15 x 15 x 15

by Eric Patrick Marr

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At today's UK Athletics Department board meeting, Dr. Lee Todd opened the floor for Mitch Barnhart to unveil his 7-year vision for UK Athletics. Barnhart's plan, as the name "15 x 15 x 15" illustrates, is threefold:

1. Win 15 Conference or National Championships by 2015
2. Be ranked in the Top 15 in the Directors' Cup standings by 2015
3. Serve as a stronger and brighter beacon of light for the state of Kentucky, with possible emphasis on stimulating eastern Kentucky's economy and people

Barnhart also wants the 500 Wildcat student-athletes to have a cumulative/average GPA of 3.0. For comparison's sake, UK finished last year ranked #36 in the Director's Cup race, up from around #49 when Barnhart took office as A.D.; UK has won 15 championships in the last 15 years, making 15 more - in the next 7 years - a bold and aggressive proposition; and UK's athletic body averages around a 2.92-2.95 GPA, currently.

Barnhart also shared some of the latest information on UKAD's relationships with Nike, IMG College (formerly Host Communications), Gatorade and ESPN, showcasing that even during these challenging financial times, their long-term contracts provide much needed stability. UKAD's current budget of $67M puts them in the middle of the SEC pack. Barnhart also repeated some of the previously discussed information on the new downtown basketball arena, coupled with Commonwealth Stadium's renovations, a new baseball complex, and some updated configurations for the softball and soccer facilities.

Read EPM's full blogs at TransformLexington.