Kentucky Kernel: February 3, 2022

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Thursday, February 3, 2022 est. 1892 | Independent since 1971 www.kykernel.com @kykernel @kentuckykernel

There are more than four sides to DeAndre Square | 6 opinions

5 The best season at UK

sports

Brett Quinn: Balancing hockey and school

10

sports

11

Across the (By)Line: Alabama

Thursday, February 3, 2022

news

Creative and research opportunities abound at undergraduate expo

By Emily Girard news@kykernel.com

On Monday, Jan. 31, UK’s Office of Undergraduate Research hosted the Undergraduate Research + Creative Experience Expo, connecting students with summer research opportunities.

The purpose of the expo, according to the Office of Undergraduate Research’s website, was to “introduce undergraduate scholars to the diversity of research and creative work conducted at UK, allow students to network with research faculty and staff, and learn about mentored summer research and creative opportunities.”

UK is classified as a Research I school, indicating “very high research activity,” according to Carnegie Classifications. Thirty organizations, both on and off campus, sent representatives to the event, setting up tables across the second floor of the Gatton Student Center.

“I just greeted people as they came in and gave out info to undergrads who were interested in getting involved with undergraduate research,” said junior Maya Abul-khoudud, a biology and psychology major who helped staff the event. “I have been a part of research here at UK since my freshman fall semester.”

Abul-khoudud said that although research can be intimidating, she hopes the fair increased students’ confidence about future research possibilities.

“I hope that by getting to speak directly with some of the

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University of Kentucky Undergraduate Research + Creative Experience Expo

Graphic by Ryder Noah From

people creating these opportunities, they feel excitement and assurance,” she said.

Gabija Ziemyte, a junior physics and math major, got involved with undergraduate research the fall of her sophomore year, collaborating with UK physics professor Dr. Christopher Crawford.

She said her research experience has been “incredibly” beneficial.

“I've had a lot of opportunities open up to me because of my research involvement, including a summer research internship. I've also learned a whole lot about physics research and working with code and data, which has been super cool,” she said. “Also, I know Dr. Crawford pretty well now, which is great for academic advice and rec[comendation] let-

ters.”

Ziemyte is also an Undergraduate Research Ambassador at UK. At the expo, she focused on gathering information to give to students who come to her for research advice.

While there, she said she walked around and heard about the many different research opportunities available across a variety of disciplines and colleges to better serve the students who visit with her. In particular, Ziemyte described her interactions with UK’s entomology department.

“They had some bugs at their table, and they were investigating how different bugs respond to different thermal conditions,” she said. “I also talked to some folks

doing geology research, and they were looking at using drones for geological surveys and … looking at how the land changes over time. There was also one person I talked to who was looking at how different bacteria or yeast in wine fermentation can be used to produce different flavors and aromas.

[It was] very cool all around.”

Another research ambassador, Emily Keaton, is also involved with UK research and hopes to share it with others. Keaton, a senior studying sociology, philosophy and neuroscience, started her research experience in UK’s Appalachian Studies department.

“I had no idea this experience would lead me to where it has when I leaped into conducting oral histories and analyzing the

data independently,” she said. “I have so enjoyed that research is an opportunity to ask questions, seek answers to them and then find both answers and new, exciting questions coming back to you.”

Keaton is currently collaborating with UK’s sociology department and the Nunn Oral History Center to publish a manuscript detailing the modern college experience.

“We did interviews and studies with students across the country to document … how students are riddled with trauma, financial instability, insecurity [and] exposure to hate acts during their college years now,” Keaton said.

“The divide and negative effects seem to be on the rise, and maybe … we can take measures to bring institutions back to student success and not unaffordable [and] consumeristic.”

Though Keaton did not display this research at the expo, she said she still got to explain it while recruiting interested students for programs and fellowships.

“Fingers crossed that 2022 brings some safe in-person conferences back researchers’ way,” she said.

Ziemyte said she hoped the expo introduced students to the variety of research opportunities available in Lexington.

“Research can be collecting data and doing experiments, and it can also be reading documents or talking to people, so there's bound to be something out there for anyone wanting to do research,” she said.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Humans of UK:

kentuckykernel

Sean Wood builds gaming community

By Laurie Jonhatan news@kykernel.com

This is Humans of UK, inspired by the Humans of New York Instagram series by photographer and author Brandon Stanton.

