Kentucky Kernel: April 13, 2023

‘Please do something.’ Louisville community holds vigil for victims of mass shooting

By Alexis Baker news@kykernel.com

Members of the Louisville, Kentucky, community gathered for a vigil on Wednesday, April 12, at the Muhammad Ali Center to grieve the lives lost in a mass shooting earlier this week.

According to the Courier-Journal, a man opened fire at around 8:30 a.m. inside Old National Bank, resulting in the deaths of six people, including the 25-year-old shooter, Connor Sturgeon, and injuries to several others.

The Courier-Journal said that the Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) responded within about three minutes, and it took about nine minutes in total for officers to kill Sturgeon, an employee of the bank, after they arrived.

The city organized the vigil consisting of 13 speakers who reflected on the lost lives, gun restriction and heroic actions of the first responders in the midst of the shooting.

Attendees of all ages, alongside prominent members of Kentucky and the City of Louisville, filled the stone seating and surrounding standing room outside the Ali Center.

Muhammad Babar, a community leader, received a standing ovation from the audience as he called the leaders of the nation to act on gun control.

“Today I just want to plead you all and the leaders of our great nation that it does not matter whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, whether you live in other places or communities, whether you own a gun or not, please do something, because we all just want this epidemic of death to end,” Babar said.

Emotions were also high in the crowd, especially for those who had personal connections to the victims of

the shooting.

When Governor Andy Beshear addressed the crowd he said, “I lost one of my best friends on Monday.”

Beshear said that others survived, including friends of his, because the LMPD got there in about three minutes.

“By now, if you can, and I struggled, maybe watch that bodycam footage that shows these heroes rushing directly in without pause, without regards to their own safety because they knew lives were on the line. Heroes like LMPD officer Nickolas Wilt who is fighting for his very life … Officers like CJ Galloway who after being hit himself stayed until the en-

tire scene was secure,” Beshear said. Babs Clark, 68, worked in the banking industry with one of the victims, James Tutt.

Clark said that she remembers Tutt as a caring, compassionate person.

“He loved his job, he loved his family. It just hurts to know that his life and so many others was cut short,” Clark said. “He was this close to retirement when he could have stopped and smelled the roses, spent time with his beloved family and his grandkids, and he will never get the opportunity to do that. It’s just sad.”

Shannon Motley, 53, a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense

in America, said she lost her son to gun violence 10 years ago, and still asks herself, “Why, why, why” when she sees another mother has to go through what she did.

According to the organization’s website, “Moms Demand Action is a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.”

“We’re trying to get rid of the guns; we’re trying to make sure that we’re here to support not just the ones (that are) lost but the ones (that have) got to still deal with it,” Motley said.

ABBEY CUTRER| STAFF

People bow their heads in prayer during the community vigil honoring the victims of the Louisville mass shooting on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Muhammad Ali Center plaza in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky Lantern photo by Abbey Cutrer.

UK students share perspectives on deadly Louisville shooting

By Casey Sebastiano news@kykernel.com

Students weighed in on the shooting that occurred at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, this morning leaving at least four people dead and nine injured.

According to WLKY, a Louisville news station, 13 people were shot before the gunman, identified as Connor Sturgeon, died at the scene after exchanging fire with police.

Louisville is approximately a one hour drive from Lexington.

“I already have a fear of being in a mass shooting, just because they’re so common. So it being that close definitely makes me more fearful,” Meg Pangborn, a junior at UK, said. “I’m from the Detroit, Michigan area and there was a school shooting last year, so it’s happening in all these areas I’m around.”

One student said that they did not know there was a shooting.

“It really bugs me that I didn’t even know about it, especially with it being an hour away,” Erin Hubbard, a junior at UK, said. “It’s really quite difficult, because there’s a part of me that is initially shocked and wants to be devastated, but there’s another part of me that is not surprised.”

This shooting marks the 146th mass shooting of 2023 so far, according to the gun violence archives website.

