22 Student-Athletes to be Inducted into Frank G. Ham Society of Character

LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky Athletics will induct 22 student-athletes into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character on Tuesday at a dinner prior to Kentucky’s men’s basketball game against Arkansas.

The student-athletes will then be recognized on the court at Rupp Arena at halftime of the basketball game.

The Society of Character annually honors Wildcats who have shown an extraordinary commitment to academic excellence, athletic participation, personal development, career preparation and serving as a role model. The SOC was founded during the 1998-99 school year and is named for Ham, a longtime UK administrator.

Past honorees and more on the Frank G. Ham Society of Character can be found online at TheKentuckyRoad.com.

The following is an alphabetized list of this year’s induction class and highlights of their accomplishments.

Caitlin Brooks – Women’s Swimming and Diving

• Six-time All-American
• Three-time NCAA qualifier
• CSCAA Scholar All-America First-Team in 2020, 2021, 2022
• Part of two record-holding relays at Kentucky (200 Medley Relay, 400 Medley Relay)

Jensen Castle – Women’s Golf

• Finished first at the 2022 Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational
• Holds the top-two, single-season scoring average records in program history
• Hold the par-or-better rounds record in program history
• Won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur

Eli Cox – Football

• Outland Trophy Watch List and Comeback Player of the Year Award candidate
• Has played in 30 career games with 22 starting assignments, helping lead UK to four bowl wins
• Graduated in May of 2022 with a degree in integrated strategic communication with a business minor and is currently working on a second degree in media arts studies
• Has served as one of three representatives for UK football on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) two straight seasons and also was elected to the SEC Football Leadership Council in 2022 and 2023

Gillian Davey – Women’s Swimming and Diving

• Three-time NCAA qualifier
• 2022 SEC Champion in the 200 Breast
• CSCAA Scholar All-America First-Team in 2020, 2021, 2022
• Seven-time All-American selection

Kaitlin DeGuzman – Gymnastics

• Three-time WCGA Scholastic All-American
• Two-time SEC Winter Honor Roll Honoree
• Key contributor on the uneven bars
• Competed in majority of meets in freshman and sophomore seasons, did not compete as a junior due to a season-ending injury – has made comeback during senior season competing in every meet thus far in 2023

Sloan Gayan – Softball

• Member of the SEC Honor Roll
• 4-3 in the 2022 season, including her first-career SEC win at No. 3 Alabama in Tuscaloosa
• Wins in the circle over Long Beach St., Jacksonville, Valpo and Alabama in 2022
• Her four wins were a new career high

Mason Hamilton – Rifle

• Graduated in May 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics
• Set a career-high score in air rifle this season with a 591 in Alaska
• Helped Kentucky to two NCAA national championships in 2021 and 2022
• Currently participating in the Ag Economics Graduate Program

Hannah Hohn – STUNT

• Named Honorable Mention All-America by STUNT Coaches Association
• Majoring in kinesiology and has made Dean’s List every semester of her college career
• Has volunteered at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital, Julius Marks Elementary and Leestown Middle School
• Plans to be a physical therapist and is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority

Kyndal Knight – Women’s Swimming and Diving

• Four-time NCAA qualifier
• Eight-time All-American
• 2020 SEC Champion on 3-meter springboard
• Ranks inside the program’s all-time top two in all three diving events

Kayla Kowalik – Softball

• 2021 NFCA First Team All-American
• 2019, 2021 and 2022 All-SEC
• Led the NCAA in batting average in the 2021 season
• UK record holder for hits

Nyah Leveretter – Women’s Basketball

• Has played in 60 games and has started in 27 games in her UK career
• Kentucky’s representative at the 2022-23 SEC Basketball Leadership Council annual meeting
• Two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll honoree
• Working toward a degree in broadcast journalism

Mitchell Nelson – Rifle

• A double-major in biology and neuroscience
• Two-time All-GARC Scholar Athlete of the Year
• Has set career highs this season in both smallbore and air rifle
• Helped Kentucky to two NCAA national championships in 2021 and 2022

Cooper Parks – Men’s Golf

• The senior kinesiology major from Campbellsville, Kentucky is a two-time Academic All-SEC selection and was a first-year SEC Academic Honor Roll pick in 2020
• Has competed in 17 events, including 13 starts, for the Wildcats
• Posted a career-best tie for 18th finish at the Island Resort Intercollegiate in the 2019-20 campaign
• Has totaled nine career rounds of par-or-better

 Tanner Parks – Men’s Golf

• The junior kinesiology major from Campbellsville, Kentucky was a two-time Academic All-SEC pick and a first-year SEC Academic Honor Roll selection in 2020
• Has competed in three career tournaments for the Wildcats
• Carded a career-best tie for 48th finish at the Island Resort Intercollegiate in 2021
• Notched a career-low 1-over-par 73 to kick-start the Island Resort Intercollegiate

Adam Rosipal – Men’s Swimming and Diving

• Two-time CSCAA Scholar All-America honorable mention
• Ranks inside the top-ten in program history in three events
• Named to 2021 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll and 2022 SEC Winter Academic Honor Roll
• Point scorer for Kentucky at the SEC Championships in both 2021 and 2022

Tate Sandman – Men’s Tennis

• ITA Scholar-Athlete
• ITA Academic All-America Team
• UK Dean’s List
• SEC Academic Honor Roll

Emmie Sellers – Rifle

• Majoring in agricultural and medical biotechnology
• Has set a career high in smallbore this season
• Helped Kentucky to two NCAA national championships in 2021 and 2022
• Named the 2019 Colorado Shooting Sportswoman of the Year

Rylea Smith – Softball

• All-SEC defensive outfielder in 2022
• In 2021 was named to the SEC All-Newcomer Team
• Member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll two times
• Hit .455 (5-11) in the LSU series with two runs scored and two RBI

Elizabeth Stevens – Women’s Tennis

• Has seen action in 15 matches prior to 2023 – has played in all six matches so far this season
• 2022 SEC Community Service Team
• 2021 ITA Scholar Athlete
• 2021 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll

Marissa Wenzler – Women’s Golf

• Helped Kentucky women’s golf to back-to-back tournament wins to complete the Fall 2022 schedule
• Put together a career-best, 8-under-par 208 for a share of 11th place at the Illini Women’s Invitational from Oct. 10-11
• Has produced 18 rounds of par-or-better in her UK career
• Has a 73.4 scoring average through 12 rounds this season and a 74.2 scoring average through 86 rounds in her UK career

Kaitlynn Wheeler – Women’s Swimming and Diving

• 2021 NCAA Silver Medalist in the 800 free relay
• Three-time All-American
• Three-time selection to the CSCAA Scholar All-America First Team
• 2021 SEC Champion in the 800 free relay

Rachel Woods – STUNT

• Has made Dean’s List every semester of her college career
• Majoring in human health sciences (pre-PA track) and plans to be a physician assistant
• Has volunteered at Campus Kitchen
• Member of Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, FCA, Kappa Delta sorority and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society