Kentucky has quietly rewarded soccer coach Mark Stoops with a contract extension via the 2030 season, in accordance with the varsity’s open data.
The brand new deal, which runs via June 2031, will improve Stoops’s annual wage by over $2 million yearly, as he’s now set to make $8.6 million per season starting in February 2023. He at present earns $6.35 per yr beneath the contract extension he agreed to final November.
The extension additionally will elevate Stoops’s buyout from $1.75 million to $4.5 million. The buyout quantity will lower by $500,000 for yearly that the 55-year-old stays at Kentucky at some stage in his contract.
Apparently, information of Stoops’s extension was not made public to the media, however data present that it was signed on Nov. 11, in the future earlier than Kentucky performed Vanderbilt. The Wildcats then misplaced that sport to the Commodores, 24–21, giving Vanderbilt its first SEC win in over three years. Kentucky misplaced to No. 1 Georgia, 16–6, on Saturday.
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“We’ve got been engaged on this for over a month and are glad to have it finalized,” Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart mentioned in a press launch that’s dated Nov. 18 however wasn’t despatched to media. “Continuity has develop into increasingly vital in at this time’s panorama, and make no mistake about it, the job that Coach Stoops has executed is well-known and extremely regarded all through the faculty soccer world.
“This extension additionally acknowledges what Coach Stoops has executed over the previous decade, with unprecedented achievements within the historical past of Kentucky soccer, and reinforces his dedication to UK as we attempt for continued success sooner or later.”
Although the loss to the Commodores actually wasn’t fairly, Stoops has impressed in 10 seasons at Kentucky, passing Bear Bryant to develop into the winningest coach in program historical past with a Week 2 win at Florida. The Wildcats (6–5) are bowl-bound once more in 2022, one yr after going 10–3 and successful the Citrus Bowl.
“I’m very appreciative of Dr. Capilouto and Mitch Barnhart for the connection we have now and the constant dedication they’ve proven to this system,” Stoops mentioned within the launch. “The continuity we’ve had has been essential to our development and is much more vital as we transfer ahead with the modifications in faculty soccer.
“As Mitch mentioned, we’ve been engaged on this for awhile, as I needed to reaffirm my dedication. I’ve liked it right here and am enthusiastic about our future.”
Now that the ink has dried and his signing with Kentucky has been made official, Jasper Johnson was finally able to be formally introduced to the Rupp Arena crowd during the Wildcats’ 87-68 win over Western Kentucky on Tuesday night.
Johnson, a class of 2025 five-star point guard born and raised in Lexington, sat courtside with his family to check out his future team in action against the Hilltoppers. During the second half, former Kentucky player Ravi Moss brought out the future Wildcat to midcourt where he was met with a chorus of cheers from the packed crowd of Big Blue Nationites.
After initially committing to Kentucky back in September, Johnson signed the necessary papers to play his college basketball at UK earlier this month. He’s been inside Rupp Arena plenty of times before over the years (and even played here with Woodford County as a sophomore), but never while wearing street clothes as the center of attention in front of over 20,000 screaming fans.
The smile says all you need to know.
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Johnson is one of three signees from Mark Pope‘s first recruiting class as Kentucky’s head coach, joining four-star center Malachi Moreno and four-star point guard Acaden Lewis. The 6-foot-4 guard is ranked No. 14 overall in the nation by the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s currently finishing up his high school career at Overtime Elite as a member of Rod Wave Elite (RWE).
Alongside Tay Kinney, a talented class of 2026 guard who is also from Kentucky and is being recruited by Pope, the two Bluegrass natives form arguably the deadliest backcourt duo in all of OTE. Through five games played this season, Johnson is averaging 19.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per outing while shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from deep.
This time next year, we’ll hopefully see him do the same thing in Kentucky blue and white.
Johnson family – Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Clara Strack scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, Teonni Key had 16 points and 13 rebounds and No. 14 Kentucky defeated Arizona State 77-61 on Tuesday in the Music City Classic to remain unbeaten.
Kentucky nearly had four players with double-doubles as Georgia Amoore added 20 points and nine rebounds and Amelia Hassett had eight points and nine rebounds for the Wildcats (6-0), who shot 42% and scored 13 points off 14 Arizona State turnovers.
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Jalyn Brown scored 16 points and Nevaeh Parkinson added 12 points and nine rebounds for the Sun Devils (3-3). Arizona State shot just 30%.
The Sun Devils cut a 19-point deficit to 11 after three quarters but a 6-0 burst with baskets by Key, Amoore and Strack built the lead back to 15 midway through the fourth.
Kentucky led 42-23 at halftime after outscoring the Sun Devils 27-9 in the second quarter, scoring the first 13 points of the period with Struck putting in the final seven in the run. A couple ASU free throws later, the Wildcats went on an 11-2 run capped by a Hassett 3 and the lead was 20. Strack scored 14 points and Key 10 in the half.
The teams continue play in the Music City Classic on Wednesday with Kentucky playing No. 19 Illinois and Arizona State facing South Dakota.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rivalry week has finally arrived. The Louisville and Kentucky football program are set to do battle once again, facing off in Lexington for the annual Battle for the Governor’s Cup.
Here are the depth charts for both the Cardinals and Wildcats:
Changes from Louisville’s Depth Chart vs. Pitt:
Quarterback
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9 Tyler Shough (6-5, 230, Gr.) 10 Pierce Clarkson (6-1, 190, R-Fr.) OR 15 Harrison Bailey (6-5, 230, R-Sr.) OR 12 Brady Allen (6-6, 220, R-So)
Running Back
25 Isaac Brown (5-9, 190, Fr.) 21 Donald Chaney Jr. (5-10, 210, R-Jr.) 26 Duke Watson (6-0, 180, Fr.) 22 Keyjuan Brown (5-10, 210, R-Fr.)
Wide Receiver
0 Chris Bell (6-2, 220, Jr.) 81 Cataurus Hicks (5-10, 180, R-Fr.)
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