Kentucky
| University of Kentucky | |
| |
|---|---|
| Location: Lexington, Kentucky | |
| Current President or Coach | The Officers' Cabinet-
President Michael Riggs, Vice President Evan Yang, Treasurer Isabella Sanchez |
| National championships | None |
| NAQT Page | link |
The University of Kentucky, frequently referred to as UK, is a public land-grant university in the Commonwealth of Kentucky founded in 1865. It has an active Quiz Bowl team.
History
After an era of dominance that lasted from 2001 to 2004 that included several tournament wins, the team lay defunct until 2012. Then, it was revived by a group of players led by Rahul Annabathula and guided by Fred Morlan. They passed the torch to second generation in a process lasting from 2014 to 2016. The UK Quiz Bowl Team regularly hosts UK Fall and UK Spring Tournaments, usually in White Hall. They have a rivalry with the University of Louisville.
The Kentucky Team has made several contributions to the game. Kentucky Player Kelly McKenzie suggested that ACF create ACF Fall to increase the appeal of Quiz Bowl to inexperienced players. Player Seth Kendall was the first documented player to achieve a Grail, doing so against Tennessee-Knoxville in 2005.
To ensure a steady supply of talent and staff, Kentucky has created the role of Social Media Director to promote the team and the game of Quiz Bowl to the community at large. During the tenure of the first Director, Megan Stinnett, the team has hosted several student outreach events and delivered news through its integrated Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This program has produced over half a dozen new recruits thus far.
Due to its increasing size and diversity, the team possesses a country-wide fanbase. Major areas of fan support outside the Commonwealth include Las Vegas, Rolla MO, Norman OK, Columbia IL, and West Virginia. More recently, the team has experienced triumph and trouble, coming in runner up against Michigan State at ACF Fall but experiencing the 2017 UK Travel Incident.
Seasons Played
- 2001 Kentucky
- 2002 Kentucky
- 2003 Kentucky
- 2004 Kentucky
- 2013 Kentucky
- 2014 Kentucky
- 2015 Kentucky
- 2016 Kentucky (Spring)
- 2016 Kentucky (Fall)
- 2017 Kentucky
Tournaments Won
- 2001 ACF Regional Tournament
- 2002 ACF Fall Tournament
- 2003 ACF Fall Tournament
- 2003 Illinois Open Tournament
- 2003 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tournament (At Georgia Tech)
- 2004 ACF Fall Tournament
- 2004 ACF Regional Tournament
- 2014 UK Novice Tournament
- 2015 ACF Fall Tournament (At Louisville)
- 2016 EFT Tournament (At WKU)
- 2017 NAQT Sectionals (Division II)
- 2017 EFT Tournament (at Louisville)
Roster of Current Players
- Michael Riggs - President
- Evan Yang - Vice President
- Isabella Sanchez - Treasurer
- Austin Smith
- Morgan Vincent - Archivist and Team Historian
- Neelav Dutta
- Megan Stinnett - Social Media Director
- Alyssa Mertka
- Jacob Ollier
- Katie McMahan
- Alex Roider
- Cameron Newton
- Cory Smith
- Samantha Martin
- Logan Fannin
- Sami Abul-Khoudoud
- Ronni Johnson
- Andrew Perry
- Logan Showalter
- David Ferguson
- Miranda Kunes
- Ramy Ghanim
- Daniel Dilger
- Dustin Stopher
Hall of Notable Former Players
- Rahul Annabathula - Former President
- Tyler Reid - Vice-President and Tournament Director Emeritus
- Alec Kamas - Former Vice-President
- Grant Boggess - Former Treasurer
- Melissa McCormick - Former Treasurer
- Allison Murner - Former Tournament Director
- Kevin Hawickhorst
- Michael Anderson
- Seth Kendall
- Kelly McKenzie
- Robert Osborne
- Jacob Mattingly
- Zach Atwell
List of Annual Tournaments
- UK Novice Tournament
- University of Kentucky Fall Championship
- University of Kentucky Spring Championship
