50 Ron Kennett

Ron Kennett was born Ronald Leroy Kennett on September 11, 1942, and grew up in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. A gifted three-sport athlete at Lawrenceburg High School, he earned All-Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference honors in basketball and baseball in 1960 and 1961 and first-team All-State recognition in both sports as a senior. Kennett scored 400 points during his final basketball season and was regarded as one of Indiana’s outstanding playmakers. Although the Pittsburgh Pirates offered him a professional baseball contract, he chose to attend the University of Kentucky and compete in both basketball and baseball.

Because freshmen were not eligible for varsity competition, Kennett spent the 1961–62 season with Adolph Rupp’s freshman team. The quick, aggressive guard scored 155 points in 18 games, averaging 8.6 points as the Kittens’ fifth-leading scorer. His speed, ballhandling and passing made him a natural fit for Kentucky’s fast break, while his hustle helped compensate for his modest size.

Kennett joined the varsity as a sophomore in 1962–63 and appeared in four games as a reserve behind an experienced Kentucky backcourt. He scored his first varsity points against Iowa in the UK Invitational Tournament. Although his playing time was limited, he provided dependable practice competition and backcourt depth for a team featuring Cotton Nash, Terry Mobley and Randy Embry.

As a junior in 1963–64, Kennett appeared in five games and scored five points, including a season-high four against Tulane. Kentucky rose to No. 1 nationally during the season and finished 21–6, with Kennett contributing as a steady reserve on one of Rupp’s deepest squads. Contemporary Kentucky materials praised his exceptional speed, footwork, hustle and ability to distribute the ball.

One of only four seniors on the 1964–65 roster, Kennett was expected to provide leadership and a steadying influence to a team welcoming Louie Dampier and several other young players into larger roles. He remained a reserve during Kentucky’s 15–10 campaign and completed his career having appeared in 16 varsity games. Kennett, Embry, Mobley and John Adams received a standing ovation before their final home game against Alabama, a 78–72 Kentucky victory.

Kennett’s most memorable performance in a Kentucky uniform came before he reached the varsity. Against the Pikeville YMCA-Parkette team, he connected on 11 of 15 shots and scored 25 points, many on driving layups produced by the Kittens’ fast break. The performance demonstrated the speed and attacking style that had made him such a highly regarded high school playmaker.

Away from basketball, Kennett was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and an accomplished infielder for Kentucky’s baseball team. He hit .433 for the freshman club and later drove in 17 runs during the Wildcats’ 1963 varsity season. Coaching became his life’s work after college: he coached basketball and baseball at the high school and NCAA Division I levels in Georgia and Florida, served as Georgia State’s head baseball coach from 1970 through 1972, and later coached baseball at Milan High School in Indiana. Lawrenceburg High School inducted him into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020. Kennett died February 26, 2026, in Lawrenceburg at age 83, leaving a legacy as a versatile athlete, teacher and mentor.