“I feel like all news is now is shootings here, shootings there. I feel like they keep getting closer and closer to people I know and myself. I feel helpless, I feel like there’s nothing I can do to help stop it,” freshman Kimberlee Helton said.

Some students said they have

thought about how to act in a scenario where their lives are put in danger due to gun violence.

Hubbard said the shooting’s close proximity was concerning, calling it “jarring.”

“It makes me start to wonder if there is anything I should be doing to protect myself if it does get here, or if something were to happen here,” Hubbard said.

Every student interviewed gave similar input on the gun laws that are in place in the United States, but more specifically Kentucky.

Helton said that because people cannot use an automatic rifle for hunting, “there’s no reasonable explanation for why someone should have such a high powered gun.”

Pangborn agreed, saying she blieves gun reform is needed to prevent shootings like this one from happening.

“That’s kind of why we’re in the boat we’re in right now,” she said. “I think it’s definitely very possible for a shooting to happen in Lexington, and honestly I feel like it’s inevitable. It’s just a matter of when it’s gonna be.”

Rayleigh Deaton, editor-in-chief editor@kykernel.com

Hannah Stanley, managing editor

Gray Greenwell, copy editor Kendall Staton, news editor news@kykernel.com

Cole Parke, sports editor sports@kykernel.com

Samantha Money & Ali Cetinok, asst. sports editors

Karrington Garland, opinions editor opinions@kykernel.com

Gray Greenwell, features editor features@kykernel.com

Jack Weaver, photo editor photo@kykernel.com

Abbey Cutrer, asst. photo editor

Akhila Nadimpalli, lead designer Allie Hall, asst. designer

Kendall Staton, newletter coordinator

Gracie Moore, Twitter manager Savannah Kennedy, Instagram/Facebook manager Raven Rolle, TikTok manager

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ABBEY CUTRER| STAFF

Flowers rest on steps at a memorial for the Louisville mass shooting that happened earlier this week on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Old National Bank in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky

Lantern photo by Abbey Cutrer.

ABBEY CUTRER| STAFF

Interim Chief at the Louisville Metro Police Department, Jackie Gwinn-Villaroel, hugs a woman wearing a Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America shirt during the community vigil honoring the victims of the Louisville mass shooting on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the Muhammad Ali Center plaza in Louisville, Kentucky. Kentucky Lantern photo by Abbey Cutrer.

Screaming goodbye to the Kentucky Kernel

By Kendall Staton opinions@kykernel.com

I first realized my words were not always welcomed in August of my eighth grade year.

The boy who sat next to me in my first class of the day asked me to speak only so he could use my words against me.

My feet became frozen on the floor as I realized my words would not always be wanted, even if they were asked for.

To make things easier on myself, I decided if I did not speak, I could not be criticized.

That day changed a piece of my brain. That day made me quiet.

A few years after I left my voice in that eighth grade classroom, I found an early college program I wanted to attend.

It was all I could think about. I started counting down 389 days before applications opened.

I was 16, and my brain practically exploded as I moved into my first college dorm. I could finally scream at the top of my lungs, and no one could stop me.

Except they did.

As I walked in the doors of my new school, no one handed me a megaphone and asked what I had to say.

I was a 16-year-old girl expecting to be met with open arms and listening ears. Imagine my surprise when I was instead greeted by 16-year-old boys.

They dragged me to the ground, stepped on my neck and told me not to make a sound. So, I listened.

Two more years of silence, and I was ready to run out the door. I was tired of the shoes crushing my vocal cords.

I graduated from the two year program and set out to finish my bachelor’s degree.

The taste I had of college left a bitter tinge in my mouth, and I didn’t want to continue.

I spent my first semester at the University of Kentucky totally lost. I don’t remember most of it because it was pretty quiet.

During my second semester, I decided to make a change. Or, more accurately, I got stuck doing a required class assignment that I couldn’t talk my way out of.

My professor told me I had to get an article published. No one in their right mind would publish a news article written by a student who had only taken one and a half journalism classes.