This series dives into the individuals of UK as well as their stories, strifes and passions.

Recently, UK’s new Cornerstone Exchange building brought a home to all gamers on campus.

Esports, a club that welcomes both casual and competitive gamers, has seen incredible growth in past years — growth that required a permanent residence for its community.

“My freshman year, it was maybe around 50 to 70 people, a lot smaller than what it is today,” esports president Sean Wood, a senior architecture major, said. “Our club size has grown from just a little under 100 people to well over 1,500 people we have right now in our Discord. So we have a very large community, larger than I initially ever thought it would become.”

A lot of this popularity came from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, esports held the competition “Battle for the Bluegrass,” sponsored by Kroger and hosted online to continue student activities during the pandemic.

The competition, played

MARIA RAUH | STAFF Sean Wood poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.

against gamers from University of Louisville, received a lot of attention.

“My parents heard about it, and I never told them anything,” Wood said.

“We expected it to be big; we didn’t expect it to be as big as it was. It was really amazing to see how many people were interested in esports.”

This popularity continued well after the competition, with the appeal coming from the possibility of

in-person events as well as virtual ones.

“We try to do casual events where anybody is able to come, but we [also] host competitions. We’ll have a couple that provide prizes, food, pizza, drinks, and I guess it's like a game night if you were to have that with all your friends,” Wood said.

These casual gaming nights and competitions also have a reach and awareness that extends

past the local Lexington community.

“There are these opportunities that come about, since a lot of it is virtual,” Wood said. “The people [are] from across the country or across the world, and it’s definitely taken off to a point where we have almost 2,000 followers on Twitter and originally we were just at a little over 300.”

As president, Wood’s responsibilities include planning these events alongside the officers of the club. Wood also works with esports’ many sponsors: the University of Kentucky Federal Credit Union, Gen.G, HyperX and Wrigley Media Group.

Wood related his experience working directly with sponsors to being similar to “an internship or mentorship,” praising esports’ sponsors for their help with communications, production and advertisements for the club.

“They’ll help guide us towards the right way to do things,” Wood said. “[It’s] really nice to have them there as more than just a financial help.”

This spring is Wood’s last semester as president.

“I came to UK not even thinking about esports, and then now in [the] position I’m at, I’d love to see it finally take that one big leap into the mainstream,” he said. “It’d make me really happy.”

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MICHAEL CLUBB | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats linebacker DeAndre Square (5) holds up his game winning interception during the UK vs. Iowa Vrbo Citrus Bowl football game on Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. UK won 20-17.

spring 2022 | 3

Thursday, February 3, 2022

opinions

Cleaning up space

By Alexa Caponigro opinions@kykernel.com

For the past seven years, a piece from the SpaceX rocket has circled in Earth’s orbit, but soon, that will change.

The piece from the SpaceX rocket is called the Falcon 9 booster, launched by Elon Musk’s space exploration company in 2015. After the Falcon 9 booster completed its mission, however, it did not have enough fuel to make its way back to Earth.

Since then, the rocket has been uncontrolled in Earth’s orbit, but now it is predicted to crash into the moon. Although there are methods to diminish the potential danger of the excess debris in space, further guidelines and communication need to be put into order.

The Falcon 9 booster is predicted to be the first piece of “space junk” to collide into the moon. Data analyst Bill Gray predicts the piece will hit the far side of the moon on March 4, 2022.

The main reason we need to control the objects sent into space is the unkempt nature of the “space junk” in our orbit.

According to NASA, “More than 27,000 pieces of orbital debris, or ‘space junk,’ are tracked by the Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network (SSN) sensors. Much more debris — too small to be tracked, but large enough to threaten human spaceflight and robotic missions — exists in the near-Earth space environment.”

Thus, monitoring and controlling what is sent up into space is especially important due to our safety at risk.

Although the “space junk” may be small, it can travel up to speeds of 17,500 miles per hour, damaging satellites or space crafts in its wake. If debris collides into a space station or satellite, researchers may be in harm’s way due to the debris.

