2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team, Game summaries, at Texas Tech
With the win, the Red Raiders broke a two-game losing streak against the Wildcats and became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2013 season. In the third quarter, kicker Clayton Hatfield made a season long 48 yard field goal.


2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team, Game summaries, vs. Arkansas
After finishing their season 6–6, the Wildcats accepted their invitation to play in the game.


2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team, Game summaries, vs. Arkansas
This was the Wildcats' first Liberty Bowl. They would later play Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl were they would again suffer defeat.


2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team, Game summaries, vs. Arkansas
Arkansas running back Alex Collins was named the game's MVP, after gaining 185 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries.


2015 Karachi bus shooting
On 13 May 2015, eight gunmen attacked a bus travelling in Safoora Goth, Karachi, Sindh in Pakistan. The shooting left at least 46 people dead. All of the victims were of the Ismaili Shia Muslim minority, suggesting the attack was a targeted killing of sectarian nature.


2015 Karachi bus shooting
The banned militant group Jundallah claimed responsibility for the shooting. The gunmen hailed from Afghanistan. Pamphlets supporting ISIL, with whom Jundallah claims allegiance, were also found at the crime scene. However, the Pakistani government ruled out the connection of ISIL in the attack, stating that the group does not have a physical presence in the country. Numerous Pakistani government and media reports have also claimed the backing of a foreign hand, mainly India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), behind the attack. India has denied the allegations.


2015 Karachi bus shooting
Five perpetrators behind the attack were later arrested by Pakistani security forces and were awarded death penalty by a Pakistani court on 12 May 2016. One of the mastermind behind the attack, Qari Saifullah Mehsud was later killed by two unknown gunmen in Khost province of Afghanistan. Locals in Afghanistan suspect that the 'two unknown gunmen' were associated with Pakistan as there has been attacks on anti-Pakistan terrorists groups residing in Afghanistan in the past.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Background
Attacks on the Shia Muslim community have occurred frequently over the past two years in Pakistan, with many of the attacks claimed by outlawed extremist militant groups such as Tehrik-i-Taliban, Jundallah and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who view Shia Muslims as heretics. A number of analysts trace the origins of sectarian violence in the country back to the Soviet war in neighbouring Afghanistan, during which armed fundamentalist groups surfaced in the region.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Shooting
The passengers were all residents of Al Azhar Gardens who regularly used the bus service for transport to work, school or other places. A total of six gunmen (including two disguised in police uniform) on three motorcycles stopped the bus shortly after its departure from the Safoora Chowrangi area of Karachi. The gunmen boarded the bus and opened fire, killing 45 passengers including 16 women. The majority of passengers belonged to the  Nizari  Ismaili community, a branch of Shia Muslims who follow the Aga Khan.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Shooting
Ismailis tend to be a peaceful, progressive and largely non-political community in Pakistan, with notable contributions to the country's education and health sectors. All the victims were shot in the head. Some passengers survived and were in critical condition when shifted to the hospital. According to some community members, the bus conductor, who was also hit in the head and injured, survived and drove the bus to the nearest Memon Hospital. However, others claimed he alerted another community member, who drove the bus.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Jundallah
Jundallah, a banned Sunni splinter militant group associated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the shooting, and vowed to carry out more attacks on Shia Muslim minorities. Jundallah, which in 2014 vowed allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, left pro-ISIL propaganda leaflets near the scene. The leaflets contained graphic language, describing the attacks as retaliation for "barbaric atrocities" in Iraq, Syria and Yemen, blaming Shi'ites, and declaring the attack as a response to extrajudicial operations by local law enforcement agencies. It was the first major attack in Pakistan in which pro-ISIS elements have been implicated. However, the Pakistani Foreign Office ruled out the involvement of ISIL, stating "The terror outfit has no footprints in Pakistan but our security forces are alert to meet any threat". The gunmen who carried out the shooting hailed from Afghanistan, and reportedly ran a small hotel business in Karachi.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) also claimed responsibility for the attack. Analysts state that the Pakistan's fragmented militant movements have previously competed to claim responsibility for attacks. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the group's spokesman, Qari Saifullah Mehsud, and he was also believed to be one of the mastermind behind the attack. He fled to Afghanistan after the Pakistani military launched operations against the terrorists along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. In 2016, he was arrested by U.S. forces in Afghanistan but was later released after he spent 14 weeks in jail in Afghanistan.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Later he was shot dead by two unknown gunmen in Khost province of Afghanistan on 29 December 2019. According to the locals, the two gunmen had been "guests" at the TTP commander's home for several days before they killed him and fled. Qari Saifullah Mehsud was a key Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander and was among the terrorists most wanted to Pakistan for his involvement in several terror attacks in the country. He was notorious for preparing suicide jackets and suicide bombers for terrorist acts across the country. According to the Analysts, the killing of Mehsud is a big hit for the TTP as he was trying to unite all the split militant groups. His death was also confirmed by TTP.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Mehsud funeral ceremony and burial took place in Gurbaz district of Khost Province. Locals in Afghanistan also believe that the 'two unknown gunmen' were related to Pakistan as there has been attacks on anti-Pakistan terrorists groups residing in Afghanistan in the past.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Allegations of RAW involvement
There have been allegations among Pakistani media and government sources of the involvement of Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in the attack. These allegations followed statements earlier in the month by the Pakistani military levelled against RAW for "whipping up terrorism in Pakistan." A day after the attack, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry stated that the Indian intelligence agency was creating unrest in Pakistan, adding that Pakistan would consider taking up the issue on international forums if RAW's involvement was found in the shooting. Chaudhry noted the recent arrest of two suspects in Karachi involved in terrorism who had received training from RAW, adding that Pakistan had taken up the issue of state terrorism with India "a number of times" through diplomatic channels.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Allegations of RAW involvement
RAW has been blamed by Pakistani authorities in the past, especially for its alleged involvement in the insurgency in Balochistan, via intelligence networks in neighbouring Afghanistan. A Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman added that Pakistan had asked Kabul not to allow RAW "to use the Afghan soil against us." According to Pakistan Today, initial investigations briefed to the Chief of Army Staff included the "strong possibility" of RAW involvement. Another Pakistani channel, Dunya reported intelligence agencies were working on evidence regarding RAW's involvement.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Allegations of RAW involvement
According to one official source, early investigations were pointing to the possible involvement of Baloch militants with RAW backing. The official disclosed that the federal government would organise a press conference to discuss evidence of RAW's involvement in terrorism. The conference will be chaired by the Prime Minister and will be attended by top civilian, military and intelligence leaders. During the conference, evidence linked to RAW's alleged involvement in terrorism in Karachi and Balochistan will be reviewed and the government will make a decision on countering RAW's activities, as well as raising the issue internationally.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Perpetrators, Allegations of RAW involvement
India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh dismissed the reports as "baseless allegations". During his visit to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters in Rawalpindi, General Raheel Sharif met the ISI director-general Lt. Gen Rizwan Akhtar, during which both officials discussed RAW's involvement. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations statement, Sharif emphasised the need for "more proactive and coordinated role of intelligence agencies for an effective counterterrorism campaign and to counter hostile agencies' moves to destabilise Pakistan."