As the time ticked by, my options became limited. My professor recommended the Kernel, and I practically dragged myself to my first meeting.

One lonesome voice greeted me as I entered that stuffy room in McVey Hall, 20 minutes earlier than I was

supposed to.

“Hey, friend!” a voice called out.

I think she’s talking to me?

My voice quiet, my throat sore and my brain wary, I greeted her back and took a seat at the table.

I had a seat at the table.

At my first Kernel meeting, four different people spoke to me in less than an hour. Each time I responded, they listened to what I had to say.

With every word, my voice raised in volume. It became more steady. I became more sure.

I was met with open arms and listening ears. I was met with friends.

The pressure on my throat slowly subsided, as I reintroduced my voice to the quiet air in that janky room.

The people at that table shoved a microphone in my hand and demanded that I speak.

In McVey Hall, I learned how to use my voice again.

Over the course of about a year, I have heard the inner workings of the Kernel newsroom from a variety of standpoints.

Reporter, staff reporter, assistant opinions editor, opinions editor, assistant news editor and finally — begrudgingly — news editor.

I have heard every corner of this newsroom. More importantly, this newsroom has heard me.

I entered college as a scared 16-yearold kid who thought she would never speak above a whisper.

I am leaving this newsroom as a scared 19-year-old kid who hasn’t stopped screaming in 15 months.

I will keep being a friend. I will keep making noise. I will keep screaming.

I will keep being a Kernelite, even after my voice stops bouncing off the newsroom walls.

CARTER SKAGGS| STAFF

Kentucky Kernel News Editor and senior Kendall Staton poses for a portrait on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at the Gatton Student Center in Lexington, Kentucky.

Reminiscing and reflecting during Ramadan

By Rana Alsoufi opinions@kykernel.com

It has been just about three weeks since the start of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar, and there is much that I have learned about myself in that time.

For most Muslims, Ramadan is not just about fasting throughout the day for 30 days straight, although that is a large part of the month; it’s primarily about strengthening your connection with your faith and growing closer to your community through acts of service and kindness, which is something that I have always found so beautiful about the month.

For me, I’ve always felt closest with my faith and my community during the month of Ramadan.

I feel that though my relationship with my religion is different than what it may look like amongst other Muslims my age, each year when Ramadan rolls around, I try to connect as much as I can with others in my community and also with myself.

I talk to other Muslim friends at UK, I watch the videos that my lovely mother sends to me about what to take away from this holy month, and I feel peaceful.

Still, celebrating Ramadan as a college student away from home during the majority of the month is difficult at times for a number of reasons.

For one, it’s hard fasting for an entire day only to break my fast during iftar (the meal you eat after sunset) at the dining hall each night, especially when the food options are incredibly limited and lack any sort of variation.

Granted, there are nights where

I’ll eat with friends, and sometimes we’ll go out to nice restaurants, too. But when your fondest memories of Ramadan include elaborate and intimate dinners with your immediate and extended family, the table covered with your favorite Syrian dishes and your cousins and aunts and uncles all around you, it’s difficult not to feel sad and reminiscent of those times.

What I’ve learned, though, is that you need to cherish the things that make life good and worth living even through change, and believe me, a lot has changed since the first Ramadan I remember celebrating.

I still get to have iftar with my family every once in a while when I drive home to Louisville, where I get to feast

on shawarma and lentil soup and kibbeh and all my other favorite foods from back home.

Even when I’m not at home, though, my friends here in Lexington and the Islamic community here at UK are enough to make me feel like I’m not alone. I know I can turn to the Muslim Student Association here on campus if I need support, and my friends — both Muslim and non-Muslim — have shown so much compassion these past couple of weeks, and I’m grateful to have that kind of support system available to me.

Besides, a Chipotle bowl to break my fast at the end of the day gets the job done well enough for me.

