Kentucky

Recruiting Roundup: Kentucky Offers Penn State Commit

Published

2 years ago

May 24, 2024

Recruiting Roundup: Kentucky Offers Penn State Commit

Today is a good day to check in on the latest Kentucky football recruiting efforts. While out on the trail the Wildcats are extending plenty of scholarship offers to talented underclassmen and one in particular is eye-opening. Let’s dive in.

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Impressive Pennsylvania Prospects

Daikiel Shorts offered three top 100 players during one trip to Harrisburg High School. Messiah Mickens is a top ten running back in the country and the No. 58 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He committed to Penn State early in the process, giving James Franklin a verbal prior to his sophomore season.

Shorts also offered Micken’s talented teammate, Elias Coke. A four-star wide receiver, he’s the No. 262 player in the 2026 recruiting class. Kevin Brown is the highest-ranked player of the trio. The 6-foot-5 interior offensive lineman is the No. 35 overall player in the rising junior class.

Leo Delaney

A top ten player at his position in the 2026 recruiting class, the offensive tackle is the No. 80 overall player in the country. He’s one of a few prospects offered by Kentucky during Brad White and Mike Stoops’ travels to Charlotte, along with LB Elijah Littlejohn.

Tyler Merrill

A 6-foot-5, 330-pound interior offensive lineman from Mechanicsburg, PA, Merrill is ranked as the No. 86 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Michigan have already extended offers to the exceptional offensive lineman.

Luke Waffle

Hailing from Middletown, NJ, Waffle is a four-star defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class, ranked as the No. 158 overall prospect. Penn State, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Texas are among his other early interests.

Ben Nichols

A four-star talent from Michigan, On3 ranks Nichols as the 11th-best interior offensive lineman and the No. 172 overall player in the 2026 recruiting class. Michigan State and Notre Dame are the top schools targeting Nichols.

Lasiah Jackson

A 6-foot-3 safety from Georgia, Jackson is a Top 200 player in the 2026 recruiting class. He does not yet hold an offer from Kirby Smart’s program, but Ole Miss is another SEC school already making a move.

Twin Brothers

The Kentucky coaching staff was in Miami to offer two players from Norland High School, the Desir brothers. Mandrell Desir and Darryll Desir are twins who play on the EDGE in the class of 2025. The three-star rising seniors already have offers from Florida State, Miami, and Oregon, among others.

Multiple Players from Cass Tech

Detroit powerhouse Cass Tech has been kind to the Kentucky football program, sending Deone Walker and DeAndre Square to Lexington. Eric Wolford is trying to keep that Michigan pipeline alive. This week he offered 2026 tight end Victor Polk and 2026 LB Brian Stovall.

More Scholarship Offers

Brayton Feister — It’s the first SEC offer for the 2027 LB from Akron (OH) Archbishop Hoban.

Travis Robertson — Kentucky is the second offer for 2026 offensive tackle from West Bloomfield (MI), the alma mater of UK cornerback Max Hairston.

Joel Ervin — The Fort Myers 2026 offensive tackle has offers from Miami, UCF, and South Carolina.

Donald Tabron — The Detroit quarterback is entering his first season at MLK High. UK is his second Power Four offer.

Kayden Edwards — Another young quarterback, Edwards is a 2027 prospect at talent-rich Ironton (OH) High. Vince Marrow offered two other Ironton players, 2026 OL Caleb Jacobs and 2028 TE Luca Silva.

Darius Dennis — Kentucky is the second Power Four offer for the 2027 Dayton defensive back.

Kai Pritchard — The three-star New Jersey IOL is a top 300 prospect according to 247 Sports and ESPN.

Maddox Cochrane — On3 ranks the Virginia offensive tackle as the No. 209 player in the 2026 recruiting class.

Jamarcus “Fatt” Whyce — The 2026 Dayton EDGE is a four-star talent in two recruiting services. Kentucky is his first SEC offer. His teammate, 2027 DL Jeremiah Nash, also received a UK offer.

