‘I wasn’t quitting this time.’ 50 years later, football trailblazer graduating from UK.
More than 50 years after he helped break the color barrier in the Southeastern Conference, Wilbur Hackett will earn his degree from the University of Kentucky.
Hackett, a three-year starter at linebacker for the UK football team, is among 76 athletes who are on track to graduate from the school following the end of the spring semester on Friday. A native of Winchester, Hackett was the first black team captain in any SEC sport. He was named UK football’s co-MVP as a senior in 1969 and is one of four African-American players honored for their roles in breaking the SEC color barrier with a statue outside Kroger Field and the Joe Craft Football Training Center.
Hackett spoke with the Herald-Leader by phone Thursday and said his decision to return to school was partly inspired by the desire to complete some unfinished business both for himself and on behalf of the three teammates whose statues stand next to his — Nate Northington, Greg Page and Houston Hogg. About 18 months ago, Hackett had a conversation with UK President Eli Capilouto that got the ball rolling.
“I said something to Dr. Capilouto about the four African-Americans who had the statues and I mentioned to him that none of us graduated from UK, and I said that’s something that I want to do,” Hackett said. “The next thing I know, the wheels were turning. I got a call from the admissions office, I got a call from (athletics director) Mitch Barnhart. They told me they’d help me go back to school. That was a year and a half ago, and Monday was my last class. I’m a UK grad.”
Hackett took advantage of UK’s Cawood Ledford Post-Eligibility Scholarship Program to earn a degree in liberal arts. He’s one of six members of the spring graduating class to complete a degree through the program, which funds tuition and book purchases for student-athletes who choose to return to school after exhausting their athletic eligibility.
Hackett said the return to academia after a 50-plus year absence was bumpy at first, but he was determined to finish what he started.
“It was almost like when I was in school back in the ‘60s, because of the time period and a lot of the things we were going through ... I thought about quitting then and I thought about quitting when I started back because modern technology is not my thing,” Hackett said. “But the more I did it, I adjusted to it and the easier it got. But I was determined that I wasn’t turning back and I wasn’t quitting this time. I’m just very thankful and grateful that I had the opportunity.”
Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops gave Hackett a shout out on Twitter on Thursday.
“During his time with (UK football), Wilbur Hackett set a great example as a player and a person,” Stoops wrote. “Now, he’s set another example of persistence by coming back to (UK) and finishing his degree. Congratulations, Wilbur!”
Also graduating many years after his time in uniform is basketball legend Nazr Mohammed, a key member of UK basketball’s 1996 and 1998 national championship teams.
Mohammed, an 18-year NBA veteran, currently works in the front office for the Oklahoma City Thunder and hopes to one day become a general manager. Like Hackett, Mohammed used the post-eligibility program to secure a liberal arts degree.
Also graduating via the post-eligibility program are former UK baseball players Kyle Barrett, Javon Shelby and David Cheatle and football player Jordan Jones.
Of the 76 athletes who will earn degrees, 35 will graduate with honors. Along with the rest of UK’s graduating class, they’ll have to wait to don their caps and gowns in collective celebration. UK’s commencement ceremonies have been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic. UK spokesperson Guy Ramsey said the athletics department is distributing commemorative graduation booklets to all 76 athletes and that some programs are planning their own virtual celebrations.
UK Athletics spring graduates
Baseball — Carson Coleman, T.J. Collett, Elliott Curtis, Breydon Daniel, Tanner Holen, Zeke Lewis, Brett Marshall, Jaren Shelby, Kyle Barrett, JaVon Shelby, David Cheatle.
Football — T.J. Carter, John Daido, Phil Hoskins, Drew Schlegel, Clevan Thomas Jr., Ahmad Wagner, Jamar Watson, Terry Wilson, Mason Wolfe, Walker Wood, Wilbur Hackett, Jordan Jones.
Men’s basketball — Nazr Mohammed.
Men’s golf — Jacob Cook, Matt Liston, Max Mehles.
Rifle — Ian Foos.
Men’s soccer — Jackson Hawthorne.
Men’s swimming and diving — Wyatt Amdor, Glen Brown, Jason Head, Alex Taylor, Peter Wetzlar.
Men’s tennis — Parth Aggarwal, César Bourgois, Enzo Wallart.
Men’s track and field — Cole Dowdy, Tanner Dowdy, Brennan Fields, Matthew Thomas, Benjamin Young.
Women’s basketball — Sabrina Haines, Paige Poffenberger, Jaida Roper.
Women’s golf — Zoe Collins, Sarah Shipley.
Gymnastics — Katherine Marianos, Hailey Poland.
Softball — Alex Martens, Larissa Spellman, Bailey Vick.
Women’s soccer — Marissa Bosco, Gina Crosetti.
Women’s swimming and diving — Emma Dellmore, Geena Freriks, Ali Galyer, Morgan Lakes, Sarah Loheide, Caroline McCleary, Lizzy Merriman, Alex Nelson, Kathryn Painter, Asia Seidt.
Women’s tennis — Lesedi Jacobs.
Women’s track and field — Chloe Abbott, Celera Barnes, Riley Caudill, Ellen Ekholm, Nicole Fautsch, Faith Ross, Caitlin Shepard, Kamilah Williams.
Volleyball — Leah Edmond, Leah Meyer Kylie Schmaltz.