Fasting is always challenging, and I’m constantly reminded of it when my non-Muslim friends react in shock and

wonder when I tell them, “No, I can’t even drink water,” and, “Yes, sunset is indeed quite late this time of year.”

“That’s crazy, Rana. I don’t know how you do it. I could never go that long without eating or drinking. You’re so strong.”

I always found these comments funny and sort of endearing, but also that I was somewhat undeserving of them. For a long time, I felt that my non-Muslim peers made me sound stronger than I really am — me not eating or drinking for an entire day can’t possibly be an act of strength when I’m constantly expressing my struggles and how hungry and thirsty I am throughout the day.

It took some time for me to come to the realization that, actually, my discipline and endurance while fasting during Ramadan is a testament to my mental and spiritual strength.

If you’re a Muslim college student reading this, do me a favor: don’t sell yourself short for all that you’re accomplishing this month. Remember that you are extremely strong for dedicating yourself to your own self-improvement and faith; I only aspire to have that kind of perseverance throughout the entire year.

These final 10 days of Ramadan are the most important of this holy month. Eid-al-Fitr will mark the end of Ramadan and the revealing of the new moon, and there’s a lot to be grateful for. I think what I’m most grateful for this year is the love and support that my friends have shown me during this time. Thank you for accompanying me during iftars, for being so excited to learn more about Ramadan, and for encouraging me throughout this entire month so far. Ramadan kareem and eid mubarak!

TRAVIS FANNON | STAFF

Rana Alsoufi eats dinner after sundown while fasting for Ramadan on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at the University of Kentucky Champions Kitchen in Lexington, Kentucky.

‘A world class racetrack.’ Spectators pack the grandstand for Keeneland’s opening day

By Bryce Towle news@kykernel.com

Racing fans gathered for opening day of Keeneland, a local horse racetrack on Friday, April 7.

The event brings in spectators of all ages, some attending since their younger years.

Local attendee Thomas Kindler said he has been coming to Keeneland since around 1971 and describes Keeneland as “a world class racetrack” that is “rich in history and tradition.”

“I lived here for many years before I ever came to Keeneland, and once I did I was hooked,” Kindler said. “Then I had a friend teach me how to read the racing forms, and then I was really in trouble.”

The Keeneland racetrack offers sports betting, playing a heavy role in some spectators’ experience, like attendee Rick Bailey.

“It’s a great place to be. You can throw away money somewhere else but hey, you can come here and make money,” Bailey said.

Bailey also considers himself to be what some might call a “big better,” attending every day and betting high on jockeys and the odds of the race.

Attendee Michael Stone gave a breakdown on the Lafayette Stakes before post.

“You have Corona Bold, his beyer speed figures are tremendous. He had a 93 beyer speed figure at Oakland Park, and came in six in the southwest. He’s going to be one of the contenders as well. And finally you’re gonna have the California shipper Hijazi by Bob Baffert. He had probably the best beyer

speed figures,” Stone said.

Other attendees were willing to share their knowledge and love for the sport, looking beyond just the races at Keeneland.

“Tapit Trice, the big gray horse for Todd Pletcher … he’s one of the top Kentucky Derby prospects as we sit here in the final weeks of derby preps,” owner of RacingDudes.com Jared Welch said.

The next day Tapit Trice and jockey Lius Saez proved Welch right as the pair went on to win the Bluegrass Stakes. They ran the 1 ⅛ mile track in 1:50.00, after overtaking Verifying near the finish, according to BloodHorse.com.

Outside the lens of horse racing and betting, some, like attendee Armando Rivera, come to the races for a much deeper reason.

Rivera is a part of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), a “public charity that provides financial assistance to 60 former jockeys” after experiencing on-track injuries, according to the PDJF website.

“I broke my back racing horses in 1979, and it’s something I wanted to give back to horse racing,” Rivera said.

He is also an ambassador for the yearly “Jockeys and Jeans” fundraising event that invites all famed jockeys to come together and raise money

for permanently disabled jockeys.