Benjamin Corhei — The Naples (FL) 2026 offensive tackle is being recruited by most of the schools in the Sunshine State.

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Kentucky

Saturated soil raises flooding risk across Kentucky after recent heavy rain

Published

53 minutes ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

Saturated soil raises flooding risk across Kentucky after recent heavy rain

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Recent heavy rainfall has left soil across the state completely soaked, contributing to localized flooding in some areas.

When rain falls, some water soaks into the ground through a process called percolation.

Soil can only hold a limited amount of water. Once the small air spaces within the soil fill with water, the ground becomes saturated and additional rainfall has nowhere to go.

Soil type plays a role in how quickly water drains.

Much of Kentucky has clay-heavy soil, which is made up of very small, flat particles packed tightly together.

That composition makes it harder for water to move through. In clay soil, water may drain at a rate of only 0.02 to 0.17 inches per hour.

When rainfall comes down faster than the ground can absorb it and water cannot drain into a stream or storm drain quickly enough, it begins to build up.

That buildup is what leads to localized flooding.

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Kentucky

Cyclosporiasis spreads across Kentucky

Published

13 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Press Room

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Cyclosporiasis is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food and water — is making people sick across several states, including Kentucky.

Dr. Patricia Tellez-Watson said, the illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis and spreads when someone ingests contaminated food or water. “It is an intestinal infection caused by this water-borne, food-borne microscopic parasite,” she said.

Symptoms can include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

Tellez-Watson said, cases are often sporadic, but outbreaks can happen — especially during hot, wet months, when the parasite can survive in the environment long enough to become infectious.

Health experts recommend taking extra precautions with food and water. Washing hands and thoroughly rinsing produce before eating or cooking can reduce risk.

Watson also urged people to be cautious with fresh produce, particularly pre-packaged items, and to consider using bottled water.

Officials have confirmed cases in Bowling Green, though it’s unclear how many.

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Kentucky

Drafted by Reds, Matt Ponatoski enrolls at University of Kentucky

Published

1 day ago

July 15, 2026

Press Room

Drafted by Reds, Matt Ponatoski enrolls at University of Kentucky

Moeller two-sport star Matt Ponatoski had a decision to make after being drafted by the Cincinnati Reds.
Ponatoski chose to enroll at Kentucky where he could play both baseball and football.

Dual-sport star and Moeller alum Matt Ponatoski’s final decision still awaits, but signs are pointing towards Lexington, KY.

After committing to the University of Kentucky as both a quarterback and pitcher, Ponatoski was selected in the 18th round (No. 542 overall) of the 2026 MLB Draft by the hometown Cincinnati Reds. While Ponatoski was ranked No. 208 on the MLB’s draft board and expected to be selected higher, doubts around whether he intended to go pro this year caused his stock to fall.

Ponatoksi has until the MLB’s signing deadline on July 27 to make a final decision, but the Moeller product has seemingly signaled his intention to stick with the University of Kentucky. He enrolled at the University of Kentucky on Wednesday, July 15, per a Kentucky Sports Radio report, indicating he will join the Wildcats football team in the fall.

The Man of Moeller was just the third player in the history of the Gatorade Player of the Year award to win for two different sports in the same season. Doing so in his junior year, he joined Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Randy Moss and National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Joe Mauer.

For Wildcats football, Ponatoski would come in as a four-star quarterback prospect and helped give new head coach Will Stein a top-25 recruiting class in the nation. He threw just one interception in his senior season for the Moeller Crusaders, completing 66% of his passes for 2,395 yards and 28 touchdowns.

For Kentucky baseball, Ponatoski would join up with fellow freshman and former Louisville Trinity pitcher Grayson Willoughby, who won Kentucky Mr. Baseball and withdrew his name from the draft. Willoughby, a top-rated pitching prospect, felt MLB teams were attempting to low-ball him and thus chose to stick with the Wildcats. Ponatoski is fresh from a season leading Moeller to the state championship game, recording a 1.37 ERA on the year.

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