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Mitch Barnhart on New Cheer Coach Ryan O’Connor: She knows ‘how to represent’ UK

University of Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart spoke recently about new cheerleading coach Ryan O’Connor.

Barnhart praised O’Connor and talked about how she’s a great fit for the program and university.

Check out his comments:

Barnhart said the program received a lot of interest nationally during a search conducted by Executive Associate Athletics Director Sandy Bell, who settled on O’Connor. Barnhart said O’Connor “stood out among all” of the other candidates.

“(She is) someone I felt like we needed to have and bring some energy to our program that understood our values and understood our traditions at Kentucky and had an understanding of cheerleading,” Barnhart said.