Nic Smith Dies at 2006-2026 as UK Football Mourns Sophomore

nic smith, a sophomore on the UK Football team, has died. UK Athletics announced his death on 2026-06-08, and the program is asking the community to respect the privacy of his family, friends and teammates.

Smith was enrolled in the Community Leadership and Development program in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Support resources are available through the Office for Student Success.

Will Stein on Nic Smith

UK Football Head Coach Will Stein said, "Today our hearts are broken." He added, "Our thoughts and prayers are with Nic’s family, friends, teammates and everyone who knew and loved him."

Stein also said, "This is a tremendous loss for our program and university community." Those words place the focus on the people closest to Smith, from his teammates to the wider campus community that knew him as a student athlete.

UK Athletics Response

UK Athletics asked members of the community to respect the privacy of Smith’s family, friends and teammates during a difficult time. The university also pointed students and others to support resources through the Office for Student Success.

Stein said, "We will continue to support one another and honor his memory." For those around the program, that leaves the immediate next step clear: lean on the support already offered while the football team and university community absorb a loss that spans the locker room and the classroom.