The first University of Kentucky women's basketball team was organized in 1902,[3][4] and competed for the first time on Feb. 21, 1903. However, in 1924, despite a perfect 10-0 season, the University Senate passed a bill to abolish women's basketball in part because, according to state politicians, "basketball had proven to be a strenuous sport for boys and therefore was too strenuous for girls."[3][4]
After 50 years, women's basketball was granted varsity status in 1974,[3] and most of the official records maintained by the university only reflect games since that time. The team, coached by Sue Feamster, was given the nickname "Lady Kats",[4] which continued to be used until May 1995.[5]
Since the restoration of the program in 1974, the Kentucky Wildcats have played their home games in the 6,250-seat Memorial Coliseum, and their record attendance in that building is 10,622, set on February 5, 1983 against Old Dominion; they also led the nation with an average attendance of 3,645 that season.[8] In recent years, the team has also played occasional games in Rupp Arena, which had a capacity of 23,500 before a renovation completed in 2019 reduced the capacity to 20,545.
In January 2007,[9] the university opened the Joe Craft Center, a $30 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for both the men's and women's teams, named after businessman and philanthropist Joe Craft.[10]
In July 2022, athletic directorMitch Barnhart announced that Memorial Coliseum would be receiving extensive upgrades during the 2023-2024 athletics season. Most notably, air conditioning would be added to the building for the first time, as well as seating upgrades, and the addition of new event space. The renovations are expected to last for one year, displacing all four teams who call the arena home, including women's basketball. On April 18, 2023, Barnhart announced that the majority of the 2023-2024 women's basketball season would be played at Rupp Arena, with a select number of games being played at Transylvania University's Clive M. Beck Center when Rupp Arena was unavailable.[11] The Wildcats returned to Memorial Coliseum, now with a reduced capacity of 6,250, for 2024–25.
History
Led by UK all-time leading scorer Valerie Still,[12]Patty Jo Hedges, and Lea Wise, the Lady Kats won the SEC Tournament in 1982. The following year, the same trio led the team to a #4 ranking in the country, the highest in the team's history.
National championPostseason invitational champion Conference regular season championConference regular season and conference tournament champion Division regular season championDivision regular season and conference tournament champion Conference tournament champion
↑ "'Lady' killer women's basketball team now Wildcats", Lexington Herald-Leader, p.B1, May 13, 1995, The gender-specific Lady Kats are out. The gender-neutral Wildcats are in. In a stark three-line, three-sentence press release issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, the school announced that its women's hoops team is switching monikers.
↑ "This Still's a Potent Producer". Sports Illustrated. January 17, 1983. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2010. Now, as a 6'1" senior center at the University of Kentucky, Valerie Still finally has her own athletic identity. That was ensured when she tallied 30 points against Miami of Ohio on Dec. 5 and thereby surpassed Dan Issel's 2,138 to make her the school's alltime leading scorer. The game was halted so Still could receive a plaque, the game ball and applause.
↑ "Media Guide". University of Kentucky. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
1 2 Smith, Jennifer (March 31, 2010). "UK notes: Dunlap is third-team All-American". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 31, 2010. On Tuesday, she added another first to her ballooning list when she was named UK's first Associated Press All-American...The UK women have not had any kind of All-American since Valerie Still made the Kodak and Street & Smith All-America teams in 1983.
1 2 "UK's Dunlap named coaches' All-American". Louisville Courier-Journal. April 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2010. Victoria Dunlap became the second University of Kentucky women's player to be named to the 10-member State Farm Coaches' All-America team, it was announced Saturday by State Farm and the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association...She joins Valerie Stil[sic] (1981–83) as the only UK players to earn State Farm (formerly Kodak) All-America honors.
↑ "Dunlap on USBWA All-America team". Louisville Courier-Journal. March 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2010. University of Kentucky junior Victoria Dunlap is on the 10-player All-America team announced Wednesday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the first UK player honored since the USBWA started naming a team in 1997.
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