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Reaction, Domestic
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and leaders of major political parties strongly condemned the shooting. The Prime Minister declared the following day a national day of mourning during which the flag will fly at half-mast. Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif cancelled his three-day visit to Sri Lanka and went to Karachi to assess the situation. General Sharif also telephoned Prince Aga Khan, leader of the Ismaili community, during which he expressed his condolences, stating: "Our heart goes out for the bereaved families. No efforts will be spared to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of this terrorist act and their abettors." The attack was also condemned by other notable public figures.


2015 Karachi bus shooting, Reaction, Domestic
Aga Khan IV, the Spiritual Leader of the Ismaili Muslims, expressed his "shock and sadness" and said that it represented a "senseless act of violence against a peaceful community".


2015 Karachi local elections
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by 119.160.117.38 (talk) at 06:24, 14 September 2021. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


2015 Karachi local elections
2015 Karachi local government elections were the second Karachi local government elections to elect a mayor and a local council.


2015 Karachi local elections, Voting
There were 209 union committees and 38 union councils in Karachi. Both union councils and union committees are similar in that they are territorial units and composition; the main difference between them is that the union committee represents an urban area whereas the union council represents the rural or suburban areas. Each union council has a union council chairman and one member of the district council. The chairman of each district is selected by the chairmen of union councils and union committees.


2015 Karachi local elections, Results
The following is the result of union committees in local government election held on 5 December 2015.


