Kentucky announces major gift toward Nutter Field House renovations, new track and field stadium

Kentucky has seen its football team reach new heights of success over the past several years after being known primarily for men’s basketball. Now, the university has seen a significant investment made toward Mark Stoops’ program.

Per Kentucky Sports Radio’s Matt Jones, longtime benefactors Joe and Kelly Craft have donated $7.5 million to renovate the Nutter Field House and to build a new track and field stadium.

While the Wildcats’ football program has practiced inside the field house for years, it’s been a source of frustration for Stoops, who has repeatedly stated the need for the team to have its own facility. And things heated up a little in August when he took issue with John Calipari calling Kentucky a “basketball school”, although Calipari later backtracked.

There’s also the little matter of a head coaching job open in the Midwest at a university that is undeniably a football school. Whether that accelerated the timeline of the Crafts’ decision to donate isn’t known, but Stoops will soon get what he’s been asking for in Lexington.

Sydney Hunte

Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.