Cole Lanter and his wife, Taylor Ebbs, met while both were playing sports at the University of Kentucky.
Cole Lanter rejoined the Kentucky football team in spring practice after missing last season when he briefly transferred to Gardner-Webb before realizing he made a mistake leaving UK. He returned to Lexington and worked during the football season before coach Mark Stoops let the former Boyle County High School standout join the team as a walk-on player again.
Lanter married former UK softball player Taylor Ebbs during the summer. She transferred from UK to Missouri for her final season in 2025 but is now back in Lexington with him as he recovers from knee surgery that will sideline him all season. He was hurt in UK’s Fan Day scrimmage.
“It’s been awesome with her,” Lanter said. It’s been unbelievable. She obviously transferred to Missouri, finished out her year, and then I was at Gardner Webb for a little bit, and then back here going to school. We made the distance work. It was tough at times, but it was fun tracking her journey, going down there and seeing Columbia and stuff like that.”
Ebbs hit .287 — second best on the team — drove in 31 runs, homered 10 times and scored 41 runs.
“She had a great year and came up clutch in some big spots. They beat the number one team in the country,” Lanter said. “Sadly, they didn’t have the best overall record and didn’t make it past the SEC Tournament but she’s at peace and content with where God’s leading her now and her next steps. I couldn’t be more happy for her.”
Ebbs will have surgery to repair a torn labrum and a broken bone in her shoulder. She actually initially suffered the injury during her junior season in 2024 at UK.
“She just played through the pain. That’s just kind of how tough she is,” Lanter said. “She’s giving softball lessons and working on getting her CNA (certified nursing assistant) license.”
Lanter was out of football for six months after his ill-advised transfer before getting back to the field in spring practice and getting injured. He will graduate in December but has another year of eligibility if he decides he wants to play again.
“I just kind of want to be at peace and content with where I am and where I stand not only with football but with my faith and life,” he said.