Satellites also possess a great importance in our lives by helping with imaging, navigating, communication and research.

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Graphic by Ryder Noah From

We use satellites to predict weather patterns, for communication on all levels (whether it be to airplanes or to one another), to collect information on our ozone layer and even to help us see if other debris may collide into Earth.

In order to keep researchers safe at the International Space Station, NASA implemented guidelines to catch debris in space. Although these guidelines are primarily used to keep the crew safe, they also aid in cleaning up our orbit. NASA utilizes the “pizza box,” a box about 2.5 miles deep, 30 miles wide and 30 miles long with the International Space Station

in the center to measure relative danger of debris. If an object becomes too close to the box, Mission Control in Houston and Moscow develop a plan of action to aid in the safety of crew members.

In March 2021, GK Launch Services launched ELSA-d to test cleaning up space debris. ELSA-d was a demonstration mission in which the spacecraft attached itself to debris and pushed it into the Earth’s atmosphere. Once pushed into our atmosphere, the debris burned up, eliminating potential future dangers. After its successful demonstration, there are plans for another launch in the future, but

the clean-up is currently on hold.

Unlike on Earth, space has no enforcement and no borders, making it an open free-for-all. The lack of transparency of private companies or governments offers no true gauge on what satellites are in our orbit, adding to the danger.

It is imperative for nations to collaborate and develop an international convention enlisting rules and regulations to help organize current and future satellites in space. By coming together to track objects, we can easily navigate potential dangers to our planet and help clean debris up one step at a time.

Thursday, February 3, 2022

opinions

The best season to be a Wildcat

By Brooklyn Kelley opinions@kykernel.com

Although sledding at Willy T seems to be a crowd favorite, there is no better season than spring on UK’s campus, though autumn is a close second.

In spring, the redbuds are blooming, tulips are popping up everywhere and campus just looks brighter altogether. One of the biggest reasons I appreciate spring on campus is because it follows months of bitter cold and bare trees. It is nice to see new life and not have to wear my winter coat to classes.

I love the colors of autumn, football season and the weather, and I would consider it to be my favorite season in general, but on campus, I love spring just a little more since it follows such a bleak season.

It puts a smile on my face every year, and I am excited just thinking about it coming soon.

There are many things I look forward to doing in the springtime around campus.

One of my favorite spring activities is going to the Arboretum to study mid-day or for a morning run. Seeing the flowers begin to bloom fills me with excitement and makes my day.

With spring often comes rain, which, in my opinion, makes the Arboretum even more fun. Last year, one of my favorite memories of the spring semester was going to the Arboretum when I knew it was about to rain and running through the rain with someone I love. It was just warm enough to enjoy, and I laughed harder than I had in a long time.

I love hiking, and although the Red River Gorge is a bit of a far drive from campus, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary is close. The Sancturary provides a taste of hiking, for which I often get homesick. In the spring, the wildflowers bloom, making it a gorgeous place to hike. Though it is not on campus, I always associate it with the spring semester, since it is a good place to

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Vendela Norris, a freshman broadcast journalism major, sits in a hammock on Friday, April 9, 2021, outside William T. Young Library in Lexington, Kentucky.

travel to after classes are over for the day.

Another spring favorite of mine is studying at the tables outside the Willy T Starbucks with friends. Sometimes, if the tables are full, I enjoy bringing a picnic blanket and sitting in the grassy Bowl to get some homework done. The fresh air and sunshine help me focus and boost my mood.

Since the temperature usually increases around that time of year, I also love to go get ice cream after a hard day. There are some great ice cream shops close to campus, but I don’t have a preference. Ice

cream from anywhere after a day full of classes and homework is good to me!

Of course, there is also the academic holiday that many students dream of months in advance: spring break. It is a chance to take advantage of the warmer temperatures and relax before heading back to finish out the semester strong.

Since it’s much longer than fall break, I look forward to spring break more.

This year, sophomores will get to experience a full college spring break for the first time, as COVID-19 shortened it last year.

Possibly my favorite aspect of spring on UK’s campus is that walks to and from class are beautiful. The landscaping at UK allows students to experience the new growth and bright colors of spring while they’re traveling to their next classroom. I love seeing everything in bloom and stopping to say hello to the people working on landscaping.

