Kentucky
Mark Pope contract details include an automatic extension regarding the NCAA Tournament
We now have details on the Mark Pope contract, and it’s quite interesting.
Jon Hale of the Lexington Herald-Leader was able to obtain a copy of Pope’s term sheet with the Kentucky Wildcats, which is the typical five-year contract most college coaches get.
However, this one will be unique in that it offers an automatic extension and pay raise if Kentucky advances past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament, something that hasn’t happened since 2019.
If Kentucky makes it to the Sweet 16, Pope’s contract will be automatically extended by one season with a $500,000 raise.
Other details include:
- A $500,000 bonus for a national championship.
- A $250,000 bonus for a Final Four.
- A $100,000 bonus for a trip to the Elite Eight.
- A $100,000 bonus for an SEC championship.
- A $50,000 bonus for an SEC Tournament title
- A $25,000 bonus for a team GPA of 3.0 or greater.
- A $25,000 bonus for a team APR score of at least 975.
I’d say this is a reasonable deal for a coach leading Kentucky Basketball, which is probably the most demanding basketball job there is.
It’s also safe to say Mitch Barnhart loves ponying up for guys named Mark after giving Mark Stoops a similar deal that used to include an automatic one-year extension when Kentucky was bowl-eligible.
Let’s hope Pope is frequently getting that extension, as it means Kentucky gets back to making deep NCAA Tournament runs.
Go here to read the full report from Jon Hale.
The Kentucky high school 2026 outdoor track and field season has been exceptional, especially the girls competition.
In particular, the sprints and horizontal jumps.
Long Jump Leaders Set the Pace
First, the long jump.
Christian Educational Consortium’s Jade Hartlage, a rising superstar of track and field in its totality, has the state’s leading jump, 19feet, 9 inches, set March 26. She is partially homeschooled and not eligible for in KHSAA postseason.
Hartlage’s mark is followed by Simon Kenton’s Alexis Howard (19-0, March 26). Howard is another standout athlete. She was selected as a 2025 All-State Honorable Mention in soccer. Howard won the 3A indoor title in early March, recording a mark of 18-7 1/4.
Howard, Svidal Among Top Contenders
Walden School senior Natalie Svidal sailed to an 18-4 1/2 mark at the Walden Small School Championships May 5. That ties her for third in the state with Taleigha Nash of Great Crossing High School.
Triple Jump Competition Tightens
In the triple jump, Howard is atop the performance list. She leapt 40-5, April 25.
However, Svidal is close. She recorded 40-2 1/4 this past week.
Multi-Sport Stars Making Impact
Teigh Yeast, yet another standout athlete, who helped George Rogers Clark win a state basketball title in March and is a Robert Morris University basketball commit, logged a 40-0 1/2 jump April 21. Yeast was last season’s 3A champion at 39-5.25.
How Kentucky Stacks Up Nationally
Perspective and context need to be applied here. Here’s how Kentucky compares nationally.
National Benchmarks Set the Bar
Parker Coes of Morton Ranch High School (Katy, Texas) has surpassed 21 feet twice in 2026. Abigail Mecklenburg of Linn-Mar High School (Marion, Iowa) is approaching the 21-foot threshold.
Coes’ marks were achieved in the early indoor season. The Texan has jumped 20-10 1/2 outdoors (April 3) but her last mark was 18-11 3/4, May 2.
Mecklenburg is yet to replicate her indoor marks outdoors.
The top outdoor jump so far in 2026 is 42-7.5, set by Daniela Hughes of Los Altos High School (Los Altos, California).
A significant challenge for the Bluegrass jumpers to surpass. But if there is a season for top-10 national rankings or records.
State Records Within Reach
With that said, the Kentucky state records are potentially breakable in the next two weeks. The current records are 20-4 (Maxine Graham, Fleming County High School, 1975) and 41-7 (Sophie Galloway, Marshall County High School, 2021).
Each has the speed and explosiveness to challenge those marks.