Rivera donated two PDJF caps to the winning jockeys of races three and four. He also donated two boots, signed by many famous jockeys in the PDJF and the Sam Thompson Memorial Foundation.

“I’ve been paralyzed, for I don’t know how long, I forgot already, but it’s about 40 something years,” Riviera said. “I like to share awareness on staying in condition, because without your health, you aint got nothing.”

The Keeneland season will come to an end on Saturday, April 29, shortly followed by the start of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 6, in Louisville.

OLIVIA HALL| STAFF

Horses exercise on the main track during morning training on the opening day of the Spring Meet on Friday, April 7, 2023, at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.

ABBEY CUTRER| STAFF Tanner Knight hammers a horse shoe during morning training.

CARTER SKAGGS| STAFF

A stable worker interacts with his horse while it gets a bath during morning training.

CARTER SKAGGS| STAFF

A rider and his horse make their way to the main track during morning training.

Why I love the UK honors college (and you might too)

By Luke Schlake opinions@kykernel.com

People don’t really “love” institutions anymore, and if loving an institution is out-ofstyle, complaining about one is equally in-style. And I get it.

There is a group of students that is less-than-enamored with the honors college. The usual culprits tend to be attendance at a lackluster speaker event or the scheduling difficulties with honors classes (heads up guys — there’s a senior thesis).

For my part, I’m still waiting for a ping pong table in the Lewis Lounge, but ultimately, I’m convinced the experience is totally worth it.

While the Lewis Honors College may have its weak spots, it has one particularly incredible quality: the people.

The college attracts and connects some of the most fascinating people on campus. It functions as a giant social intersection for smart, curious students of every major. That means that some of the best inter-departmental relationships are formed there.

I’m a second-semester senior and looking back, an uncannily high proportion of my closest friendships started as honors college connections. The cross-campus connections formed in the college alone make it worth loving.

But it also includes profes-

sors. The quality of faculty — and their willingness to form personal connections with students — is superb.

My closest faculty relationships were formed in the Honors college: Dr. Rebecca Howell taught me to critically argue, Dr. Ryan Voogt taught me how to navigate big life decisions and Dr. Daniel Kirchner taught me how to write well.

That’s not to mention the time I’ve spent with Dr. Eric Welch, Dr. Kenton Sena or Dr. Kondwani Phwandaphwanda

(if you haven’t met any three of these gentlemen, you’re missing out). And sure, maybe a weird number of the Lewis faculty are obsessed with studying trees.

But that’s part of the point. They are nuanced, real and thoughtful professors who care a lot about their students. I can’t help but be incredibly grateful.

If you disagree with my claim, then I have a recommendation: Suspend your disbelief for a moment and try to

find something meaningful in the experience.

If you have yet to find a quality friend, a quality professor or a quality advisor in the honors college, I promise you, they are out there. Go to office hours. Go to a Lewis event. Talk to a stranger in the lounge. (And if you’re not yet a part of the Honors college, consider applying!)

Is the honors college perfect? Um, no. Not at all. But you can’t wait to love something until it’s perfect. In fact,

if you wait to love something until it’s perfect, you’ve missed the point of love.

Institutions are made of people, and people are flawed. But people are also brilliant, fascinating and make the whole experience of college worth doing.

I’m convinced the experience is what you make of it, and that can be a heck of a lot.

So yeah, I’ll admit it: I love the honors college. And if you give it a chance, you might too.

JACK WEAVER | STAFF Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021, in Lexington, Kentucky.

By Laurel Swanz features@kykernel.com

Alex Elswick got his wisdom teeth removed when he was 18.

Before he knew it, he was addicted to opioids.

“I was prescribed oxycodone and long story short, addiction took me all the bad places it takes people,” : Elswick said.

Luckily, Elswick had access to resources and support to guide him through recovery. The same cannot be said for many people suffering from drug addiction.

That’s where Elswick got the idea for Voices of Hope, the non-profit recovery community center he opened in Lexington with his mother Shelly Elswick and fellow addiction recovery and awareness advocate Amanda Fallin-Bennett in 2016.