2015 Karachi local elections, Results
There was a total of 99 seats reserved in four different categories for the union committees and all 308 members of the union committee select the mayor and deputy mayor of Karachi. The mayoral election was held on 24 August 2016. Waseem Akhtar was elected as the city's mayor by securing 196 out of 294 (305 total) votes in his favor. The Pakistan Peoples Party candidate secured second position with 98 votes.


2015 Karachi local elections, Results
The Pakistan Peoples Party won the majority of the seats in union councils. The following is the result of Karachi union councils in the local government election held on 5 December 2015.


2015 Karachi local elections, Results
The election for the chairman of the District Council was held on 24 August 2016. In the district council elections, Abdullah Murad Baloch from the Pakistan Peoples Party received 35 votes out of 56 (57 total) and was elected as the District Council chairman.


2015 Karachi traffic accident
The 2015 Karachi traffic accident occurred on 10 January 2015, when a passenger bus in transit from Karachi to Shikarpur crashed into an oil tanker killing up to 62 people including 6 children. The bus was carrying up to 80 people, with 62 inside the bus and 10 on top, due to overcrowding. Traveling in the morning, most of the passengers were asleep when the bus crashed.


2015 Karachi traffic accident
Only traveling a small distance, the bus crashed in the outskirts of Karachi on a single track road that connects to the Super Highway. The crash occurred because of careless driving, as the driver of the tanker was speeding on the wrong side of the road, and poor conditions on the road. Immediately after the crash, a gas cylinder ignited causing the bus to catch on fire. The heat melted some of the metal frame on the bus, causing rescuers to cut open the vehicle to obtain some of the bodies. Up to 62 passengers were killed because of the crash.


2015 Karachi traffic accident, Background
Transportation safety in Pakistan has been poor in recent years. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics there are an average of 9,000 crashes and 4,500 deaths on the road each year.


2015 Karachi traffic accident, Aftermath
After the crash, the driver of the oil tanker fled the scene. According to Dr. Seemi Jamali, the 62 bodies were taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. Chief minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah, ordered that there be an investigation into the crash.


2015 Karjala Tournament
The 2015 Karjala Tournament was played between 5–8 November 2015. The Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden and Russia played a round-robin for a total of three games per team and six games in total. Five of the matches were played in the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland, and one match in the Fjällräven Center in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden. The tournament was won by Sweden. The tournament is part of 2015–16 Euro Hockey Tour.


2015 Karjala Tournament, Games
All times are local. Helsinki – (Eastern European Time – UTC+2) Örnsköldsvik – (Central European Time – UTC+1)


2015 Karjala Tournament, Scoring leaders
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalties In Minutes; POS = Position


2015 Karjala Tournament, Goaltending leaders
TOI = Time On Ice (minutes:seconds); SA = Shots Against; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals Against Average; Sv% = Save Percentage; SO = Shutouts


2015 Karnataka State Film Awards
The Karnataka State Film Awards 2015, presented by Government of Karnataka, to felicitate the best of Kannada Cinema released in the year 2015. The ceremony was held in Bengaluru on 13 November 2016.


2015 Karnataka State Film Awards, Lifetime achievement award
For the first time a separate jury was appointed to select the Lifetime Achievement Awards under the chairmanship of veteran director S. K. Bhagavan.


2015 Karnataka State Film Awards, Jury
A committee headed by Naganna was appointed to evaluate the awards.


2015 Karshi Challenger
The 2015 Karshi Challenger was a professional tennis tournament played on hard courts. It was the ninth edition of the tournament which was part of the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour. It took place in Qarshi, Uzbekistan between 4 and 10 May 2015.


2015 Karshi Challenger, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Karshi Challenger, Doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pairs received wildcards into the doubles main draw:


2015 Karshi Challenger – Doubles
Sergey Betov and Alexander Bury were the defending champions, but decided not to compete together. Bury played alongside Teymuraz Gabashvili, but lost to Yaraslav Shyla and Andrei Vasilevski in the first round. Betov competed with Mikhail Elgin and reached the final, but lost to Yuki Bhambri and Adrián Menéndez-Maceiras, 7–5, 3–6, [8–10].


2015 Karshi Challenger – Singles
Nikoloz Basilashvili was the defending champion, but decided not to compete.


2015 Karshi Challenger – Singles
Teymuraz Gabashvili won the tournament after Evgeny Donskoy was forced to retire in the final due to a right ankle injury.


2015 Katowice Open
The 2015 Katowice Open was a women's tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It was the 3rd edition of the Katowice Open, in the International category of the 2015 WTA Tour. It took place at Spodek arena in Katowice, Poland, from 6 April through 12 April 2015.


