Kentucky Athletics has named Pete Nochta general manager of the Wildcats football program, the university announced Wednesday, just one day after Pat Biondo resigned from the same role.
Nochta, who joined Kentucky as assistant general manager in January, will oversee the program’s personnel operations, including player evaluation, recruiting strategy and roster management.
“Pete has been a key contributor to the strong start our football program has made,” Champions Blue CEO and UK Athletics Director J Batt said in a statement. “He has helped build a strong foundation in recruiting, roster management and player evaluation, and we’re excited for him to take on this role.”
Batt said Nochta’s experience and vision will be important as Kentucky continues to navigate the evolving landscape of college athletics and build its football program.
Head coach Will Stein praised Nochta’s impact since arriving in Lexington and expressed confidence in his leadership moving forward.
“Pete has earned this opportunity through the work he’s done since arriving at Kentucky in January,” Stein said. “He’s been an invaluable part of building our roster and establishing the foundation of our personnel operation, and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead that area moving forward.”
Nochta brings more than a decade of experience in collegiate football operations and recruiting. Before joining Kentucky, he spent 10 seasons at Louisville, including four years as the Cardinals’ director of recruiting. During that time, he helped bring several standout players to the program, including future NFL players Tutu Atwell and Mekhi Becton.
Nochta has strong ties to the Lexington area. He attended Tates Creek High School, and his father, John Nochta, was a Kentucky football letterwinner from 1973-76 before serving as a student coach under Fran Curci. John Nochta later became head football coach at Bryan Station High School and was named Kentucky High School Athletic Association Coach of the Year following the 1999-2000 season.
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