The University of Kentucky Athletics Department has released the following statement this morning:
The University of Kentucky will hold a pep rally and a press conference today to announce the 21st head coach in UK men’s basketball history (6th in the last 76 years).
An introductory pep rally is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. in Memorial Coliseum. Fans are encouraged to come out and welcome the new coach. The ensuing press conference will be televised live to all fans in Memorial Coliseum wishing to view the event. Doors open at 11 a.m. and admission is free.
A press conference announcing the new coach will follow at 12:45 p.m. on the men’s practice floor in the Joe Craft Center. The press conference is open to media, athletics board members, board of trustees, and former UK basketball players.
According to ESPN and others:
Kentucky has announced it will hold "a pep rally and a press conference" Friday afternoon at 12:45 p.m. ET to announce the hiring of the program's 21st head coach. And according to a source at Kentucky, Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie is the man the Wildcats will introduce to Big Blue Nation.
Update--according to USA Today , Billy Gillespie has been hired:
LEXINGTON, Ky. â€" Kentucky's restless two weeks is over. The Wildcats have a new coach in Billy Gillispie, who will try to restore some of the luster to college basketball's winningest school.
Athletics department spokesman Scott Stricklin confirmed Gillispie's hiring would be announced at a 12:15 p.m. ET pep rally, then a 12:45 news conference.
This is very big news for UK fans.