“I had access to lots of different forms of help, from not just different forms of treatment but also housing, education and employment,” Elswick said. “So Voices of Hope was really built on the back of that experience as a way to try to recreate it for people, to kind of level the playing field.”

Voices of Hope offers coaching services, phone check-ups, overdose response training, employment and housing resources for people in any addiction stage as well as support for friends and family.

Paving pathways to recovery at Voices of Hope

Everyone employed by Voices of Hope is in recovery or has been impacted by addiction in some way, so they understand what participants are going through.

“We support all pathways to recovery,” Elswick said. “You decide what that looks like to you and what your goals are.”

Voices of Hope believes in a harm-reduction approach, meaning they strive to minimize harm of drug use in the lives of those suffering from addiction.

This includes helping people get connected with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs), changing people’s route of administration or type of drug to be less harmful and offering lifestyle and relationship advice to improve overall wellness and in turn reduce drug use.

This differs from traditional rehabilitation centers, which focus on an abstinence-based approach to recovery.

“What we focus on first is connecting with people (and) meeting needs,” Elswick said. “Then our recovery coaches use that lived experience to connect with people. There is a long list of ways that we can help you without demanding that you be abstinent.”

Jimmy Chadwell started off as a recovery coach for Voices of Hope in November 2020 after recovering from 10 years of active use.

“Once I got into recovery I realized that I really enjoyed recovery and volunteer service and I realized that I would like to work in recovery,” Chadwell said.

Since then, he has worked his way up to program manager for Voices of Hope, supervising a study overseeing eight Kentucky counties that works to reduce opioid overdose deaths by linking individuals to MOUDs.

“I’m just really grateful to have this opportunity,” Chadwell said. “You know, four or

five years ago I couldn’t hardly get out of bed without having to use some kind of drug and I don’t have to do that anymore.”

Now, Elswick works at the University of Kentucky as an assistant extension professor for substance use prevention and recovery.

Voices of Hope often collaborates with UK and other organizations throughout Kentucky to spread awareness and destigmatize addiction.

With two locations in Lexington, Voices of Hope has

grown from five employees to over 100, with no plans to stop any time soon.

Elswick said he strives to provide people suffering from addiction with his organization’s namesake: hope.

“What’s the one thing that you can pass on to everyone, every time you engage with them? It’s it’s hope,” Elswick said. “It’s the most important thing for our participants to have. Because if you don’t have hope, you really don’t have what you need.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY VOICES OF HOPE COFOUNDER ALEXANDER ELSWICK Voices of Hope team members stand in their mobile engagement unit.

Unbridled community: UK Eventing team gallops toward success

By Natalia Garcia features@kykernel.com

The Bluegrass region is at the heart of the equine industry. With world-renowned thoroughbred auctions and tracks, there is never a lack of equine activities to enjoy.

While horse racing may be at the forefront of these activities, there is one event that truly highlights everything that Lexington’s horses and riders are capable of: eventing.

Commonly referred to as an equestrian triathlon, eventing is an equestrian event consisting of three components: dressage, cross-country and show jumping. Originating as a cavalry test, eventing first became an Olympic sport in 1912. According to the United States Equestrian Federation, “eventing tests horse and rider pairs more completely than any other discipline.”

Dressage is the first of the three components and tests the horse and rider’s accuracy by having the pair follow a combination of moves on flat land. Cross-country is the second component, which tests the speed and endurance of the horse over varied terrain with a series of jumps over solid obstacles. Show jumping is the

last component, which tests the horse’s precision by having the pair clear jumps over fences that are easily knocked down.

At the University of Kentucky, the already-demand-

ing sport of eventing is taken to a whole new level of difficulty as students work to find a balance between school and eventing.

“We’re all full time students and also managing

ing team. “The time management of it is really hard, kind of knowing that when you bring a horse, you’re gonna have to give up either a little bit of sleep or a little bit of your social life.”

