Josh Winfrey sat in class, anxiously refreshing ESPN.com. When he heard former Memphis head coach John Calipari could possibly be the next head coach of the UK men’s basketball team, he followed the news intently.

That’s not something unusual for Winfrey, an accounting junior, who grew up in Anderson County, Ky., and has been a Cats fan from a young age, despite his entire family being Louisville fans. He believes Kentuckians are so passionate about college basketball, and UK in particular, because  “it’s what we have. We have no professional teams in Kentucky.”

“There’s a pride factor. That’s why I love it so much,” Winfrey said.

After a weekend of uncertainty surrounding one of the most idolized positions in the state, Big Blue Nation finally got its replacement for former head coach Billy Gillispie: Calipari.

From the Cats Den to the Gatton Business and Economics Building, hopes of big-time recruits and national championships danced through the heads of UK fans.

John Phipps, a kinesiology junior, was “ecstatic” when he heard the news of Calipari’s hire through multiple text messages from his friends. Phipps believes the 2009 Sports Illustrated National Coach of the Year was the only candidate that could keep the fans happy.

“He’ll bring in one-and-dones, NBA-caliber recruits,” Phipps said.

It is well publicized that Calipari had what many considered the top recruiting class in the nation lined up for the Tigers next season.

But with the transferring of the coach comes the decision of these five-star players. Cats fans are hoping they’ll follow Calipari to Lexington. Ultimately, it comes down to the relationships that he formed with the recruits, Alex K. Thomas, a marketing junior, said. He believes if that relationship is strong enough, recruits like DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall could be wearing UK blue next season.

Fans also believe Calipari is in the perfect situation for recruiting and shouldn’t have a problem landing big-time players in the future.

“With the Kentucky facilities and Calipari’s style of ball, it will be hard for recruits not to come,” said Chris Brann, an accounting junior.

Gabriel Tarr, a Duke fan who grew up in Louisville, agrees, saying if Calipari can recruit the nation’s best players at a program like Memphis, he could certainly do that at a college like UK with a rich basketball history.

UK President Lee Todd and Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said their problem with Gillispie was his lack of willingness to be an ambassador to the program. Fans aren’t anticipating those problems with Calipari. Some believe his chemistry makes him a better fit with the program, while others say his personal life makes him a better hire.

“He has kids and is more family oriented,” said Brittany McCowan, a pre-nursing sophomore. “He has a family and responsibility, so I think that will make him a better coach.”

The fact that Memphis boosters were fighting to keep Calipari says a lot about his character, said Tarr, a sociology and mathematics senior. He believes the new coach is exactly the person that UK boosters will want to be the face of their historic program.

“He’s a salesman,” Tarr said. “He could sell sand in the desert.”

When it comes down to it, UK fans care about one thing: winning. To some, that means not forcing out a coach after two years with a program, as with the Gillispie situation.

“We’re ready for a new start, but he definitely needs time,” said Katie Singleton, a French and Spanish sophomore. “We need to be reasonable and give him a couple years. It’s a stressful job.”

Phipps has high hopes for the team and their new coach in the near future — even calling Calipari “the best ever.”

“Next season: Sweet 16. The year after that: Final Four. The year after that: championship,” Phipps said.

“That’s high expectations, but if anyone can do it, he can.”