Recruiting outlook: 5–7 projected openings for the Class of 2027
Wildcats · Lexington, Kentucky · Sun Belt
Head coach
Starts by eligibility remaining
Hatch: players who may have one more season under the House settlement rules.
This season's roster
26
Players on the 2026–27 roster
Counters 28
Designated seats above cap 0
Coach's 2024–25 avg 26 (historical)
Coach's usual roster
current high-school seniors
Slated to replace current players with 1 season of eligibility remaining
4–6
Spots left
Ceiling, not spots available.
Designated seats leaving: 0 (not backfilled).
current high-school juniors
Slated to replace current players with 2 seasons of eligibility remaining
4–5
Spots left
Estimate · How this is counted
current high-school sophomores
Slated to replace current players with 3 seasons of eligibility remaining
6–7
Spots left
Estimate · How this is counted
current high-school freshmen
Slated to replace current players with 4 seasons of eligibility remaining
7
Spots left
Estimate · How this is counted
| Player | Year and eligibility | Pos | From | Grad Year | GP | GS | G | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agustin Lopez | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Junior | MMidfielder | Santa Fe, ArgentinaJuana Del Pino | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Ari Saliu | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | MMidfielder | Chicago, Ill. | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Bains Smith | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Junior | F | Johns Creek, Ga.Providence Christian Academy | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Ben NashPrevious school: Penn State | Seasons left: 3–4 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Sophomore | DDefender | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | Class of 2025 · 3 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Bernardo Bucci | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | DDefender | Citta di Castello, ItalyLiceo San Tommaso d' Aquino | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 8 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| Bertil Alban | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Junior | MMidfielder | Skovlunde, DenmarkBorupgaard Gymnasium | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 8 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| Cianole NguepissiPrevious school: San Diego State | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Junior | DDefender | Birmingham, England | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Costa IliadisPrevious school: Clemson | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Freshman | F | Toronto, Canada | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 10 | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| Eric Onos | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Junior | MMidfielder/Forward | Buchen, Germany | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Fredrik SkilbergPrevious school: SMU | Seasons left: 0 (exhausted)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Fifth Year | F | Stockholm, Sweden | Class of 2022 · 1 Year of Eligibility Remaining | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Gustav Renman | Seasons left: 3–4 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Sophomore | F | Stockholm, SwedenAnna Whitlock HS | Class of 2025 · 3 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Ilan Ettinger | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | DDefender | Atlanta, Ga.Atlanta International School | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| JJ Vozar | Seasons left: 3–4 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Sophomore | DDefender | Pittsburgh, Pa.Milford HS | Class of 2025 · 3 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Andersen | Seasons left: 3–4 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Sophomore | MMidfielder | Greve, DenmarkGreve Gymnasium | Class of 2025 · 3 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Mats Brune | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | MMidfielder | Witten, GermanyFernuni Hagen | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Max Miller | Seasons left: 0 (exhausted)Assumed clockListed as Fifth Year | DDefender | Lexington, Ky.Bryan Station HS | Class of 2022 · 1 Year of Eligibility Remaining | – | – | – | – |
| Max SchraderPrevious school: Rider | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Junior | DDefender | Cherry Hill, N.J. | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Michael LeePrevious school: Louisville | Seasons left: 2–3 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Junior | MMidfielder/Forward | Toronto, Ontario, CanadaNorth Toronto Collegiate | Class of 2024 · 2 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| Sinan SolmazPrevious school: CSU Bakersfield | Seasons left: 1–2 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Senior | DDefender | Bergisch Gladbach, GermanyGeschwister Scholl Berufskolleg | Class of 2023 · 1 Year of Eligibility Remaining | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas Berteotti | Seasons left: 3–4 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Sophomore | MMidfieder | Wallonia, Belgium | Class of 2025 · 3 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Thomas Nielsen | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | F | Copenhagen, DenmarkBorupgaard Gymnasium | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| Tom Keller | Seasons left: 4–5 (transitional)Assumed clockListed as Freshman | F | Neunkirchen, GermanyGemeinschaftsschule Neunlirche | Class of 2026 · 4 Years of Eligibility Remaining | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Yasha SchaererPrevious school: Marshall | Seasons left: 1–2 (transitional)Prior collegeAssumed clockListed as Senior | MMidfielder | Zurich, SwitzerlandUNITED School of Sports | Class of 2023 · 1 Year of Eligibility Remaining | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 |