When tens of thousands of fans pour into Kroger Field on a Saturday to cheer for the Wildcats, few realize the coordinated effort that helps keep every light on, every restroom clean and running, every lawn trimmed and every walkway safe. Behind the roar of the crowd during the football season is a team of nearly 100 Facilities Management employees from groundskeepers, electricians and custodians to plumbers and technicians, whose behind-the-scenes work helps make game day possible.
“It’s a total team effort,” said Tim Armstrong, executive director of campus facilities management. “The work of every member of the Facilities Management team helps make sure the football season runs seamlessly for the athletes and fans.”
Preparing for the season
Preparation begins long before the first kickoff and often starts right after the Fourth of July holiday. The Campus Maintenance team begins with a “flush test,” running water through every toilet in the stadium to make sure the plumbing is ready for the season and to locate any issues with the sewer system. They also inspect lights, pumps, elevators and emergency generators to ensure all systems are fully functional.
“Our goal is to make sure everything is fully functional before the fans set foot in the stadium,” said Harold “Tree” Sandford, director of maintenance and operations. “We also do an emergency generator test and walk the entire stadium to ensure everything is functioning and safe for our fans.”
The High Voltage team in Utilities and Energy Management works early to prepare for game days maintaining the electrical transformers and switchgear that power the entire stadium. They clean, test and prepare the systems to handle the heavy loads that come with a packed house on game day.
The Controls Engineering team assesses and schedules necessary upgrades and equipment conversions at the stadium and coordinates with Athletics, the Campus Maintenance team and contractors to ensure systems are fully functional and ready for the start of the season. During game weeks, they transition the stadium into “Game Day mode” early, working closely with Athletics to verify all systems activate as expected.
Meanwhile, UK Grounds works to transform the stadium's exterior and surrounding campus areas. They install fencing, posts and barriers to improve safety for pedestrians and vehicles, mow and edge the turf and sweep streets in the days leading up to each home game. The team also sets out trash and recycling bins and ensures tailgating areas are safe, clean and ready for fans.
The coordinated precision of Game Day
By the time the gates open, Facilities Management staff have already been in motion for a few hours. UK Grounds starts early delivering traffic cones for the UK Police Department and handling waste management around Kroger Field. Inside the stadium, the Custodial Services team is hard at work with a 50-person crew cleaning restrooms, concourses and suites, maintaining floors and keeping public spaces spotless throughout the game.
“I love football and I love the atmosphere,” said Donald Moore, a custodian who has worked 22 seasons at Kroger Field. “Being around the community that comes to support our team is special.”
Lenora Brown, a custodian in her first year at UK, works with a team of 16 custodians who prep the stadium the week before each home game. The crew cleans more than 40 restrooms, the visiting locker room, first aid rooms, elevator lobbies and stairways.
“I like cleaning and the interaction you get with those attending the games,” she said. “It’s wonderful.”
Kevin Strausbaugh, facilities systems technician, is our Facilities Dispatcher that monitors every system in real time during games — HVAC temperatures, lighting, electrical feeds, attendee safety and more.
“We start 5 ½ hours before kickoff,” he said. “If a piece of equipment goes down, we get a technician there immediately. Once the game starts, the maintenance calls slow down, but custodial requests pick up and include anything from spills to restroom issues. We stay in constant contact with Athletics dispatch and campus police to make sure everything runs smoothly. Our crew may not be the face of the event, but we are the heart behind it.”
The Big Blue Recycling Crew, a team of 20 UK Recycling student workers, also plays a key role. They help educate fans on accepted recyclables, staff the recycling tent and promote sustainability throughout the tailgate areas.
“Each water bottle, plastic cup or pizza box recycled during tailgating or inside the stadium brings us one step closer to making Kroger Field a zero-waste facility,” said Ryan Lark, zero-waste specialist.
From the first water tests at the stadium in July to the final cleanup from crews on Sunday morning, the Facilities Management team works hard to make sure the fan and athlete experience is seamless and safe.
“The Facilities Management team may not be the ones on the field, but their work is integral to making sure UK home football games are enjoyable for everyone who attends,” Armstrong said.
Lenora Brown, custodian, helps clean a suite in Kroger Field the week before a home football game.
Jennifer T. Allen
UK Grounds team put out hundreds of trash cans before every home football game.
Facilities Management plumbers preparing to unstop a storm line before a home football game.
Part of the Custodial Services team working game day at Kroger Field.
Front row, right to left: Lenora Brown, Donna Smith, Tonya Jones, and Lady Kambanzi
Second row: Monica Morales, Rosario Fuentes, Kem Osborne, Angela Dozier, Christopher Cole, Donald Moore, and Quince Johnson
First row, right to left: Tonya Jones, Lady Kambanzi, LaKelli Hamilton, Cecile Lufanu, and Noella Tchekanabo
Second row, right to left: Christopher Cole, Michel Wright, Donald Moore, Emmanuel Godhasdoneit, Emanuel Rawlings, Mimi Malonda, and LouKou Kavassi
Back row, right to left: Quince Johnson and Lesia Wyatt
Members of the Custodial Services team clean restrooms at Kroger Field the week leading up to a home game.
Mark Bennett, facilities maintenance technician, hooked power up to an ESPN production truck before a game at Kroger Field.
The house electricians keep the lights and power on during home football games. Left to right: Steven Faw, Zach Saunier, Jerry Keefer, and Brian Poe.
Mike Reid, electronics tech II, and Isaiah Spears, maintenance tech II, check all the coaches’ headsets prior to kickoff at Kroger Field.
Larry White, facilities maintenance supervisor, and Bobby Bray, electronic technician III, check all sideline electronic equipment before a home football game at Kroger Field.
Drusilla Wagner, custodial supervisor, cleans the upper concourse of Kroger Field during a home game.
Kevin Strausbaugh, stadium dispatcher, receives all service calls during a home football game at Kroger Field. He also monitors the HVAC and elevator equipment during the game.
Melissa Ortega, facilities work management administrator, signs in Facilities Management staff at Kroger Field and passes out meal tickets.
UK Grounds works on areas outside the stadium to make sure they are safe.
Shelia Lackey, custodian, helps clean and prep a suite at Kroger Field before a home football game.
Custodial Services team members Latasha Gholston, Lenora Brown, Shelia Lackey, and Donald Moore work the week before a home football game to clean and prep the suites in Kroger Field.
Gwendolin Ross, custodial superintendent, and Rick Shepherd, custodial coordinator for Kroger Field, have a combined 87 years working at UK.
The 2025 Big Blue Recycling Crew
Breanna Walton