LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- New Kentucky football coach Will Stein continues to put his stamp on the Wildcats program, starting in the front office.
On Tuesday, Stein announced the hiring of Pat Biondo as general manager and Pete Nochta as assistant general manager. He's also retaining Josh Pruitt as director of football operations, keeping a key holdover with deep ties to the program.
The hires reflect Stein's focus on roster building and relationships, with an emphasis on recruiting infrastructure and organizational detail.
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Pat Biondo: Four Top-15 Classes at Oregon
Biondo arrives in Lexington after four seasons at Oregon, where he helped guide the Ducks to four consecutive top-15 recruiting classes, including the No. 3-ranked class nationally in 2024, per 247Sports. He joined Oregon's staff in 2022 as director of football recruiting strategy and previously spent three seasons in recruiting at Texas A&M, assisting in three more top-10 signing classes.
"Pat has a relentless work ethic and a clear vision for what it takes to build a team and a successful program," Stein said. "His ability to connect with people and bring out the best in those around him makes him a perfect fit."
Biondo began his career in basketball at West Virginia, where he spent nearly a decade on the women's basketball staff in roles ranging from video coordinator to director of operations. He holds a bachelor's in athletic coaching and a master's in educational leadership from WVU.
"I'm incredibly grateful to be named general manager at Kentucky," Biondo said. "Each of my previous stops helped prepare me for this role. Kentucky has a strong foundation and a clear vision, and I'm excited to help build a roster that reflects the culture here."
Pete Nochta: From Cardinal to Wildcat
Nochta (KNOCK-ta) brings a unique background: He's a former Louisville tight end, a cancer survivor and now returns to his hometown to help lead operations under a longtime friend.
Nochta and Stein were teammates at U of L in the late 2000s and have stayed close ever since. Nochta spent the past 10 years in the Louisville program, most recently as director of recruiting. He helped land high-profile players like Tutu Atwell, Mekhi Becton, and Chris Bell.
"I've known Will most of my adult life," Nochta said. "I know his heart, his character, and how much he cares about people. He's also the ultimate competitor. Coming home and being part of what he's building is something I couldn't pass up."
Stein called Nochta "experienced, detail-driven, and committed to doing things the right way."
Nochta's resume includes roles as director of on-campus recruiting, high school relations, and graduate assistant work at Purdue and Western Kentucky. He played in 35 career games for Louisville and earned All-BIG EAST academic honors four times. He's also well known in Lexington from his time at Tates Creek High School, and his father, John, was a UK football letterwinner in the 1970s and later became a high school coaching fixture in the area.
Nochta's work is also shaped by his personal journey — he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2015 and remains in remission.
Josh Pruitt: The Constant in the Transition
Stein also announced that Josh Pruitt will remain as director of operations, entering his sixth season in that role and 14th overall at Kentucky. Pruitt's experience offers a steadying hand amid transition, having served as a quality control coach, director of player personnel, and grad assistant since arriving in 2013.
He came to UK from Kilgore Junior College in Texas and also has coaching stops at East Mississippi and Catholic University in D.C. He played college football at Garden City and Troy and later earned three degrees — including a master's in sports administration from Kentucky.
His retention ensures continuity in the daily operations of the program, from logistics to travel to internal coordination.
In an era where recruiting never stops and roster construction is as much about vision as evaluation, Stein is investing early in infrastructure. These are hires with high-level recruiting chops (Biondo), strong in-state ties (Nochta) and deep program familiarity (Pruitt). Each will be critical in shaping Kentucky's transition into the Stein era.
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