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Rupp's Last 5 Recruiting Classes At UK (1967 - 71)

I've already done the great 1966 class a month or so back so here's are Adolph Rupp's last 5 classes signed at UK. Ace recruiter Joe Hall was primarily responsible for these recruiting classes, however.

1967 - Greg Starrick (HS All-American), Bob McCowan, Larry Steele, Steve Schmitt.

Schmitt was a big man from New Castle IN who transferred after frosh year. Starrick transferred at semester break in soph year. Steele became solid NBA player. McCowan had a decent UK career but was booted from the team in 1970.

1968 - Tom Parker (HS A-A), Kent Hollenback (HS A-A), Randy Noll (HS A-A), Stan Key, Mark Soderberg, Jim Jarrell. Their frosh team (Kittens) was 18-2.

Jarrell was a guard from Charleston WV who transferred after frosh year. Noll was from CovCath HS but transferred to Marshall after soph year. Soderberg was coached in HS by Lute Olson and transferred back to USC after soph year also. Parker was a solid All-SEC, POY player at UK. Hollenback had lingering injuries at UK that kept him from achieving his potential. Key was a very solid guard for UK varsity.

1969 - Tom Payne (HS A-A), Jim Andrews, Dan Perry, Larry Stamper, Steve Penhorwood.

3 of these recruits - Andrews, Perry, Penhorwood - hailed from Lima OH. Perry was a role player at UK. Andrews was All-SEC, 20 ppg scorer as upperclassman at UK. Penhorwood transferred to Xavier in soph year. Payne was All-SEC as soph then opted for NBA draft - the only "1 & Done" ever at UK (since he did not play at UK as a freshman due to academics). Stamper was a solid forward on the UK varsity.

1970 - Ronnie Lyons, Rick Drewitz, Ray Edelman, Wendell Lyons.

R Lyons had a decent UK career. Drewitz was a role player on the UK varsity. Edelman was a solid reserve at guard. W Lyons played briefly on UK varsity.

1971 - Kevin Grevey (HS A-A), Bob Guyette (HS A-A), Mike Flynn (HS A-A), Jimmy Dan Conner (HS A-A), Jerry Hale, Steve Lochmueller, GJ Smith. The "Super Kittens" were undefeated as ranked #1 in the nation among frosh teams in 1972.

Grevey, Guyette, Flynn, and Conner were 3-year starters at UK. Grevey became A-A and NBA star. All 4 played key roles in UK's FF in 1975. Hale was a reserve guard on the UK varsity. Lochmueller was also a varsity reserve but quit basketball as a senior. Smith was a reserve forward at UK.

Of these 5 classes, obviously 1971 was the BOTB. But 1968 wasn't far behind. The other 3 classes were just "ordinary" by UK recruiting standards.