LEXINGTON, Ky. — Senior offensive tackle Lance Heard and junior tight end Willie Rodriguez have been named to the 2026 Preseason Media Days All-Southeastern Conference Team, earning recognition as Kentucky football enters a new era under head coach Will Stein. Heard received second-team honors while Rodriguez was selected to the third team.

Heard, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound transfer from Tennessee, brings extensive SEC experience to the Wildcats' offensive line. The Louisiana native has appeared in 35 career games with 24 starts, accumulating more than 1,700 snaps while allowing just three sacks. He started all 12 games at left tackle for the Volunteers last season, earning All-SEC third-team honors in 2025 after beginning his college career at LSU in 2023.

Rodriguez, a 6-foot-4, 249-pound tight end from Taylor Mill, Kentucky, returns as a key component of the Wildcats' offense. He started in seven of 12 games last season, recording 23 catches for 310 yards and one touchdown. His career-high six receptions came against Vanderbilt for 78 yards, marking the most catches by a UK tight end since C.J. Conrad caught six at Mississippi State in 2015.

The Wildcats will open their season against Youngstown State on Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. ET at Kroger Field on SEC Network+, beginning their home slate that also features SEC opponents Alabama, LSU, Vanderbilt and Florida. Single-game and season tickets remain available through Ticketmaster and UKFootballTix.com.