Time management is just one of the obstacles the team faces. Warner said because the team is a club sport, it also faces a lack of funding and recognition from UK.

“We do all of our own fundraising, and we try to work really, really hard so that we can make it as accessible as possible to the people that maybe can’t afford the extra show a month,” Warner said. “We don’t get a ton of recognition from UK and we’ve asked the question to a bunch of our members like ‘How many of you guys came to UK for the eventing team?’ and like 75% of the team raises their hands, so not getting recognition is difficult.”

having a horse that is competing or, if not competing, still needs full time care and exercise and attention,” said Hannah Warner, a senior business major and the president of the UK club event-

According to Isabel McSwain, a senior integrated strategic communication major and the eventing team’s social media manager, the team is the only collegiate team in the nation to have broken into the hundreds for members and is larger than the rest of the collegiate-level teams by about 50 members.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE USEA

UK Eventing team President Hannah Warner jumps over a table during the cross country phase of eventing at the 2021 Intercollegiate National Championships.

“It’s hard to be as big as we are, and we want to give our members everything that we can but we’re self-funded,” Warner said.

Although self-funding has its difficulties, there are some benefits as well. Because the team doesn’t get any monetary support from UK, they are able to choose where to practice, train and keep their horses. This leniency allows for members to choose the barn and coach that works best for them, which more properly sets each member up for success, Warner said.

Being a club sport also makes the team more inclusive and allows for more social opportunities, McSwain said.

While the team has won multiple individual and team awards, the greatest reward for Warner and McSwain has been the community they’ve found within the team.

“It’s made my college experience. I’ve made so many friends through the eventing team, and it’s literally been like the reason that I’ve loved Kentucky so much and love, love UK and love Lexington … being on a team has given me that sense of community with 115 people that are also doing the college thing and the horse thing,” Warner said.

McSwain also spoke to the sense of community that accompanies being on the team.

“(At) these events competing as a team, there’s really just nothing like it,” McSwain said. “It’s such

a sense of community because everyone’s out there. If they’re not riding they’re out there cheering for you. You’ll come across the finish flags and you’ll have probably like 20 people just sitting there screaming and cheering for you and cheering you on … when we compete as a team, it just gives such a community and there’s such an atmosphere to it.”

Although the community within the team provides a great social aspect to the sport, rest assured the competitive aspect is just as important to the team.

The team placed first at the 2021 United States Eventing Association (USEA) Intercollegiate Championships and hopes to reclaim their title at this year’s championships. The 2023 USEA Intercollegiate Championships will take place in Mill Spring, North Carolina from May 26-28.

Warner and McSwain, who have both been members of the team for the past four years, recalled some of their favorite memories, most of which occurred at the USEA Intercollegiate Championships.

McSwain fondly remembers having members

spread out all across the cross-country course cheering for teammates before running back to the finish line to cheer them on further. The team even got recognized by USEA for cheering for everyone, she said.

One of Warner’s favorite memories happened at last year’s championships when she watched a group of friends slowly come out of their shells throughout the weekend. Originally keeping to themselves, the group was cheering for everybody and had gotten really involved with the team by the end of the weekend, Warner said.

“It’s just the most fun weekend. Everybody is so excited to be there. I literally have goosebumps from talking about it,” Warner said. “We’ve all worked so hard to fundraise to get there. The stalls are decorated. We’re all decked out head to toe in UK blue.”

Although the eventing team may face many obstacles (both literally and figuratively), its members are still proud to be part of the team and represent the school.

“It’s been really fun to be able to represent my school through the intercollegiate eventing program,” Warner said.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE USEA

The University of Kentucky Wildcats team win the 2021 Intercollegiate National Championship.

COLUMN: Is Kentucky softball simply middle of the pack in the SEC?

By Cole Parke sports@kykernel.com

Kentucky softball will take on a pivotal three-game series against No. 6 Tennessee at home this weekend.