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Inside 3 Kentucky homes where antique style meets modern design
Step inside three Kentucky homes to see how they blend historic heirlooms with contemporary style.
The prices given are those indicated by state tax stamps required on all deeds. The addresses listed are those given for tax purposes. Because a tax bill may be sent to a business office or other location different from the property being transferred, some of the addresses listed may differ from the property that was transferred. Includes property square footage and date purchased.
Here are property transfers in Jefferson, Bullitt and Oldham counties, Kentucky from Oct. 20-26, 2025.
Jefferson County
40059
9407 CIVIC WAY, BROWN DAVID RYAN to HARRIS DYLAN | 2,641 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $640,000
7511 SMITHFIELD GREENE LN, POORKAY MEHDI to FLEITZ MARTHA JEANA | 3,200 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $610,000
5612 WOLF PEN TRCE, LAUER WATSON KATARINA to CHAN ABIGAIL SY | 4,976 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $835,000
5622 TIMBER CREEK CT, TORRES IRICH J to HUGHES THERESE SUSAN | 1,653 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $350,000
7808 GRENOBLE LN, BERNARD G ALAN to BENCH SUE | 3,732 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $515,000
40118
10713 ALBERTA DR, TATE JEFFREY L to SNYDER EBONI D | 1,200 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $245,000
2107 SMITH RD, AUBREY DEVIN SCOTT to MCCOY BRITTANY D | 2,880 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $390,000
40203
1909 GRIFFITHS AVE, TRINH RENTAL to NGUYEN DANG LIVING TRUST | 2,059 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $60,000
40205
2539 WOODCREEK RD, CODISPOTI JOSEPH to BRINK DAVID AARON JR | 2,687 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $499,000
40206
2804 BEXLEY CT, CHARLES SHEILA M to LOCKWOOD CRHISTOPHER J | 1,602 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $167,500
443 UNIVERSITY AVE, DONALDSON THOMAS REEDER to DUELL JOHN SCOTT | 2,472 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $469,000
40207
5307 INDIAN CREST RD, DEGOLIAN ROBERT R to COLLINS CHRISTINA MARIE | 5,280 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $625,000
5 WOODHILL RD, AUSTIN R THOMPSON to WOODHILL | 8,153 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $4,000,000
418 CHERRYWOOD RD, REINERT ROBERTA J to BRIZENDINE TODD | 3,203 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $408,310
40208
2935 S 3RD ST, CARMONA PROPERTIES LOUISVILLE to MOORE AUSTIN | 2,768 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $337,000
40211
923 S 40TH ST, PROPERTIES DC to VANGUARD ENTERPRISES CORP | 2,246 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $68,000
40213
4401 CAMPOBELLO ST, HESTER BARBARA A to WALDRIDGE TERESA GAIL | 960 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $165,000
40214
4127 S 2ND ST, MESO HOMES INVESTMENTS to FOLKINS KATHERINE MARIE ROSELLE | 3,375 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $250,000
9714 SECRETARIAT DR, THREE DS DEVELOPMENT to PADGETT BRENT MICHAEL | 3,916 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $64,000
5427 SOUTHVIEW DR, PROPERTY PRIME to QUEVEDO BEATRIZ MARTINEZ | 1,389 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $239,900
40215
1104 OLEANDA AVE, VENIA to THOMAS DAVID L | 720 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $130,000
920 STANLEY AVE, NUMBER CRUNCHERS to BOCALANDRO MICHAEL L RAMOS | 1,092 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $190,000
40216
5603 ARVIS DR, LEISTER ANDREW A to NEWKIRK LARRY W | 2,050 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $245,000
4603 MELVIN DR, WELLS JUANITA to ORTIZ YAIDELIN HERNANDEZ | 2,100 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $237,000
