Traditions at the University of Kentucky

Did You Know?

• The Wildcats nickname originated from a 1902 football game against Illinois, after which Commandant Carbusier said the team had "fought like Wildcats."
• The university has two plush mascots: The Wildcat and Scratch, the latter introduced to honor the "Twin Towers" basketball players Sam Bowie and Melvin Turpin.

Athletic traditions

Kentucky fans identify as part of "The Big Blue Nation" and are known for passionate, sometimes aggressive support in college basketball. During games, they chant "Go Big Blue" in unison, a tradition that often travels to opposing arenas. The men's basketball program claims to be "The Greatest Tradition in the History of College Basketball," a slogan used in promotional materials and the arena, citing records that include the most all-time wins, most NBA draft picks, and most All-Americans. A notable fan custom is the mutual agreement never to storm the court after a men's basketball victory, as the fan base considers no game an upset for such a historic program. At football games and, more recently, basketball games, the stadium videoboard orchestrates a "blue" or "white" chant based on seating sections. Once a year, fans split into groups wearing blue and white for a designated game; this was first done during the 2021 Kentucky-Florida rivalry football game, where the crowd of 61,632 contributed to eight false start penalties by Florida's offense.

Popular music traditions

Before most Kentucky athletics competitions, "Kernkraft 400" is played, and during its chorus fans chant "We are UK." The Kentucky football team enters the field to "Grove St. Party," a tradition that began after a 2014 upset of South Carolina; the song has been played before every home game since, and in 2021 rapper Waka Flocka Flame led the team out of the tunnel singing it with the crowd. Before men's basketball games, "Water Verve" accompanies a "Traditions" video honoring Kentucky basketball history, during which the eRUPPtion Zone raises its banner and fans clap to the beat. At basketball games, "Mony Mony" prompts fans to chant "Hey! Go Cats!" at specific lyrics, and the first line of "What's Your Favorite Color?" elicits a response of "Blue and White!" At Kentucky baseball games, a player is given the walk-up song "Vampire," and the crowd raises and lowers their arms in a bowing motion; this tradition began with outfielder Adam Fogel and continued with Ryan Waldschmidt, and for the 2025 season infielder Patrick Herrera holds the song.

Legends and important games

In 2024, the Kentucky Wildcats baseball team made its first College World Series appearance. In its opening game against NC State, Kentucky led 3–1 until NC State tied the game in the seventh and took a 4–3 lead in the ninth on a wild pitch. Ryan Nicholson hit a home run to left field in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, and Mitchell Daly won it with a home run in the tenth. Kentucky later lost to Texas A&M and Florida, leaving this as the team's only World Series win. In 2016, Kentucky faced rival Louisville, which was seeking a College Football Playoff berth behind Heisman winner Lamar Jackson. Kentucky, with a 6–5 record and a 3.1% win probability per ESPN, trailed late until Lamar Jackson fumbled on a quarterback keeper with 2:20 remaining. Kentucky drove into field goal range, and Austin MacGinnis kicked a 47-yard field goal with 12 seconds left. Louisville's final play ended with an interception by Mike Edwards.

Campus traditions

When students are on seasonal breaks but volleyball and basketball games continue, the Alumni Band and Alumni Cheer Team fill in for the student band and cheerleaders. K-Week is a week-long introduction for new students that culminates in an event at Kroger Field after the Induction Ceremony in Memorial Coliseum, where freshmen receive a class-specific T-shirt worn to football games to indicate their year. Homecoming, held in the fall, features a week of events ending with a home football game. Senior Night, the last home game of each sport's season, honors seniors with flowers and a final playing of "My Old Kentucky Home"; in basketball, seniors run through a paper wall bearing their name. Military Appreciation Night, unique to football, honors military alumni and often includes a flyover. At one surprise football and basketball game per season, a conductor starts the national anthem and the crowd sings the rest, typically at sell-outs or big games. A statue of former university president James Kennedy Patterson stands outside the Patterson Office Tower; rubbing its foot is believed to help students pass exams, and a non-official joke holds that the statue will stand and salute students who have recently lost their virginity.