While Kentucky, currently ranked No. 16 in the nation, has as good of a chance as any to get the series win against the Vols, especially in Lexington, it arguably has an even higher chance of being handily defeated by Tennessee.

In fact, against opponents currently ranked within the top 25, Kentucky holds a 3-8-1 record, having lost eight of its last 10 games against ranked opponents.

Looking at the SEC alone, Kentucky has played four conference series, holding a 7-5 record, which drops to 2-4 against ranked conference opponents.

The figures are especially concerning for a team that, just weeks prior, had been ranked No. 11 in the country, just narrowly missing out on the top 10. It’s hard to picture the Cats belonging in the top 10 this season, considering the team is currently 1-5-1 against current top 10 teams.

Now, it may be hasty to say a team currently just outside the top 15 in the

country is merely average, but the results speak for themselves.

While obvious to many that No. 1 Oklahoma is in a league of its own, currently on a run of form that may very well go down as the greatest in collegiate softball history, it doesn’t make the fact that Kentucky was obliterated 18-0 any better. The Cats did have a better performance in a second game against Oklahoma, but “better” was still a 7-1 loss.

It’s also worth noting that, entering the first game against Oklahoma, Kentucky was already on a twogame losing streak against currently ranked opponents, suffering a 6-3 loss to No. 2

UCLA and a 9-3 loss against No. 20 Northwestern. Finally entering conference play on March 10, fans may have taken a sigh of relief when UK swept then No. 23 Missouri by a combined 16-0.

That sigh of relief is likely long gone now, though, with Missouri being unranked and 3-12 in conference play (24-18 overall).

The Wildcats took care of business in its next three games, defeating Saint Louis (which is now 15-22 overall) 6-3, DePaul (which currently stands at 12-21) 11-3 and defeated Michigan (which is currently 20-15) 2-1, not exactly setting the world on fire.

Entering its second SEC series of the year, Kentucky was punched in the mouth by Texas A&M.

Despite going up 5-0 after one inning and holding a five-run lead with two innings left to play, the Wildcats were outscored 8-2 in innings six and seven to suffer a 14-13 loss.

Seemingly dazed from blowing such a lead, Kentucky was blitzed in game two of the double header against the Aggies 10-0 in five innings.

While Kentucky managed to record a 10-2 win in game three, the double header was very telling and very worrying.

Kentucky seemed to bounce back with a 7-4 win over a Louisville team that had been receiving votes for the top 25, but it would be for naught as the Cats were beaten in Athens against No. 9 Georgia in games one and two of the series.

The Wildcats managed to salvage their dignity once again in game three with a 4-0 win, but it didn’t stop the team from falling to 5-4 in conference play and 1-2 in conference series.

Kentucky would pick up another series win last weekend against Ole Miss, beating the Rebels 4-3 in game one and 7-5 in game two, but the home team

bounced back in game three, beating Kentucky by a score of 9-3 to outscore the Cats in the series.

It would be important to mention here that Ole Miss is 24-18 overall and just 3-9 in the SEC, having suffered losses to the likes of Stephen F. Austin, Southeast Missouri State, Mount St. Mary’s and Samford. Again, hardly setting the world on fire.

It’s hard to say Kentucky softball isn’t a good team, with the Cats standing at 25-10-1 overall and being ranked No. 16, but for a team that currently has one of the best players in program history on the roster, it is a tad disappointing how painfully average it is.

While it could be the success of the baseball team spoiling Kentucky fans after disappointing seasons from the mens and womens basketball teams and the football team, drinking from the Kentucky softball fountain is comparable to drinking a glass of room temperature water. It’s hardly a negative experience, but it’s hardly a positive one either. It merely … is.

Game one between Kentucky and Tennessee is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. EST on Friday, April 14, from John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.

JACK WEAVER | STAFF

Kentucky Wildcats catcher Kayla Kowalik (99) swings the bat during the No. 16 Kentucky vs. Dayton softball home opener game on Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at John Cropp Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.