Celebrating an Anniversary, Remembering a Legacy: 50 Years of CATS
Over the last five decades, coaches, administrators, athletes and support staff members have come and gone through UK Athletics. All have left their own impact or legacy on this special place, but it’s the brick and mortar of one building that has shaped lives forever: CATS.
Best known as CATS to all those on campus, the Center for Academic and Tutorial Services is embarking on its 50-year anniversary. Over the span of those illustrious 50 years of service, CATS has provided Wildcat student-athletes with comprehensive and individualized academic support and resources.
“It’s monumental to reflect on the legacy CATS has built over the past 50 years. Bob Bradley’s and the CATS staff’s visionary approach to student-athlete academic support was truly ahead of its time, building a lasting impact on generations of Wildcats,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, I’m excited for the future, empowering student-athletes for decades to come.”
Since its inception, CATS has undergone plenty of expansion and transformation, however it never would have seen the light of day if it were not for one man’s vision, Bob Bradley. When Bradley arrived at the University of Kentucky in 1977, it was originally to work as an academic counselor just for the men’s basketball and football programs. As he started advising those programs, the demand for his help began to increase, which led to a hallway full of other Wildcat student-athletes who spent hours lined up outside his office door.
He knew from this point on that the University of Kentucky needed to incorporate academic counseling for more sports than just basketball and football. This influenced Bradley into approaching Cliff Hagan, who was currently the athletic director at UK. Bradley’s pitch was to design an academic center dedicated just to the student-athletes and with that vision dawned the implementation of CATS.
“I went to Cliff and said Memorial Coliseum would make a great academic center. Cliff responded and said no one in the country has those, so we’re not going to do that. I went to him a couple more times, and I could feel he wasn’t happy with me coming into his office, but I knew one of the great things about Cliff is that he cared about the kids (student-athletes). One day he ends up calling me into his office and says you know that one thing you’ve always been wanting to talk to me about, the academic center, call over to construction design and see what they can do,” said Bradley.
In 1981, CATS turned from a vision into reality, as it became the first student-athlete focused academic center in the country. Compared to many universities, CATS counselors assign tutors and mentors proactively prior to the semester starting, which is unique from other schools because a student will usually request a tutor after a poor performance in an exam but here at UK, the counselors are incredibly more proactive in that process by examining the student-athlete’s schedule at the beginning of the semester, so they can assign tutors immediately.
Everything at CATS centers around the sole mission of creating an environment where all student-athletes can have the opportunity to maximize their academic, personal, and social growth and improve their post-college quality of life.
This mission wouldn’t have been completed without the focus and dedication of the counselors and administrators that make up the CATS staff. On Saturday, all those that have helped make CATS the gold standard it is today will be honored and recognized at the 50-year anniversary celebration inside CATS current remodeled facility adjacent to the Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Bradley, the founder and director of CATS for 41 years, is headlining the list of attendees along with Barb Deniston, believed to be the first ever learning specialist, Kathy Steinmetz one of the first known CATS tutors, and Kathy DeBoer, who helped fundraise for a renovation of CATS in 1996. Former student-athletes Chatham Boyer and Oliver White will speak on their life-changing experiences and opportunities that were made possible by CATS.
“UK has been providing academic services for their student-athletes since 1975, becoming the first school in the country to open a physical center devoted to student-athletes in 1981 – a place student-athletes can study, focus and receive the assistance they need to balance their athletic commitment with their academic responsibilities. I am thrilled to be able to recognize and honor our current and former staff members as CATS celebrates 50 years of service! The student-athlete experience really matters here, and everyone who has worked here at CATS should be proud of the exceptional service they have provided for Wildcat student-athletes through the years,” said Dr. Paul Downey, Senior Associate AD for Academics.
CATS started 50 years ago as a one-person entity. Today, student-athletes from all 23 Kentucky varsity sports have 18 full-time staff members and scores of interns, tutors and mentors available for a comprehensive array of services. CATS serves as the foundation of the Student-Athlete Experience Division providing student-athletes with academic counseling, tutoring, specialized learning services, study skills mentoring, a range of career preparation and professional advancement opportunities, financial literacy, community service initiatives and leadership experiences.
Over the course of the 2025-26 school year, UKathletics.com will highlight and celebrate CATS 50-year anniversary. One thing is clear when you talk to the current CATS staff and administration, its vision and mission is just beginning and everyone is looking forward to what the next 50 years has to offer.