There is nothing like the sweet smell of spring on campus as everything blooms and summer break inches closer by the day. Such a beautiful season helps me to finish the school year on a good note.

spring 2022 | 5

DeAndre Square:

Linebacker, audiophile, movie buff Story by Lindsey Davis

Thursday, February 3, 2022 UK linebacker DeAndre Square has “unfinished business” with the football program. That’s why he chose to return to Kentucky for a fifth season.

“I still have a lot of things to prove to NFL scouts, and I want the best opportunity for me,” Square said.

He said he didn’t want to say that the team needs him, but he does feel like he could be useful to help make more history in the program.

The Kentucky Wildcats rang in the new year with a 20-17 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. Square secured the win with an interception with 49 seconds on the clock.

In the third quarter, though, he was ruled out with a high ankle sprain. He had no intention of going back in the game due to his injury, but he still remained in good spirits on the sidelines and acted as a morale booster for the rest of the team.

However, his mindset changed within seconds when fellow teammate Marquan McCall grabbed him and said, “We need you.”

Square and McCall grew up together, so those words were even more meaningful, and he wasn’t going to let McCall down.

Something just clicked, and he knew he had to play through the pain, he said.

He described the game-saving interception as “a gift from God.” “That’s why I held the ball up like that. I was a little emotional afterwards,” he said. “I cried.

I wasn’t even supposed to be playing, but it was a very special moment.”

As far as his injury goes, he no longer has to wear a boot. He is able to walk, but not run, and he isn’t sure when he will be cleared to fully return.

To the left: STAFF FILE PHOTO DeAndre Square celebrates an interception during the UK vs. Toledo football game on Saturday, August 31, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky.

“I’ve been treating it daily, and it’s slowly progressing,” he said.

Square was first introduced to football at the age of six when he started throwing the ball with his father in the backyard. He started out playing quarterback but eventually transitioned to linebacker.

At 14, he received his first college offer from the University of Cincinnati.

“I didn’t even know what a scholarship was,” he said. “All of my friends were telling me to post the offer, but I didn’t even have Twitter at the time. I wasn’t playing to get scholarships. I was just playing for my love of the game.”

Square admitted that he was wary of UK at first because it was a “basketball school.” He originally decided to go to Wisconsin but changed his mind the day that he first toured UK. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with the school like I did, but I’ve been for the team ever since,” Square said.

Square is notorious for changing his jersey number frequently, but he has a fascinating ability to find meaning in numbers. He explained that he wanted the number five since his freshman year because it’s one of his favorite numbers, but he had to prove himself and was given the number 43, which earned him the nickname “43 Savage.” He followed this by showing the tattoo on his arm that read “Savage,” his mother’s maiden name.

Square thought he had proved himself by receiving the AllSEC honors his freshman year, but they offered him the number 17. He initially didn’t want the number, but then he gave it some more thought. “I was 43 the year before. Four minus three is one, four plus three is seven, and one and seven make 17. I thought maybe it was destiny that I was supposed to be 17,” Square said.

His junior year, he finally got number five and kept it for his senior year as well. Square said he isn’t sure if he will keep the same number for the next season.

“I’m kind of leaning towards

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky linebacker DeAndre Square (5) celebrates during the UK vs. South Carolina football game on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

going back to 43,” he said. “I hated the number my freshman year, and I don’t think I did it justice.”

A lot of athletes have a pregame ritual such as eating a specific meal, wearing a certain pair of socks or writing something meaningful on their athletic tape.

Square and his teammates like to go to the movie theater on Fridays as a way to unwind before games, and he always takes a shower the night before a game as well.

“I also like to dance. It gets me loose,” Square said. “ I like rap and all, but I really just like music that makes me happy.”

He often records himself dancing — whether it’s in the locker room, his bathroom or a hotel room — and posts it on his Snapchat story.

One of Square’s main goals for next season is taking care of his mental health. “I feel like I haven’t had a season where I was fully there mentally, and I hadn’t addressed it either,” he said.

“That’s something that I want to do better this year, because I feel like it will help my play. When I’m not together mentally, I start

questioning myself, and you can see it in my film.”