1580 SADIE LN, FRANCO REDIFREDO to TAMAYO LUIS RIVERA | 1,107 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $203,000
3000 ROCKAWAY DR, GEAN JOHNNY BRYANT ESTATE to AL SHATHER MOE R | 2,100 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $150,000
40218
3516 LISBON LN, THOROUGHBRED AQUISITIONS to GILPATRICK CHRISTOPHER | 925 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $230,000
5435 BANNON CROSSINGS DR, GREEN KAREN J R to BAKHODIR ALIYEV | 1,700 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $250,000
40219
4800 FAMOUS WAY, SINCHURI JAMUNA to SUBEDI MITRA LAL | 2,726 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $270,000
7915 JUDGE BLVD, SERRANO FRANK SAMPEDRO to MORFA YUCIMIN CASAS | 2,134 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $250,000
40220
6129 ARLONE CT, DIAZ GEILER LLOPIZ to PADRON LEODEL MIRANDA | 1,125 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $245,000
3008 BOAIRES LN, JONES LINDA LEE M to GEHLHAUSEN TIMOTHY LOUIS | 1,134 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $225,000
3014 TALISMAN RD, BARRETT CLAY to VEGA ALEXANDER | 2,508 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $290,000
40222
1714 ORMSBY LN, MARY ELIZABETH ATHERTON LIVING TRUST to CORLEY BRIAN | 2,700 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $290,000
40223
2600 ANCHOR WAY, COLLINS CHRISTINA M to BROWN DAVID RYAN | 4,980 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $1,050,000
40241
2942 GOOSE CREEK RD, BROWN CATHLEEN G to SEGUNDINO SHARON | 3,038 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $345,000
7611 BEECHSPRING FARM BLVD, OWEN DAVID HAYS to KASDAN MORTON L | 7,884 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $1,240,000
4412 SUSSEX CT, HAEFFELE WAYNE A to MARTINEZ RAFAEL MORALES | 2,238 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $240,000
9206 FELSMERE CIR, DEVON BANK to DAFALLA SHAZA BASBAR | 3,615 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $530,000
7010 CREEKTON DR, PATEL KETAN to KULKARNI YOGESH S | 4,977 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $860,000
4708 SUNNY MEADOW CT, CORNETT JOHN WALLACE JR to HILL CONNOR DALE | 1,256 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $328,600
40245
2911 MEADOW FARMS PL, HAYDEN RICHARD L to HAYDEN RICHARD L | 4,832 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $789,000
13815 FOREST BEND CIR, JEWELL MELISSA A to WILHOIT JEFFREY | 2,904 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $415,000
115 WATERSTONE WAY, CHEATHAM STEPHEN D to MATTHEWS STANLEY | 4,240 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $645,000
40291
9218 WELLINGTON HILL CT, PEARSON PAULA to KHAREL GOPI LAL | 4,013 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $415,900
8313 FAIRMOUNT RD, PULTE HOMES OF OHIO to GANBAATAR GANTULGA | 3,028 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | 10/21/2025 | $407,990
13317 CAIN LN, HILLNER GREGORY P to DUNCAN DAVID | 4,124 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $420,000
115 WATERSTONE WAY, CHEATHAM STEPHEN D to MATTHEWS STANLEY | 4,240 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $645,000
40299
3417 ETHELWOOD DR, FOR SALE REAL ESTATE to BENCOMO PROPERTIES | 1,406 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $173,000
Bullitt County
40047
163 HERITAGE WAY, GEPHART GERARD ANTHONY & SUSAN DARLENE to GEPHART GERARD ANTHONY & SUSAN DARLENE | 3,618 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $440,000
460 RIVER CLIFF DR, CHAPMAN MICHAEL TODD to GRIDER JAMES L JR | 1,410 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $385,000
405 LINCOLN DR, SMITH JERID R to JERID R SMITH LIVING TRUST | 1,296 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $310,000
