University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (mascot: the Wildcat) is Kentucky's largest university, with over 32,000 students. Located in Lexington the state-supported school was founded in 1865.
UK has 98 bachelor degree programs for undergraduates, 96 master's degree programs, and 62 programs in PhD and other doctoral degrees.
History
John Bowman founded the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, a publicly chartered department of Kentucky University, as a land-grant university in 1865. In 1869 the first degree from A&M was awarded. In 1878, A&M separated from Kentucky University, which is now Transylvania University. For the new school, the city of Lexington donated a 52-acre park and fair ground, which became UK's present campus. The college was initially for men only, but women were admitted beginning in 1880. The first female degree recipient was Belle Gunn in 1888. The school's name was changed to "State University, Lexington, Kentucky" in 1908, then to "the University of Kentucky" in 1916. The University of Kentucky became racially integrated in 1949 when Lyman T. Johnson, a black man, won a lawsuit to be admitted to the university.
Sports, clubs, and traditions
The University of Kentucky is a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats sponsor football, men's & women's basketball, women's volleyball, baseball, softball, men's & women's cross country, men's & women's swimming/diving, women's gymnastics, men's & women's soccer, men's & women's track & field (indoor & outdoor), men's & women's golf, men's & women's tennis, and rifle. The men's soccer team competes in the Mid-American Conference because the SEC does not sponsor that sport for men.
The University of Kentucky men's basketball team is one of the elite NCAA basketball programs, having earned seven NCAA titles and, at the time of this article, more wins than any other school in the history of the sport. Its seven titles have been won by four different coaches; no other Division I school has had more than two coaches win national titles. Kentucky's Rupp Arena has attained legendary status as one of the top 5 most difficult venues in the country for opponents to play.
In addition to its basketball success, the University of Kentucky cheerleaders have won the UCA Division I-A Cheerleading Championnship 12 times, more than any other school.
Lexington and the surrounding Bluegrass area code was changed several years ago in support of the school to 859, which spell out UKY on the phone.
Famous alumni
Men's basketball alumni