He also hopes to join the 300-Tackle Club this year with only 55 tackles to go.

In terms of life after UK, Square said that he wants to play professional football and provide for his family. He hasn't decided what he wants to do after football, but the possibilities seemed endless as he talked about his love for coaching, music and animals.

He has two dogs: a pitbull-labrador mix named Kilo and a Doberman named Miles.

Outside of football, Square considers himself a collector.

“My room is covered in posters, and I collect a lot of graphic tees.

I have some stuffed animals too; they all got names,” Square said.

He said he loves Marvel mov-

ies, Dr. Strange being his favorite superhero. He likes movies and TV shows that keep him guessing and challenge him intellectually.

From a young age, he had a fascination with history and said that if it wasn’t for football, he might be a history teacher.

Square had some words of advice for young athletes that look up to him: “Always do more.”

“Overachieving and getting better isn’t going to hurt you. You never know how much you could have done until, you know, you look back and realize you could have done more,” he said. “If you achieve one goal, you can do another one. If you’re already halfway there, you can finish it. Just keep going so you’re one step ahead and you’ll always be in the position to win.”

That’s why I held the ball up like that. I was a little emotional afterwards. I cried. I wasn’t even supposed to be playing, but it was a very special moment.

- DeAndre Square spring 2022 | 7

Thursday, February 3, 2022

opinions

The furry meteorologist

By Brooklyn Kelley opinions@kykernel.com

This February brings yet another year of anxiously awaiting Punxsutawney Phil’s wise counsel.

If Phil the groundhog sees his shadow when he emerges from his home in the ground on Groundhog Day, there will be six more weeks of winter to come. If he does not see his shadow, spring is on the way … or so the legend goes.

If you are someone who sits on the edge of your seat waiting to see if the beloved creature sees his shadow so you know whether to trade your snow boots for sandals, you might want to reconsider your source of weather predictions.

The National Centers for Environmental Information found that from 2010-2020, Punxsutawney Phil only had a 50% accuracy rate. Tell Phil not to quit his day job.

It’s clearly not his shockingly accurate predictions that keep him in stardom, but rather his charm and charisma that continuously attracts people to the event.

The good news is that Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, is the midway point between the spring equinox and the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, so even if you don’t like Phil’s prediction, you can rest easy knowing that spring is just around the corner, even if warm weather is not.

According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, the first time Groundhog Day was in the newspaper was in 1886 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, making this the 136th year of trusting Phil to be our weather guide.

There is so much about Groundhog Day to appreciate beyond knowing whether people should put their ice scrapers back in the depths of their glove boxes, and the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club knows that well. The club was established in 1887, sells Groundhog Day merchandise and provides information about this essential holiday.

Phil might live in the dirt, but he is a real celebrity.

According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, he has been on the Oprah Winfrey Show, had his prediction broadcasted on a JumboTron in Times Square and inspired the movie “Groundhog Day.” Talk about fame. If Punxsutawney Phil had an official Instagram, he would surely have a bigger following than Beyoncé.

So, why Phil the groundhog? Are platypuses just not as destined to be weathermen?

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The Almanac says that German immigrants brought their weather predicting traditions with them to America, but they originally used badgers back at home. Since they couldn’t find any badgers, they settled for a groundhog since it was close enough, hence the holiday coming to be called Groundhog Day. Thanks to the lack of badgers in the part of Pennsylvania to which the Germans moved, Phil caught his big break and became a star. Good thing he did, because he is exactly what America needed and still needs to this day. Weathermen just aren’t enough; Phil’s predictions are far better than any modern technology.

Despite his sometimes questionable accuracy, Punxsutawney Phil remains a chubby, cute creature that is understandably loved and cherished worldwide.

Graphic by Ryder Noah From

Thursday, February 3, 2022

sports

Kentucky looks to continue its wins on the road against Alabama

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Despite coming out on top 8062 in one of its biggest tests of the season, the tough games are far from behind the newly No. 5 Kentucky.

The Cats are set to duel the Alabama Crimson Tide (14-7) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, this Saturday, Feb. 5.

UK’s weekend matchup against the Tide has the potential to be one of the toughest remaining games on the schedule for this Kentucky team with re-invigorated national championship hopes.