2015 Katowice Open, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following player used a protected ranking to gain entry into the singles main draw:


2015 Katowice Open, WTA doubles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following pair received a wildcard into the main draw:


2015 Katowice Open – Doubles
Yuliya Beygelzimer and Olga Savchuk were the defending champions, but Savchuk chose to compete in Charleston instead. Beygelzimer played alongside Eva Hrdinová, but they lost in the first round to Ysaline Bonaventure and Demi Schuurs.


2015 Katowice Open – Doubles
Bonaventure and Schuurs went on to win the title, defeating Gioia Barbieri and Karin Knapp in the final, 7-5, 4-6, [10-6].


2015 Katowice Open – Singles
Alizé Cornet was the defending champion, but lost to Anna Karolína Schmiedlová in the quarterfinals.


2015 Katowice Open – Singles
Schmiedlová went on to win her first WTA title, defeating Camila Giorgi in the final, 6–4, 6–3.


2015 Katsina State gubernatorial election
The 2015 Katsina State gubernatorial election was the 6th gubernatorial election of Katsina State. Held on April 11, 2015, the All Progressives Congress nominee Aminu Bello Masari won the election, defeating Musa Nashuni of the People's Democratic Party.


2015 Katsina State gubernatorial election, APC primary
APC candidate, Aminu Bello Masari clinched the party ticket. The APC primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Katsina State gubernatorial election, PDP primary
PDP candidate, Musa Nashuni clinched the party ticket. The PDP primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Katsina State gubernatorial election, Results
A total of 7 candidates contested in the election. Aminu Bello Masari from the All Progressives Congress won the election, defeating Musa Nashuni from the People's Democratic Party.


2015 Kawasaki Frontale season
The 2015 Kawasaki Frontale season saw the club compete in the J1 League, the top league of Japanese football, in which they finished 6th.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
Snap presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 26 April 2015 to elect the President of Kazakhstan. This was the fifth presidential election held and second without having any formal opposition candidates. With the highest-ever nationwide turnout of 95.2%, the result was a victory for long-term incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Nur Otan who received 97.8% of the vote, the largest since 1991, thus winning a fifth term in office while his closest challenger, Turgyn Syzdyqov, received only 1.6% of the votes.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
Having been originally scheduled for 2016, the election was held a year earlier after numerous calls and support from the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, the Parliament, as well as political parties for President Nursultan Nazarbayev to support a snap election in order to properly continue the country's development and to avoid for Mazhilis elections to be held simultaneously which were also set for the following year. After the Constitutional Council ruling on 25 February 2015, which stated that the president has the authority to call for snap elections, Nazarbayev that same day signed a decree setting the election date for 26 April.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
Nominations of candidates began following the established election day. Of all registered political parties, only two took a decision to participate in the elections by nominating candidates of which were incumbent president Nursultan Nazarbayev from the Nur Otan, and Turgyn Syzdyqov from the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan while the rest of pro-government parties all endorsed Nazarbayev except for the opposition Nationwide Social Democratic Party.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
Numerous self-nominees announced their presidential bids in which most of them later withdrew or rejected by the Central Election Commission except for Äbilgazy Qusaiynov, the incumbent chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan, leaving the race to be contested by just three candidates, the least of all Kazakhstan's elections.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
Campaigning took place in midst of an economic crisis following the 2010s oil glut and the devaluation of the Russian ruble, which severely impacted the Kazakh economy as the solution to the issues during the elections regarding the country's economy were raised, along with the continued Nazarbayev's reforms, social, environmental and industrial safety problems. Despite different proposals and idea from candidates, most of the platforms made by Nazarbayev were the most visible and known to the public.


