.
    16. ↑ The KHSAA lists both Christian County and Hopkinsville High Schools as tenants of the Stadium of Champions, but the two schools' entries disagree on the capacity. The Christian County entry gives 5,000 and the Hopkinsville entry 15,000. It is more likely that the Hopkinsville entry is in error.

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ The Courier-Journal, Louisville rugby | Cards have 14 players in the 2012 recruiting class, 3 September 2012, http://www.courier-journal.com/article/B2/20120903/SPORTS02/309030065/Louisville-rugby-Cards-14-players-2012-recruiting-class
    2. ↑ "Highest Grossing Football and Basketball Programs". November 14, 2013.
    3. ↑ "Study says Louisville has college basketball's best fanbase; Kentucky 7th". May 29, 2013.
    4. ↑ Where is everybody? – Lexington Herald-Leader
    5. ↑ "Racking up sales – The Courier-Journal".
    6. ↑ "NBA.com Prospect Profile – Marvin Stone".
    7. ↑ CNNSI.com Player Profile – Marvin Stone
    8. 1 2 James Duane, Bolin (2019). Adolph Rupp and the Rise of Kentucky Basketball. University Press of Kentucky.
    9. ↑ Another future NBA player, Scott Padgett, was attending UK at the time, but was academically ineligible for the 1995–96 season.
    10. ↑ Stanley, Gregory Kent (1996). Before Big Blue: Sports at the University of Kentucky, 1880-1940. Lexington, KY: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 9780813119915. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
    11. ↑ West Virginia-Louisville Ranks as Most-Viewed ESPN Thursday Night Football Game Ever
    12. ↑ "College Football Playoff News & Highlights - ESPN". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2008.
    13. ↑ "American Basketball Association team looks to bring new energy to Murray". The Murray State News. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on March 15, 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2007.
    14. ↑ "Kentucky team announces name change". American Basketball Association. March 14, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2007.
    15. ↑ "ABAlive.com – Home of the American Basketball Association".
    16. ↑ "Appalachian News Express".
    17. 1 2 3 "Mens Outdoor". idflnation.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
    18. ↑ "The Kentucky Spartans". www.facebook.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
    19. ↑ "Western Kentucky Thoroughbreds Semi Pro Football". www.facebook.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
    20. ↑ "Kentuckiana Kurse Indoor Football Team". www.facebook.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
    21. ↑ "Mens Indoor". idflnation.com. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
    22. ↑ Dynamite, Derby City. "Welcome to The Derby City". Derby City Dynamite. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    23. ↑ "Louisville City FC". www.louisvillecityfc.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    24. ↑ "Homepage". Lexington Sporting Club. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
    25. ↑ "Metro Louisville FC". Facebook. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
    26. ↑ "Home". Metro Louisville FC. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
    27. ↑ jrue. "Home". Retrieved December 8, 2019.
    28. ↑ Tsamas, Cary (November 25, 2019). "Lexington Landsharks - The New Competitive Adult Team". Soccer in the Bluegrass. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
    29. ↑ "Lexington Landsharks". Facebook. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
    30. ↑ "Racing Louisville Football Club - NWSL". www.racingloufc.com. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
    31. ↑ "Lexington Blackstones RFC". Lexington Blackstones RFC. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    32. ↑ "Lexington Blackstones RFC". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    33. ↑ "Midwest Men's Division III". USA Rugby. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    34. ↑ "Louisville R.F.C - D3 Mens". sites.google.com. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
    35. ↑ "Louisville Rugby Football Club". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    36. ↑ "Lexington Rugby | Lexington Black Widows Women's Rugby Club". blackwidows. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    37. ↑ "Lexington Black Widows RFC". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    38. ↑ "Louisville Women's Rugby Club". sites.google.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    39. ↑ "Louisville Women's Rugby Football Club". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    40. ↑ "Midwest Women's Division II". USA Rugby. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    41. ↑ "Louisville Xtreme - Official Website". Louisville Xtreme. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
    42. ↑ "Northern Kentucky Bulldogs". Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
    43. ↑ "GDFL Announces Addition of Kentucky Thoroughbreds - Gridiron Developmental Football League". www.gdfl.org. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    44. ↑ "Western Kentucky Thoroughbreds Semi Pro Football". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    45. ↑ "Lexington Red Dragons Enter GDFL - Gridiron Developmental Football League". www.gdfl.org. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    46. ↑ "Kentucky Trojans Home Page". HomeTeamsONLINE. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    47. ↑ "USA Semi Pro Football Rankings". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    48. ↑ "Kentuckiana Cavalry Amateur Football Team". www.facebook.com. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
    49. ↑ "DuPont Manual High School Directory Entry - (# 76)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    50. ↑ "Paducah Tilghman High School Directory Entry - (# 213)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    51. ↑ "Southern High School Directory Entry - (# 250)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    52. ↑ "Male High School Directory Entry - (# 171)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    53. ↑ "Daviess County High School Directory Entry - (# 66)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    54. ↑ "Somerset High School Directory Entry - (# 248)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    55. ↑ "Eastern High School Directory Entry - (# 79)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    56. ↑ "St. Xavier High School Directory Entry - (# 259)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
    57. ↑ "Athletic Facilities". Saint Xavier High School. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
    58. ↑ "Harrison County High School Directory Entry - (# 116)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    59. ↑ "Marshall County High School Directory Entry - (# 173)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    60. ↑ "Rowan County High School Directory Entry - (# 234)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    61. ↑ "Bowling Green High School Directory Entry - (# 266)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    62. ↑ "Ashland Blazer High School Directory Entry - (# 216)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    63. ↑ "Shawnee Blazer High School Directory Entry - (# 243)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    64. ↑ "Mason County High School Directory Entry - (# 174)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    65. ↑ "Henry County High School Directory Entry - (# 123)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    66. ↑ "Graves County High School Directory Entry - (# 109)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    67. ↑ "Madisonville-North Hopkins High School Directory Entry - (# 169)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    68. ↑ "Union County High School Directory Entry - (# 268)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    69. 1 2 "Boyd County High School Directory Entry - (# 27)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    70. ↑ "Middlesboro High School Directory Entry - (# 185)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    71. ↑ "Henderson County High School Directory Entry - (# 121)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    72. ↑ "Montgomery County High School Directory Entry - (# 190)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    73. ↑ "Harlan County High School Directory Entry - (# 329)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    74. ↑ "Henry Clay High School Directory Entry - (# 122)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    75. ↑ "Fort Campbell High School Directory Entry - (# 95)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    76. ↑ "Russell High School Directory Entry - (# 235)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    77. ↑ "Calloway County High School Directory Entry - (# 42)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    78. ↑ "Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Directory Entry - (# 299)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    79. ↑ "Knott County Central High School Directory Entry - (# 145)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    80. ↑ "Ballard High School Directory Entry - (# 9)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    81. ↑ "Pike County Central High School Directory Entry - (# 309)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    82. ↑ "Western High School Directory Entry - (# 284)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    83. ↑ "Pulaski County High School Directory Entry - (# 228)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    84. ↑ "Christian County High School Directory Entry - (# 54)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    85. ↑ "Hopkinsville High School Directory Entry - (# 131)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
    86. ↑ "Mayfield High School Directory Entry - (# 175)". KHSAA Member School Directory. Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
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