Despite the Tide being unranked in the most recent AP Poll, checking in at No. 26 with 97 votes, they have some of the most notable wins of the season on their résumé.

These include a 91-82 win over current No. 2 Gonzaga in Seattle, an 83-82 win over now No. 6 Houston at home, a 73-68 win over then No. 14 Tennessee at home, a 70-67 win over then No. 13 LSU and most recently, an 87-78 upset win over then No. 4 Baylor in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

The total comes out to 5-1 against ranked opponents, with all five wins coming against top15 or better teams.

While that résumé alone is enough to strike fear into the hearts of opposing teams, the Tide have also picked up notable unranked wins such as an 80-71 win over Drake, a 96-64 win over Miami Florida and an 83-70 win over Florida in Gainesville.

While that is all impressive on its own, what makes Alabama a real wild card opponent is the teams they’ve lost to.

The Tide lost their first game of the season in November, falling 72-68 to Rick Pitino’s Iona Gaels. Since then, the team also dropped games to Memphis, Davidson, Missouri, Georgia, Mississippi State, and No. 1 Auburn.

Alabama’s season has been topsy-turvy to say the least.

While Kentucky has a notably disappointing 66-62 loss at Notre Dame, the Cats have remained mostly consistent in beating the teams they’re favored against, losing only to ranked SEC opponents since.

While they’ve struggled in several of their winning efforts, the Cats boast a 14-2 record in games in which freshman TyTy Washington Jr. and point guard Sahvir Wheeler both start and finish and a 17-4 record overall.

Kentucky’s biggest issue in the season thus far has been with injuries to key players, such as Washington and Wheeler. When the team is healthy, it has showcased its ability to perform to levels, such as what it demonstrated in its dismantling of the Jayhawks on Saturday.

Alabama’s issues this season are much more complicated than standard injury issues to key players.

The Tide’s offense is based on the 3-pointer. Alabama shoots close to 47% of its shots in any given game from beyond the arch, and while last season it was able to consistently score on a

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats guard Kellan Grady shoots a 3-point shot during the UK vs. Kansas basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.

high percentage of those shots, the scoring production has taken a hit this year with the team scoring just around a 31% clip from deep.

The 31% statistic has Alabama all the way down at 285th in the country in 3-point percentage.

Another factor to analyze about the Tide is the other half of their shots. The Tide shoot just over 57% from 2-point range, putting them sixth nationally, including going 22-28 from inside the arch in their win over Baylor.

Something working in Ken-

tucky’s favor is that the Wildcats are better than Alabama in one of the Tide’s strongest statistics: offensive rebounding. Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe is the leading rebounder in the nation, averaging 15 rebounds per game and helping the team to average 41 rebounds per game.

Alabama also struggles in defensive efficiency, averaging around 75 points allowed per game, while averaging 81 on the offensive side. On the contrary, Kentucky averages just around 64 points allowed per game while

averaging 82 points a night.

The Tide are no ordinary unranked team. The Wildcats will need to play to their potential if they hope to keep their spot in the top five.

Alabama basketball has seen its fair share of ups and downs this season, with high highs and low lows, and will certainly be on the hunt for another high against championship contender Kentucky.

Kentucky at Alabama is scheduled to tip-off at 8 p.m.

E.S.T. on Saturday, Feb. 5.

spring 2022 |9

Thursday, February 3, 2022

sports

Homework and hockey: Brett Quinn’s story

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

Brett Quinn is not a morning person.

Unfortunately, he often finds himself awake before sunrise, usually with a pair of ice skates on his feet and a stick in hand.

“We’re on the ice at 5:30 a.m.,” Quinn said. “To not be a morning person and to have to do that, it takes a different mindset to just be able to wake up and be able to go 100% in practice.”

Morning grogginess quickly evaporates as over 30 bodies pile into the Lexington Ice Center, inconveniently located in a below-average part of town, sandwiched between a Bible-themed putt-putt course and a Wing Zone.

Once inside, a rink takes center stage. The occasional dents in the dasher boards and paintchipped walls give the place some charm, if you can get past the musty, locker room scented aroma that pervades the air.