2015 Kazakh presidential election
On 29 April 2015, President Nazarbayev was inaugurated at the Palace of Independence in Astana after winning re-election bid, to which the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe reported "serious procedural deficiencies and irregularities" and that voters were offered limited choices. From there, Nazarbayev pledged to implement his proposed five institutional reforms. He continued serving his fifth and final term before eventually resigning in 2019.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background
Incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected for a fourth term in the 2011 Kazakh presidential election, winning over 95% of the vote. From there, he promised in continuing economic, political and social reforms. During that time, the Kazakh government had received criticism from the opposition in the country and internationally due to Nur Otan's single-party control of the Parliament which it gained in 2007. Minor parties made their eventual return to the lower-house Mazhilis in 2012 although they were considered to be loyal to the authorities. Complaints of human rights abuses continued in the country as the Kazakh government was accused on cracking and shutting down independent media outlets and opposition groups that mostly covered the Zhanaozen massacre where the police opened fire on striking oil workers, which resulted in deaths of 12 people.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background
Despite the poor record of human rights and lack of improvements in democracy, Kazakhstan continued in having a huge economic growth thanks to its stabilized oil and gas industry. In December 2012, during an address to the nation, Nazarbayev unveiled the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy economic plan which aimed to bring the country into the top 30 most developed nations by 2050. In 2013, Kazakhstan reached its highest annual GDP record with $236.6 billion, making it the biggest in Central Asia and placing it 45th in the world.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background
However, the economic growth became short-lived after on 11 February 2014, when the Kazakh tenge lost its value by 19%, worse since 2009 after Russia faced its ruble currency value loss. Due to international sanctions that were imposed on Russia, Kazakhstan's main trading partner, after the annexation of Crimea in March 2014, trade between those two countries decreased by 24.6%. This sparked unusual public protests in the country which resulted in Nazarbayev's dismissal of the government led by Prime Minister Serik Akhmetov and the reappointment of Karim Massimov to the post.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background
As a result of the oil price crash which began in September 2014, the Kazakh government resorted in cutting budget spending as the price of oil amounted to 25% of Kazakhstan's GDP. In an attempt to bolster economic growth, Nazarbayev in his presidential address on 11 November 2014 announced an economic stimulus plan named Nurly Zhol, which would allocate $3 billion from the reserve fund a year to fund the program's various parts.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
On 14 February 2015, the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan (QHA) unanimously voted on the initiative to move presidential elections forward from 2016 to 2015. One motivation was that a snap election would help the development of the country; another one was that it is a disadvantage to hold both presidential and parliamentary elections in the same year, telling:


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
"The President of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, must be given a new mandate of national trust for the successful passage of the country in the period of global trials. At a new and difficult stage of global imbalances, it is necessary to trust Elbasy N. A. Nazarbayev so that the country does not stray from its strategic course and continues its path towards large-scale modernization of the country and advancement into the 30 most powerful states in the world."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
On 16 February, the decision made by QHA was supported by the ruling party Nur Otan, as well as the parliamentary faction of the party in Mazhilis, led by Nazarbayev's daughter Dariga. Two other minor parties in the Mazhilis: Ak Zhol Democratic Party (AJ) and Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan (QKHP), also supported the idea of a snap presidential elections with QKHP secretary Aiqyn Qongyrov announcing that the party would nominate its own candidate. Former 2011 presidential candidate Mels Eleusizov and the head of the Attan-Kazakhstan movement Amantai Asylbek both expressed their desire to participate in the elections. The opposition Nationwide Social Democratic Party announced that the party would make a decision on the participation and nomination of candidates only after Nazarbayev announces the decision on his intention to resign early and announces snap elections.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
On 18 February, the Mazhilis unanimously asked President Nursultan Nazarbayev to move the elections. That same day, the Kazakhstan Alliance of Bloggers called for an abandonment of the elections and instead, proposed to hold a referendum on the extension of the presidential term until 2022 in order to save money and "avoid serious reputational risks".


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
The following day on 19 February, the Senate took upon decision on whether to allow snap elections. In the first vote, 41 senators supported the proposal and with only one voting against it. However, after discussing a number of other issues on the agenda, Senate Chair Kassym-Jomart Tokayev asked members to re-vote again on the decision, saying "something I didn't like there. It's technical. Let's re-vote. Let's re-vote. Someone voted very inattentively. It's just for the purity of the experiment, as they say."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
According to the results of the second vote, the senators unanimously supported the snap elections, with the first vote being explained as a technical error. Following the revote, Tokayev appealed to the Constitutional Council with a request to give an official interpretation of the constitutional clause, which regulates the appointment of snap presidential elections.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
On 24 February, the Constitutional Council adopted a normative resolution of the Constitution which following said:


