University of Kentucky Secures Two-Star Recruitment Push Across Sports Disciplines
Franck Kepnang requires a medical waiver for eligibility, while Iveon Lewis chooses Lexington over offers from Georgia and Ohio State.
The University of Kentucky Wildcats announced a dual recruitment victory on Saturday, adding a transfer commitment to the basketball program and a high school prospect to the football squad. Head coach Mark Pope successfully secured Franck Kepnang, a 6-foot-11 centre from Washington, while head coach Will Stein recruited Iveon Lewis, a four-star wide receiver from Huguenot High School in Richmond, Virginia.
Kepnang, a 250-pound centre who previously played at Oregon and Washington, will require a waiver to play a seventh year due to previous knee injuries. His medical history indicates that injuries limited his availability in three earlier seasons, restricting him to eight, 10, and 14 games respectively. However, observers suggest the waiver is likely to be cleared given his recent performance.
Last season at Washington, Kepnang started 25 of 27 games and ranked third in the Big Ten in blocks per game with 2.07. His statistical output included an average of 6.1 points and 6.3 rebounds, alongside percentile rankings in offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding, and block percentage.
Simultaneously, Will Stein expanded the football recruiting class by landing Iveon Lewis, a 6-foot-2 prospect who chose Kentucky over offers from Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame. Lewis is ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect in Virginia and sits inside the top 250 nationally for the 2027 class.
The wide receiver has demonstrated consistent production with over 1,000 yards in each of his last two high school seasons and earned First Team All-State honours as a junior. He averages nearly 25 yards per catch and is expected to pair with quarterback Jake Nawrot, who is already part of the 2027 class.
Following these additions, Kentucky now holds 14 commits for the 2027 class, trailing only Oklahoma and UCLA in total verbals. The university continues to balance its athletic strategy across disciplines, securing both a veteran presence in basketball and a high-impact recruit in football.