966 ALPAR LN, BOURBON TRAIL HOMES to COOMES KAREN & CALVIN & MCGRATH NICOLE & AARON | 2,42 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $220,000
392 WINCHESTER DR, ELDER JOHN T to GIBSON KELLI L & SAMUEL R | 1,100 q ft | 10/22/2025 | $210,000
218 LAKEWOOD DR, VICKERY GEOFFREY & PAULETTE to VICKERY FAMILY IRREVOCABLE TRUST | 3,388 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $320,000
589 FLATLICK RD, OWEN ELIZABETH to GATROST THEODORE J & ATROST THEODORE JR & TRICIA | 1,115 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $175,000
234 LONDON SQUARE, EMPIRE PROPERTIES 1332 to SEBATWARE ERIC & NYAMAHORO NYAGANZA | 2,227 sq ft| 10/24/2025 | $444,800
153 ELDER GLEN CT, PAYNE DAVID A & JANICE K to PAYNE FAMILY TRUST | 1,975 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $355,000
688 TWIN OAKS DR, LENTZ CHARLES JOSEPH to LENTZ FAMILY TRUST | 3,008 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $225,316
40109
2337 CORAL RIDGE RD, CAHILL ROSETTA & CAHILL LARRY E JR to CAHILL ROSETTA | 2,986 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $187,919
1271 CABIN CREEK DR, OWEN-RUMMAGE LINDA L & RUMMAGE ANTHONY K to ANTHONY & LINDA RUMMAGE LIVING TRUST | 1,834 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $251,748
40150
151 DIANE CT, CDF BUILDERS INC to KREBS SHELBY R | 1,345 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $294,569
3427 HORSEFLY HOLLOW RD, MAUERMANN KAREN ANN to KAM CAPITAL ENTERPRISE | 816 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $91,900
40165
468 WINDING CREEK DR, FUGATE ELEANOR L to REEDY AARON J & ADRIANNE R | 3,880 sq ft |10/21/2025 | $480,000
358 WESTSIDE DR, MAY BRANDON S to CHAPMAN MICHAEL T & KRISTEN L | 2,025 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $385,000
227 PRYOR VALLEY RD, HODGES ROBERT GARY & MATSON TIARRA B to HODGES ROBERT GARY & MATSON TIARRA B | 1,150 sq ft |10/21/2025 | $100,980
225 PRYOR VALLEY RD, HODGES ROBERT GARY & MATSON TIARRA B to HODGES ROBERT GARY & MATSON TIARRA B | 1,000 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $70,000
127 DAYFLOWER CT, FISCHER HOMES LOUISVILLE to HERZOG HEATHER A & MCGAUGH DUSTY L | 2,852 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $439,990
232 VILLA LN, ALEXANDER KATHY L to KATHY ALEXANDER REVOCABLE TRUST | 1,009 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $140,035
193 PARE CT, DYER THOMAS & PAULA to STEPHENSON ROBERT L & DANA S | 3,268 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $540,000
126 LAKES EDGE DR, LONNY RAY CONSTRUCTION INC to HAGER SIERRA & KEETON CODY | 1,203 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $258,000
177 WHITE RUN RD, SETACCIOLI PROPERTIES to BUCKNER KYLE WILSON & CELESTE NICOLE | 1,701 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $122,000
40229
12205 DULCIE CT, THRELKEL BRIAN to BEST KELLY B | 1,208 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $239,000
Oldham County
40014
6105 BRENTWOOD DR, TJM CUSTOM HOMES to SCEARCE EMILY H | 2,342 sq ft | 10/22/2025 | $795,000
5314 BROOKSWOOD RD, SCHUMM CHRISTOPHER L & HERNANDEZ NID to ONSUM KEITH WALTER & RACHEL YESENIA | 2,216 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $595,000
7492 EDITH WAY, GONDA STEPHEN & LORA to STEPHEN & LORA GONDA LIVING TRUST | 2,998 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $1,053,300
7414 KAVANAUGH RD, OLIVER KEVIN DRUE to MCBROOM JOSHUA DYLAN & SARAH ALINE | 1,741 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $325,000
5311 LEE AVE, RL HOME SERVICES INC to CABADA-SAMORA JESUS | 1,462 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $565,000
7110 AUTUMN BENT WAY, CORBIN TROY G to KREY NICOLAS T & KRISTA A | 2,004 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $459,900
40026
13120 POND CREEK DR, POND CREEK SEC 4 to MERRICK BRYANT JOSEPH & KEELEY LYNN | 2,253 sq ft | 10/21/2025 | $590,000