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
"It should be understood in such a way that the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan has the exclusive right to single-handedly call early presidential elections.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
The Constitution of the Republic does not provide for any conditions and restrictions when the Head of State makes a decision on the appointment of early presidential elections, when deciding on the appointment of such elections, the rule provided for in Paragraph 3 of Article 41 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the inadmissibility of coincidence in terms of the election of the President of Kazakhstan with elections of the new composition of the Parliament of the Republic."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Background, Calls for snap election
That same day, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed the decree calling for snap elections, scheduling them for 26 April 2015. He announced it during a live broadcast on the Khabar TV channel, noting that he would make a decision regarding his participation in the elections later.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Candidates
Nomination of presidential candidates took place between 26 February and 15 March 2015 with the registration deadline set on 25 March. Participants were required to collect signatures by at least 1% of total eligible voters whom equally representing at least two-thirds of the regions and the cities of Almaty and Astana.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Candidates
Several parties expressed interests and possibilities on nominating their candidates while others opted out of participation. The Nationwide Social Democratic Party (JSDP) deputy chairman Petr Svoik said that there should be only two candidates with one being the incumbent and another being from the opposition party. He noted that the JSDP would nominate is candidate after President Nursultan Nazarbayev would decide in his participation in the elections or not. Failed 2011 presidential nominee and chairman of Party of Patriots of Kazakhstan Gani Qasymov declined to run, expressing that the country needs "new faces, new people and more candidates from a new generation."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Turgyn Syzdyqov
At the Communist People's Party of Kazakhstan (QKHP) Congress, Turgyn Syzdyqov was unanimously nominated to be the presidential candidate for the party on 4 March 2015. The QKHP considered proposing two other candidates for the nomination to which they themselves reject the offer, thus making Syzdyqov the sole choice for the party nominee. QKHP Honorary Secretary Vladislav Kosarev at the congress, called Syzdyqov "an excellent family man, calm, balanced" that "knows the situation, painfully experiences all the processes taking place."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Turgyn Syzdyqov
Syzdyqov's campaign proclaimed the beginning of the party's open struggle against the "capitalist exploitation of wage labor" and "bourgeois principles of distribution of material goods". Syzdyqov argued that the material goods should be given to all members of society, regardless of their social status and called for universal health care and free education, claiming it to be as a basis for scientific and technological progress and participation of the masses of workers without a complete return to a Soviet-communist model, saying that the capital should be dealt within the economy by providing workers with decent payment of labour. Despite admitting not having the chance of winning presidency, Syzdyqov hoped for a second place win.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Nursultan Nazarbayev
On 11 March 2015, the 16th Nur Otan Ordinary Congress was held in Astana to which it was attended by around 2,000 party delegates. Academician Kenzhegali Sagadiev proposed to nominate incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev for the candidacy, stressing that "he [Nazarbayev] has passed the turning points of history, under his leadership the Kazakh people have overcome considerable challenges." Nazarbayev, at the congress, accepted the offer and from there, he urged all Kazakhstanis to buy domestically made products and called for the entrepreneurs to produce better products to compete with imports as the devaluation of the Russian ruble had "reduced competitiveness".


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Nursultan Nazarbayev
At the congress, Nazarbayev announced five institutional reforms to strengthen Kazakhstan to which were: 1) continued liberalization policies with an increased reports by the local government leaders; 2) ensured decision-making transparency with civic involvement by a law on an access to public information; 3) introduction of civil budgeting with an involvement by civic representatives during process of budget allocation; 4) strengthening of the justice system by making it easier of citizens to appeal against the actions by employees; 5) insurance on self-regulation in society by the transfer of power from state agencies to civil society institutions.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Nursultan Nazarbayev
In regards to democratic reforms, Nazarbayev expressed dangers, claiming that "forced democratization" doesn't guarantee the stability of the country nor a successful economic modernization and then compared developed countries whom were criticised for authoritarianism such as Singapore and Malaysia.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Nursultan Nazarbayev
On the following day on 12 March, the Ak Zhol Democratic Party (AJ) held it's 12th Congress. From there, the party decided not to participate in the elections instead endorse Nazarbayev's presidential bid. AJ Chairman Azat Peruashev stated that there was no political figure comparable to Nazarbayev, saying "Nazarbayev has done more than anyone else for the development of business, promotion of the national interests of Kazakhstan. Whether someone likes it or not, Nazarbayev has not belonged only to himself for a long time, this is a figure of a global historical scale for the entire post-Soviet space."