The Ice Center is the sole place that Lexingtonians can continually get their ice-skating fix year-round, assuming the building hasn’t caught on fire again, or another Zamboni hasn’t exploded.

“We all love to play there. It's our home,” Quinn said.

Quinn, like everyone else, wipes the crust from his eyes as he laces up his skates. A rigorous hour and a half of stickhandling, passing and shooting drills ensues.

After practice, a quick trip home to try and seize an extra

10 | kentucky kernel

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky players celebrate after scoring a goal during the UK vs. Louisville hockey game on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, at Lexington Ice Center in Lexington, Kentucky.

ounce of sleep passes the time, as a full day of classes awaits.

Thus is the lavish life of a Kentucky hockey player.

Glen Ellyn, Illinois, just 24 miles from downtown Chicago, is the hometown for Quinn, as well as the birthplace of his love for hockey.

Since the age of two, a hockey stick and puck have often accompanied the now sophomore Quinn, something he credits his grandfather for.

“He was a big coach and player, so it kind of started from him,” he recalled. “Based on that I just never stopped, and I've continued to love it more and more ever

since.”

From junior leagues to travel teams, Quinn has experienced about every level of hockey that exists. That is, until he got to Lexington.

UK hockey is home to “Midnight Mayhem.” Every home game for the Wildcats sees the puck drop at midnight, often in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd.

A couple-hundred tired yet wired fans pack out the Ice Center at every opportunity, creating a boisterous ambiance that is unrivaled by any UK Athletics event.

For those wondering how the

university works with its hockey team that operates in the wee hours of the night, they don’t.

The team is recognized as a club sport, meaning they are not organized, operated or funded by the school.

Despite this, the team has zero trouble garnering the support of students, the backbone of the fanbase, something Quinn and his teammates witness every game night.

“We saw that with Louisville, us players got to the rink just before 9:30 p.m. and there were probably 150, 200 people already there in line waiting to get in,” he said. “It just kind of shows

that people care about games and what we do, even though it is a club sport here.”

Quinn would not be able to experience the loud crowds and midnight puck drop his freshman year, however.

Arriving in Lexington in 2020, his Wildcat debut would be brought to a halt, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over a year would pass until Quinn would get his chance to take to the ice in a game for Kentucky, as the Cats opened their season on Sept. 10 against rival Tennessee.

“To skate out against Tennessee in that first weekend, to come around the net and look at the fanbase that we have, and how everyone was really excited to be there was really an awesome feeling,” Quinn said.

Fast forward over four months and Quinn is fully immersed in the life of a student athlete.

Between practice, games, hitting the gym, attending class and staying ahead on classwork, Quinn’s off-kilter schedule isn’t one focused on rest and relaxation.

To cushion the blow of 5:30 a.m. practices, he adjusted his class schedule this semester to later in the day, so he can recuperate and catch some extra shuteye when possible.

“It’s definitely different, but I'm not really too opposed to it,” Quinn said. “I guess it's something that all the players have to start to buy into and love it more and more.”

See QUINN on page 12

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Across the (By)Line: Alabama Crimson Tide

By Hunter Shelton sports@kykernel.com

The “Across the (By) Line” series will give Kentucky basketball fans an in-depth look at their opponent for this week — from the mind of the opposing school’s sports editor.

This week: Austin Hannon, The Crimson White, University of Alabama What do you make of Alabama’s up and down season thus far?

Hannon: It really has been a mystery so far. Nate Oats said if he had an explanation for why we beat Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, Tennessee, Florida, all these teams that are pretty good on schedule, then you lose to Georgia, Missouri … a couple others like that, he said he doesn’t really have an explanation, other than obviously the team is playing to its competition, up and down. Oats also thinks that they might be selective with the effort that they give on a nightly basis, depending on who they’re playing. It has really been confusing though, for sure.

How do you see Alabama trying to handle Oscar Tshiebwe down low on Saturday?

