LEXINGTON, Ky. (WXIX) – A member of the 1996 University of Kentucky men’s basketball national championship team is returning to Lexington as the program’s new head coach.

Mark Pope was officially announced as the Wildcats’ new head coach Friday.

Pope takes over for John Calipari who left UK for the head coaching job at Arkansas.

“The University of Kentucky is the pinnacle of coaching in college basketball. It’s the definition of a blueblood program where hanging a banner is the expectation every year,” Pope said. “Equally as important, UK changed my life forever as a human being. The love and passion I have for this program, this University and the people of the Commonwealth goes to the depth of my soul.

“I’m thankful to Dr. (Eli) Capilouto and Mitch Barnhart for this opportunity. I’m proud to be your next head coach and I can’t wait to do this together.”

“Mark Pope not only brings an impressive record in nine years as a head coach, but also a love of the University of Kentucky and a complete understanding of what our program means to the people of our state,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said. “As a captain on the ‘96 championship team, Mark was a beloved and respected teammate. As a head coach, he is highly regarded nationally as an innovator. His teams run a unique and dynamic up-tempo offense and they get after it on defense. He is a strong recruiter with international ties and a person of integrity.”

The 51-year-old has compiled a 187-108 record as a head coach in nine seasons.

His first head coaching job was at Utah Valley starting in 2015.

After four seasons at Utah Valley, Pope took over the men’s basketball job at BYU in 2019.

Pope led the BYU Cougars to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his five years as the head man in Provo, Utah.

Pope will have to hit the ground running in Lexington.

Before Calipari’s departure, the Wildcats had the No. 2 ranked recruiting class, only behind the Duke Blue Devils, but that is no longer the case.

Centers Jayden Quaintance and Somto Cyril and small forward Karter Knox have already decommited from UK.

Kentucky is likely to lose two of their top players from last season, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dilingham, to the NBA.

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