Eli Capilouto

In every place and position in life, Cliff Hagan embodied the word champion. In high school, in college and in the pros, he was heralded for his outstanding play and his leadership on and off the court.

For so many, his graceful and swooping hook shot and fierce, tough-nosed play defined an era of basketball, as an All-American player at UK and as a multi-time all-star in the pros. Later as a player-coach in the NBA and then as Athletics Director here, he led others to championships in competition and in life. It’s appropriate that he was the first UK alum to be enshrined in the Naismith Hall of Fame — a representation of his sustained excellence over decades.

I know everyone in the Big Blue Nation is thinking about the Hagan family at this time.

J Batt and I spoke this afternoon and he has reinforced his commitment to UK and his excitement about joining the Big Blue Nation as soon as possible.

We are working quickly to finalize his start date and his family is eager to join our community as well.

We are excited about J and his family joining us soon. We look forward to J hitting the ground running as CEO of Champions Blue and @UKAthletics Director at the @universityofky.

I am pleased to announce that J Batt has accepted my offer to become CEO of Champions Blue and Director of @UKAthletics at the @universityofky.

J described our work as being in the “opportunity business.” That perspective reflects not only the role of athletics, but the mission we all share at UK.

Please join me in welcoming J and his family to Big Blue Nation.

In my first weeks at UK 15 years ago, PG Peeples took me on a tour of housing developments in Lexington that he and his team at the Urban League helped make possible. I was struck then by his deep commitment to building foundations of hope through the development of housing opportunities for people in our community who lacked access. That was a commitment PG had throughout his entire life — from his time as a young student at UK through decades of leadership and service at the Urban League. 

As we said when we awarded him with our highest honor — an honorary doctorate — Mr. Peeples is regarded as a servant-leader focused on the well-being of others and his impact on the Lexington community is profound. Indeed, he was, and our community and the lives of so many are much the better for it.

Today, we are reminded of what one life — lived with purpose, driven by love for his home — can make possible.

And we are reminded of our calling — our promise to Mr. Gatton and the state he loved: to carry that legacy forward, for Kentucky.