Kentucky
Here they are! Meet the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival Princesses
As it has done for nearly 70 years, the Kentucky Derby Festival has selected five Derby princesses to reign over the events leading up to the historic 150th running of the Kentucky Derby.
On Monday, the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Princesses were announced at an event hosted at Dillard’s at Mall St. Matthews. The five members of the 2024 Royal Court will serve as official ambassadors for the Kentucky Derby Festival, the city of Louisville, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and will attend more than 70 springtime festival events.
The five women were selected from nearly 100 candidates for the 2024 Royal Court Program. The women represent different colleges and universities from around Kentucky and the region. All the applicants went through preliminary judging in November with final selection taking place over the weekend.
“The Royal Court Program has been a tradition for more than 60 years, and seeing the Derby Festival Princesses out in the community is one of the first signs that the Derby Festival season is around the corner,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival president and CEO. “These young women are academic scholars, leaders in their communities and have resumes packed with awards and achievements. We’re honored to have them as our ambassadors.”
The 67-year-old Princess Program is coordinated by The Fillies, a volunteer group and The Kentucky Derby Festival. The first Derby Festival Princess was crowned in 1957, the second year of the festival. Organizers say the program is not a beauty pageant, instead, the five women serve as representatives of Louisville during the two-week event leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
Candidates must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point average and are selected by a panel of three out-of-state judges. Criteria for selection include knowledge of the Derby Festival, poise, intelligence, personality, and campus and community involvement.
The first Derby Festival Princess was crowned in 1957, the second year of the Festival. Notable past princesses include former Kentucky Governor Martha Layne Collins and the late Gail Gorski, the first female pilot ever hired by United Airlines.
Here’s who is on the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Court:
Meet the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Court
Paighton Brooks
The 21-year-old from Alexandria, Kentucky is a student at the University of Louisville. Brooks is double majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice and is a Pre-Law and Public Policy student. She is a McConnell Scholar and its DEI Chair, and a Woodford R. Porter Scholar and also serves as President of Porter Scholars. She’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., is the 2023 University of Louisville Homecoming Queen, and volunteers with The Hope Buss.
Sarah Downs
A second-year Medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Downs is 23 years old and from Springfield, Kentucky. She is a member of the Distinction in Business & Leadership Track, the Social Chair of her class, and the Public Relations Chair of Project Heal. She is an avid pianist and has her own Kentucky Proud-certified bakery.
Ankita Nair
From Louisville, this 25-year-old, third-year Medical student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCLA with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Biology and Society. Nair is the reigning Miss University of Louisville and was a Quality of Life finalist at Miss Kentucky. She founded the preventative health initiative “Let’s Live Kentucky” to improve state healthcare outcomes and led her school’s Medical Spanish program.
Laurel Riggs
This Bardstown native, 22, is a senior at the University of Kentucky with a dual degree in Political Science and Writing, Rhetoric, and Digital Studies. Riggs is Pre-Law and will be attending UK’s Rosenberg College of Law in the fall. She’s a Lunsford Scholar and Lewis Honors College student, is on the Executive Board for UK Panhellenic and Student Government Association and serves as Director of Programs at Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Kentucky.
Emma Rhodes
This 24-year-old from Louisville is a third-grade teacher at Saint Agnes School. She is in the second year of the Master’s Program at Bellarmine University focusing on Elementary Education. Rhodes was a member of the Bellarmine University Dance Team, served on the Executive Board of Phi Mu Fraternity, has taught English in Italy and Austria, is a three-time national ballroom dancing champion, and is a conservationist.
Two alternates were also chosen to step in if any member of the Royal Court is unable to fulfill her duties:
- Abigail Willhoite of Frankfort was chosen as first alternate. She is a senior at Western Kentucky University.
- Anneli White of Shelbyville is the second alternate. She is a junior at the University of Kentucky.
What’s the role of the Royal Court?
The five women act as ambassadors for the 2024 Kentucky Derby Festival, attending dozens of events between now and the Kentucky Derby, which takes place May 4.
One of the five Princesses will be crowned the Derby Festival Queen by a spin-of-the-wheel at the annual Fillies Derby Ball on Saturday, April 13 at The Galt House Hotel.
What do Kentucky Derby Princesses receive for serving on the Royal Court?
Each member of the Royal Court receives two $1,000 scholarships — one from The Fillies, Inc., and one from the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. In addition to other sponsor gifts, each woman also receives a complimentary wardrobe.
Thunder Over Louisville, the traditional opening ceremonies of the Kentucky Derby Festival is set for April 22. You’ll find information on all the 70-plus events taking place during the Kentucky Derby Festival at kdf.org.
