LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Before his exit to Arkansas on Wednesday, at least one fan got to say goodbye to Coach John Calipari in an unexpected spot...Dunkin'.
For years, fans have taken pictures with Coach Cal at the coffee chain's South Broadway location, where he would often sit by the window with his morning coffee.
UK fan Sabrina Ferguson always wanted to be one of them, but said she could never work up the courage to talk to him.
"Several times I wanted to work up the nerve to come in and ask for a picture and I was always too afraid," Ferguson said.
By Wednesday, she thought it was a chance she had completely missed.
But as luck would have it, Calipari made one last Dunkin' run on Wednesday morning, and Ferguson was able to have her moment.
Just as I was regretting never going in to ask @UKCoachCalipari for a selfie one of the many times that I had seen him sitting in the window at Dunkin’, I jumped at the chance to tell him that I would miss him and get my selfie today before he leaves Lexington. pic.twitter.com/FhfXskjxHF
— Sabrina Ferguson (@Fergotit) April 10, 2024
"I ran in and he was so gracious," she said. "I could tell it was a busy morning, he was on the phone and I could just tell there was a lot going on, but he literally just put the phone to the side and gave me a minute of his time."
The two took a selfie, which she believes to be the last one during his time in Lexington.
"I think the timing was perfect today. It means more to me now."
Ferguson isn't the only one to have run-ins with the coach at the exact location. A quick social media search pulls up plenty of other examples of fans getting their coffee with Cal.
Cassy Jane Werking, a Ph.D. student at the UK, has encountered him at the same spot several times.
"I am like Dunkin's biggest fan, so when I started seeing Coach Cal there, it made my morning so much better," Werking said.
Fans were sad to hear the news this week, adding they'll miss seeing the UK figurehead sitting by the window.
"If I could buy you one last coffee at Dunkin, I absolutely would for all the special memories you've helped me make at UK," said Werking.
