Pete Nochta Named Kentucky Football General Manager
Pete Nochta (pronounced KNOCK-ta) has been named general manager of the Kentucky football program, Kentucky Athletics announced Wednesday.
“Pete has been a key contributor to the strong start our football program has made,” Champions Blue CEO and UK Athletics Director J Batt said. “He has helped build a strong foundation in recruiting, roster management and player evaluation, and we’re excited for him to take on this role. As college athletics continues to evolve, supporting our coaches with the resources and infrastructure necessary to attract, develop and retain talented student-athletes remains a priority. Pete’s experience, relationships and vision will be valuable as we continue building momentum for Kentucky Football.”
Nochta, who joined the staff as assistant general manager in January, will oversee the Wildcats’ personnel operation, including player evaluation, recruiting strategy and roster management.
“Pete has earned this opportunity through the work he’s done since arriving at Kentucky in January,” Head Coach Will Stein said. “He’s been an invaluable part of building our roster and establishing the foundation of our personnel operation, and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead that area moving forward. Pete has outstanding relationships throughout college football, a great eye for talent and a deep understanding of what we’re building here. I’m excited to see him step into this role and continue helping us build a championship-caliber program.”
Nochta joined Kentucky following 10 seasons at Louisville, including four as the Cardinals’ director of recruiting. While in that role, he recruited notable names to the program such as wide receiver Tutu Atwell, offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, wide receiver Chris Bell, tight end Cole Hikutini and defensive back Quincy Riley.
Prior to his position in recruiting, he gained experience as the director of high school relations for one season (2018) and the director of on-campus recruiting for two years (2016-17). He began his stint at UofL as a graduate assistant for tight ends (2014).
In addition to his time at Louisville, Nochta had two other stops as a graduate assistant – at Purdue in 2012 and Western Kentucky in 2013. He also served as the offensive quality control coach at Purdue in 2011.
During his coaching days, Nochta helped develop several players who later reached the NFL, including Hikutini at Louisville, Keith Towbridge, Charles Standberry, Gerald Christian at Western Kentucky, and Tyler Higbee, Mitchell Henry and Gabe Holmes at Purdue.
Nochta drew on his playing experience to strengthen his coaching expertise. He was a tight end for Louisville from 2006-10, was a teammate of Stein, and was a member of the 2007 Orange Bowl squad. He played in 35 career games and totaled 11 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
He also excelled in the classroom, earning All-BIG EAST Academic honors four times. Additionally, he was a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, providing input on the student-athlete experience. He graduated from UofL in 2010 with a degree in business administration.
Nochta is quite familiar with the city of Lexington as he attended Tates Creek High School from 2003-06 and his father, John, was a UK football letterwinner at Kentucky from 1973-76, before serving as a student coach for the Cats under head coach Fran Curci in 1977. John went on to become the head football coach at Bryan Station High School, where he took the Defenders to the 1999 Class 4A state finals and concluded the 1999-2000 season with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Coach of the Year honor. He also served as the principal at Henry Clay High School.
Nochta and his wife, Alyssa, a UofL cheerleader from 2009-2012, have one son, CJ.
Nochta also brings a singular and compelling perspective to his work, shaped in part by his highly publicized bout with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2015; he remains in remission today.
