🔵 The Official Daily Newsletter For Kentucky Athletics

Good morning. And how could we forget about National Gymnastics Day that was on Sunday? Let’s celebrate today by looking at Kentucky gymnastics finishing sixth in the country last season.

What else are we mixing into today’s Brew?

🏃 Cross country 4th place finishes
🏀 Rhyne Howard in the WNBA
🔵 And much, much more!

📈 STOCK UP 

🔼 Cross Country. It wouldn’t be a cross-country opening race if a personal best wasn’t made, and this year, two athletes had career-high finishes and personal bests. On the men’s team, Jake Allen finished tenth with a time of 23:50.2 in the 8k. On the women’s team, Ally Kruger finished sixth with a time of 16:51.2 in the 5k.

Overall, the women finished tied for fourth with 108 points, and the men placed fourth with 130 points in the Southern Showcase at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, Alabama, this past weekend.

🏃 Read more about the race here.

🔼 Wildcat Ways. After graduating from Kentucky in 2022, Rhyne Howard was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She is continuing her amazing skills on the court with Atlanta Dream, where she just made WNBA playoff history. Howard finished with 36 points, which is the most ever for a WNBA playoff debut.

📺 Watch Howard play today and Friday.

🤔 BIG BLUE TRIVIA

Even Faster. Ally Kruger just set a personal best of 16:51.2 in the 5k at the Southern Showcase. She beat her time from last year when she ran the same course.

Today’s question—how much faster was Kruger’s time this year compared to last year?

Think you got it? Scroll on down to the bottom of this email for the answer!

🔵 ONE BIG THING

Calipari Connects. When it comes to men’s basketball head coach John Calipari, everyone is included no matter what. The National Center for Race Amity sees his efforts and is rewarding him with the Race Amity Medal of Honor for advancing access and equity in society.

His inclusiveness rubs off on others and has paved the way for Devin Booker, DeMarcus Cousins, and John Wall to earn the NBA Cares Community Assist Award. Calipari has three principles when it comes to doing charitable work, and everything he does must meet at least one: draw attention to a cause, provide immediate needs, or generate lasting impact.

Some examples of charitable events Calipari and the team participate in are feeding families at the Salvation Army each Thanksgiving, rent checks and presents at Christmas time, visiting hospitals, and working with Samaritan’s Feet.

🎖️ Read more about the Race Amity Medal and Calipari’s charitable events here.

📬 STICK WITH US

Did someone send you the Big Blue Brew? Well, the first thing you should do is thank them. The next thing you should do is subscribe here for free and get it in your inbox every weekday morning just in time for your first cup of coffee!

📅 THE WEEK AHEAD

Tuesday, September 19

⚽️ Men’s Soccer at Ohio State @ 7pm ET

Thursday, September 21

⚽️ Women’s Soccer vs South Carolina @ 7:30pm ET | Tickets

Friday, September 22

⛳️ Women’s Golf Mason Rudolph Championship
🎾 Men’s Tennis Malibu Showdown
🏊 Swim and Dive at Arkansas @ 12pm ET
🏐 Volleyball vs LSU @ 7pm ET | Tickets | Listen Here

Saturday, September 23

⛳️ Women’s Golf Mason Rudolph Championship
🏈 Football at Vanderbilt @ 12pm ET

Sunday, September 24

⛳️ Women’s Golf Mason Rudolph Championship
🥎 Softball vs Parkland College @ 12pm ET | Free Admission
⚽️ Women’s Soccer at Florida @ 2pm ET
🏐 Volleyball vs Tennessee @ 3pm ET | Tickets | Listen Here
⚽️ Men’s Soccer at Old Dominion @ 6pm ET

🎉 TRIVIA ANSWER

Answer: 40 seconds!

🔵 Have a great Tuesday!