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
Power forward has been one of the positions that Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats have to fill with Andrija Jelavic and Mo Dioubate gone. The two players that Pope has had on campus at the power forward position are Syracuse’s Donnie Freeman and Colorado’s Sebastian Rancik. Both are really good players, but Freeman is better by a wide margin.
It has felt that entire time that Kentucky wanted Rancik as the backup to Freeman or a backup plan if they weren’t able to land Freeman. Well, Rancik just picked Florida State, so perhaps this is a sign that the Wildcats will land Freeman.
Big Blue Nation was torn on Rancik, but I do believe he would have been a really solid backup power forward. I personally didn’t want him to be the starting four for this team. It is clear that he wanted to go somewhere where he could be the guy at the four, so he will be heading to the ACC to play for FSU.
Now that Kentucky has missed on Rancik, it is very important that the Wildcats land Freeman soon. The problem with waiting on some of these players is the fact that the portal isn’t slowing down. If Pope targets two power forwards and misses on both of them, most of the good fours in the portal will be gone.
There will be some panic in Lexington if the Wildcats are not able to land Freeman, but I do believe the Wildcats are in a good spot to land the elite power forward. From the beginning, Freeman has been my top player for Kentucky in the portal, as he, plus Malachi Moreno, will give the Wildcats an elite frontcourt.
If Pope is able to land Freeman and Tyran Stokes to pair with Zoom Diallo, Alex Wilkins, Moreno, and Kam Williams, this could be the start of a really good team in Lexington. Hopefully, an announcement for where Freeman will transfer comes soon, and hopefully, this will be to play for Pope at Kentucky.
Fans of rival teams will say Pope “whiffed” on Rancik, but if this whiff was because the Wildcats are set to land Freeman soon, then it was more than worth it for Kentucky. If the Wildcats are able to land Freeman, it will officially be time for Big Blue Nation to start getting excited about the 2026-27 season. I expect a decision from Freeman to come within the next day or two.
Rancik would have been a solid backup four in Lexington but Freeman has been the guy from the beggining for this staff so if Kentucky lands him all is well. If the staff misses on Freeman not landing Rancik will look bad.
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Kentucky
Kentucky is poised to land either Donnie Freeman or Sebastian Rancik this weekend, per report
Jones posted on Twitter that “Kentucky will have (absent a major change) either Freeman or Rancik by tomorrow,” while also noting the Wildcats still need to add another shooter and another big to round out the roster.
One of the top targets is Donnie Freeman, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound sophomore forward transferring from Syracuse. Freeman arrived in Lexington on Tuesday night and began his visit on Wednesday before leaving without a commitment. While there was concern he could land at UConn, that visit has since been canceled, leaving Kentucky and St. John’s as the top teams.
Freeman averaged 16.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game last season, while adding nearly a block and a steal per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field but 30.2% from 3-point range across 23 games.
The other option is Sebastian Rancik, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore forward transferring from Colorado. Rancik visited Kentucky starting Wednesday through Thursday and brings a versatile skill set, averaging 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2 assists per game while shooting 33.1% from 3.
Either Freeman or Rancik would provide a significant boost at the power forward position for head coach Mark Pope. Kentucky has already added guards Zoom Diallo and Alex Wilkins in the portal.
Kentucky football coach Will Stein reflects on new position
Will Stein was officially introduced to fans and media as the head coach for the Kentucky Wildcats, replacing Mark Stoops.
LEXINGTON — Kentucky football had its first spring game under new coach Will Stein at Kroger Field on Saturday.
The offense, in blue jerseys, had its moments. So too the defense, donning white uniforms.
Ultimately, the blue squad earned a 23-18 victory in a game called just after noon because of inclement weather.
Stein admitted he “got emotional” as he charged onto the field prior to kickoff.
“I know it wasn’t a real game, but when I ran on the field, I definitely — man, I felt it,” he said. “It was like a wave running over me. And very, very, just cool.”
While it doesn’t count in the standings, Stein walked away pleased.
“I think we got a lot of really good work,” he said. “That’s the goal of spring is to improve with fundamentals and technique, learn how to practice, learn what winning edges that we need throughout spring to go into summer and fall and prepare the team for play. And we came out of the scrimmage clean. There (were) no injuries, which to me, that’s the biggest win of the day. I could (not) care less about the score.
“If we come out clean, that’s good. The Wildcats won.”
New starting QB Kenny Minchey looked about as expected, with sharp passes evened out by moments of inconsistency. Martels Carter Jr., a defensive back who is lining up at running back this spring, scored a touchdown and had several nice runs.
And the defense forced multiple three-and-outs and also picked off one Minchey pass on a two-point conversion.
This story will be updated.
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.
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