3343 N BUCKEYE LN, WISE JOHN P to BISIG GREGORY & CAROL SUE | 3,408 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $840,000
40031
2826 ALDER WOOD LN, KEY HOMES to BUONFIGLIO JOSEPH II & SAMANTHA CRAIG | 1,991 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $550,000
3617 RED OAK DR, GONDA STEPHEN & LORA to PERLIK LYNNE NICOLE & VINCENT ROBERT | 3,303 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $960,000
706 LATIMER AVE, WILSON DAVID & NORMA J to COLLINS MATTHEW RYAN & SHELBI NICOLE | 1,351 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $205,000
40056
6904 JESSICA CT, WHITE ALL & BREDA MICHAEL R to RUTLEDGE CAROLYN L | 1,050 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $250,000
40059
11572 VICTORIA FALLS LN, CLAYTON PROPERTIES GROUP INC to BLUEGRASS LIVING TRUST | 2,636 sq ft | 10/23/2025 | $925,377
2713 MAYO LN, DONNA BRIGHT REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST to PARKER FAMILY TRUST | 5,796 sq ft | 10/24/2025 | $1,576,550
40068
4208 BALLARD RIDGE CT, CD LLC to CHEATHAM STEPHEN DARRELL | 2,500 sq ft | 10/20/2025 | $774,900
Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com.
In these days of cell phones, social media and hundreds of TV channels, teenagers have a lot of distractions.
To be good in fishing, you have to set all of that aside and be locked in to what you’re doing for eight or more hours.
Ten Northern Kentucky high schoolers will take on that challenge this weekend at the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state bass fishing tournament. The event is a two-day competition, May 8-9, at the Kentucky Dam Marina in Gilbertsville, western Kentucky.
Anglers can catch a maximum of five fish per day. Teams win by accumulating the highest total weight of fish.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Covington Catholic junior Drew Berling, one of the competitors. “Fishing up in Northern Kentucky doesn’t get a lot of recognition and hopefully we can do pretty well.”
Berling and teammate Eli Scroggins are one of five two-person teams that will have a boat in the competition after qualifying from the Region 2 tournament in Jamestown. They finished 14th in the regional.
Grant County has two boats. Hunter Lilly and Kyle Lilly finished third in the regional, Brian Hamm and Raymond Hamm finished 27th. Bishop Brossart’s Cooper Lackey and Paxton Litmer finished sixth. Ryle’s Tanner Norman and Owen Miller placed 28th.
Berling and Scroggins finished 49th in the state meet last year. Scroggins is competing at state for the third straight season.
Northern Kentucky has never won a bass fishing state title. CovCath has a strong recent history of success, with three top-10 finishes in the past five seasons, including second place by Brandon Smith and Phoenix Parks in 2024.
Grant’s Hunter Lilly finished 14th last year with a different partner. Dixie Heights had a fourth-place showing in 2015.
Berling, who has been fishing since seventh grade, said constant communication is a key between the partners.
“I like being out in the water and hanging out with my buddies,” he said. “Being out in the water is fun.”
While it’s fun, you have to be laser focused on what’s going on in the water. Patience is key.
“You can’t just be screwing around in the boat,” Berling said. “You got to really lock in and focus on the goal, which is to win the tournament. If you’re not focused, you’ll lose fish. You might pass over something that potentially holds the tournament-winning fish.”
The closest competition water to Northern Kentucky is Williamstown Lake, where Berling and others compete once or twice a week.
Berling said like any other sport the ability to stay in the present after a mistake is also important.
“If you’re angry and frustrated it’s pretty easy to lose your focus,” he said. “You just have to move past it.”
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