Hannon: Any guy like [Tshiebwe] is a huge problem for Alabama. He is only 6-foot-9 but he’s solid rock; he is a strong, physical body in there. Let’s be honest, he’s not the most talented basketball player ever, but he gives so much effort, and it shows in his stat line every night. Alabama has Charles Bediako down there, who normally plays the five. He hasn’t really filled in his body, he’s 7-foot-1 but I think he weighs 220, so that’s not a great matchup. I think Juwon Gary, who’s kind of a similar body form as Oscar is, if he can stay out of foul trouble and stay in the game he could help. Oscar’s gonna get his rebounds, most likely going to get at least 10 every game, but if you can limit him to not getting 20, 25, 28 [rebounds], you may have a chance.

Does this game feel like a must-win for Alabama?

Hannon: I don’t think it’s a must-win because I think Alabama has put together a pretty good résumé already. But, since they got screwed over into having to play Kentucky twice, knowing that they’re going to have to go to Rupp Arena, I think kind of like the Auburn game last time, Alabama plays them twice this year, it would have

sports

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Kentucky Wildcats forward Keion Brooks Jr. (12) shoots the ball as he is fouled during the UK vs. Kansas basketball game on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kansas.

been nice to win the home matchup, so I think that applies. I don’t think it’s a must-win in terms of the season as a whole.

To you, what is the most intriguing matchup between the two teams? Is it TyTy Washington versus Jaden Shackelford?

Hannon: I think the guard matchups should be really fun. Jahvon Quinerly and Jaden Shackel-

ford have been getting it going here recently again, and you mentioned TyTy Washington. You’ve got Sahvir Wheeler from Georgia, who’s been pretty good for UK this year, so I think there's a lot of experience in a couple of those guys and some of them are pretty young, so it should be exciting to see them go at it.

What does Alabama need to do to win in

your eyes? What is your score prediction?

Hannon: I think it comes down to effort, completely. Because we know this Alabama team has so much talent and they can beat the big dogs, they can beat the big teams, we’ve seen it, they beat the national champions [Baylor] on Saturday and led basically the whole way. They went into Seattle and beat

Gonzaga, this is a team that can win big games and they’ve shown that. I just think, they have to bring it, the crowd has to bring it, its got to be a good environment. If all that goes well I think Alabama could absolutely beat Kentucky on their home floor, they just have to bring the good Alabama to the game. Personally, I think there’s a good chance that they get it done, I'm going to say Alabama wins 81-76.

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Thursday, February 3, 2022

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QUINN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Sometimes Quinn is even surprised at the effort he exerts into his hockey and schooling.

“I'm not sure I would've believed the amount of time and work that we do put in for it,” he said. “I definitely would’ve seen myself at least playing, but in order to take as much time as we do, and to still go to all of our classes ... I mean, like we said, this is a club sport here.

None of us are expecting to go professional.”

The stereotype of student athletes not having to attend their classes is, unsurprisingly, one that does not apply to club hockey players in Lexington, Kentucky.

Quinn knows that he is not at UK to make it to the NHL; school is important to him.

“It's kind of how we're expected to make our living for the next 30 to 40 years. So, it's not something we really slack on at all,” he said.

That living for Quinn is going to be somewhere in the finance world, at least that’s the plan.

After this semester, he intends on applying to the upper division of finance in the Gatton College of Business, with the intention of eventually completing the four-plus-one MBA program in the college.

The quaint confines of the Gatton

12 | kentucky kernel

B and E building is often considered homebase for Quinn as he maneuvers through school on the weekdays.

Come Friday and Saturday nights, however, he trades in his Excel sheets and account statements for saucer passes and slap shots.

Kentucky currently sits in third place in the South division of the Tri-State Collegiate Hockey League with four games to go in the regular season.

The end of the season will see eight teams advance to a league tournament, with the winner of the tournament earning an automatic bid to the ACHA Division II Southeast Regional tournament held in late February.

Four teams from the regional tournament will qualify for the ACHA Division II National Tournament for a chance at a national championship.

While the Cats have come close in the past, they have never qualified for the National Tournament, something Quinn would like to change during his time in Lexington.

“That has never been done before, and I think that's something that with the recruiting class that we keep getting in every year, it’s something that we can do in the next couple of years,” he said.

Kentucky’s final home game of the season is set for Feb. 12 against the Michigan Wolverines, leading into the playoffs that begin just six days after on Feb. 18, where Quinn and the rest of the team will attempt to make UK hockey history.

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