Discover the Top 8 Unexpected and Entertaining Fun Facts About the University of Kentucky

1. Cats' Winning Streak

They say cats have nine lives, but the University of Kentucky Wildcats have a penchant for collecting wins and championships instead: With a jaw-dropping 2,320 wins as of the end of the 2019-2020 season, these feisty felines hold the record for the second-most wins in Division I men's college basketball history and boast 8 NCAA championships, stretching from their first title in 1948 to their most recent in 2012—all while having Alex Groza as the Most Outstanding Player with the highest career scoring average in NCAA tournament history for players who have played in at least 10 games.
Source => ncaa.com

2. From Wildcats to NBA Legends

Roll out the blue carpet and sharpen your claws, because the University of Kentucky's basketball team is no basket-case: These Wildcats have won eight NCAA championships, making them the second-winningest team in NCAA history, and spawning NBA legends such as John Wall, Anthony Davis, and Karl-Anthony Towns. With 128 overall NBA draft selections and four victories under the legendary coach Adolph Rupp, Kentucky's basketball prowess is no mere cat's pajama.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know the iconic Old Fashioned cocktail was actually created to please a Bourbon-hater in Louisville, Kentucky back in 1880? Discover its surprising origins and the city's everlasting love for this classic drink. 🥃

=> Fun Facts about Louisville-Kentucky

3. Birth of the "Wildcats" Name

Before the University of Kentucky's athletes clawed their way to fame in the roaring 1900s, they were nothing more than a meow to be reckoned with: It wasn't until 1909, after a ferocious victory over Illinois, that the head of the military department coined the term "Wildcats" for the school's football team, marking the beginning of a legacy that would define their basketball team as well and undergo four primary and multiple alternate logo changes over the years.
Source => catscoverage.com

4. Lawsuits over a Mural

Remember the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words"? Well, at the University of Kentucky, one mural might be worth a thousand lawsuits: The university is caught in a legal tussle over the removal of a New Deal-era mural depicting enslaved people, a topic of hot debate among students. The battle goes beyond the 1934 Ann Rice O'Hanlon artwork, even pulling in a separate piece by a Black artist, Karyn Olivier, installed in 2018 as a response to the controversial mural.
Source => nytimes.com

5. Art Museum Treasures

If Picasso, Rodin, and a pre-Columbian potter walk into a bar, they'll feel right at home at the University of Kentucky: Housing a treasure trove of over 4,500 works of art spanning from pre-Columbian masterpieces to modern gems, the Art Museum at the Singletary Center for the Arts boasts an impressive collection that includes pieces by Goya, Rodin, Durer, Ansel Adams, and Lichtenstein, along with 160 works created through the Works Progress Administration, and hosts six traveling exhibits each year for the delight of art aficionados on campus.
Source => theclio.com

6. Magical Sewer Replacement

In a pipe dream of epic proportions, the University of Kentucky went on a quest to replace their aging Hogwarts-esque sewer system: the two-mile long project spanned from Oliver Lewis Way to Tates Creek Road, replacing an 80-year-old sanitary sewer and other antique utilities along the way, with the grand finale featuring a flagger bravely guiding pedestrian traffic amid magical road transformations on Avenue of Champions.
Source => uknow.uky.edu

7. Co-ed Cheerleading Triumphs

When not busy swapping yells for pearls at their 2-for-1 blowout sale, the old-timey "yell leaders" of the University of Kentucky discovered that letting ladies join the squad might just have its perks: In 1938, the cheerleading squad became co-ed with four men and four women, leading them to become the dynasty in Universal Cheerleaders Association National College Cheerleading Championship history, totaling more championships than any other team, from 1985 to 2019.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Studying Horses on Thoroughbred Farms

Hold your horses and saddle up for this Kentucky gem: The University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture boasts over 2,400 acres of land, including former thoroughbred farms, now hosting the Equine Education and Research Clusters where our neigh-borly friends are studied and cared for.
Source => equine.ca.uky.edu