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Äbilgazy Qusaiynov
On 12 March 2015, Federation of Trade Unions of Kazakhstan (QRKF) Chairman Äbilgazy Qusaiynov applied for candidacy in the elections. From there, he said "elections are always an opportunity to raise pressing issues of society and draw attention to such pressing problems in the life of every person as, for example, issues of ecology and industrial safety in general," and stated that his goal was to raise public awareness regarding these issues.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Äbilgazy Qusaiynov
Qusaiynov's campaign headquarters was opened on 26 March in Astana where it revealed electoral programs, specifically towards environmental issues. Qusaiynov called for the country's transition into environmental friendly development in course of human development which would stimulate the economic growth with a need of adhere to the principles of industrial safety and compliance with technical regulations. He advocated for systemic public control over the activities of enterprises to ensure the safety of products and processes.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Campaign, Äbilgazy Qusaiynov
The RFE/RL attempted to interview Qusaiynov which was unsuccessful as Qusaiynov only reserved himself to journalists whom were accredited in his campaign headquarters. Nevertheless, Qusaiynov's campaign received mixed reactions among several Kazakhstanis. Failed presidential candidate and known ecologist Mels Eleusizov fired back on Qusaiynov's environmental concerns, claiming that he was an "ecologist" only for the campaign, saying "an official as an official is no different from his own kind." Civil activist Valentina Makhotina expressed her doubts on Qusaiynov work at improving worker's conditions, claiming that under his tenure as QRKF Chairman, a new law which was adopted deprived workers' rights to form independent trade unions, while journalist Aigul Omarova believed that Qusaiynov did not belong to any political clan.


2015 Kazakh presidential election, Conduct
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) criticized the election, saying that "there is a lack of a credible opposition in the country." It also said that "[v]oters were not offered a genuine choice between political alternatives," and that "[t]here were significant restrictions to the freedom of expression, as well as to the media environment."


2015 Kazakhstan Basketball Cup
The 2015 Kazakhstan Basketball Cup (Kazakh: 2015 маусымдағы баскетболдан Қазақстан Кубогы; Russian: Кубок Казахстана по баскетболу сезон 2015) was the 13th edition of the Kazakhstan Basketball Cup, the highest professional cup basketball competition in Kazakhstan.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup
The 2015 Kazakhstan Cup is the 24th season of the Kazakhstan Cup, the annual nationwide football cup competition of Kazakhstan since the independence of the country. The competition began on 29 March 2015 and will end with the final in November 2015. Kairat are the defending champions, having won their first cup in the 2014 competition.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup
The winner of the competition will qualify for the first qualifying round of the 2016–17 UEFA Europa League.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup, Schedule
The rounds of the 2015 competition are scheduled as follows:


2015 Kazakhstan Cup, Preliminary round
Matches of the preliminary round took place on March 29, 2015 and featured the 10 lowest placed clubs from the Kazakhstan First Division.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup, First round
Matches of the first round took place on 11/12 April 2015 and featured the 5 winners from the preliminary round and the three remaining Kazakhstan First Division teams.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup, Second round
Matches of the second round took place on 28/29 April 2015 and featured the 4 winners from the first round and the 12 Kazakhstan Premier League teams.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup, Quarter finals
On 30 April 2015, the eight winners from the Second Round were drawn in to four Quarter Final ties, to be played on 20 May 2015.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup Final
The 2015 Kazakhstan Cup Final was the 24th final of the Kazakhstan Cup. The match was contested by Kairat and Astana at Astana Arena in Astana. The match was played on 21 November 2015 and was the final match of the competition.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup Final, Background
Kairat were playing a record 9th Kazakhstan Cup final. They had previously won 6, most recently last season's final against Aktobe. Their most recent defeat in the final was in 2005, losing 2–1 to Zhenis.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup Final, Background
It was Astana's 3rd final. They had won both previous finals, most recently in 2012 with a 2–0 win over Irtysh.


2015 Kazakhstan Cup Final, Background
Kairat and Astana had played twice during the league season. In the first game, on April 19, 2015 Astana won 4–3 at Astana Arena. Georgy Zhukov, Nemanja Maksimovic, Bauyrzhan Dzholchiyev and Tanat Nusserbayev scored for Astana, and Gerard Gohou scored twice and Bauyrzhan Islamkhan scored once for Kairat. On June 28, 2015, Kairat won a victory 2–0 with goals from Isael and Bauyrzhan Islamkhan's penalty.


2015 Kazakhstan First Division
The 2015 Kazakhstan First Division was the 21st edition of Kazakhstan First Division, the second level football competition in Kazakhstan. 13 teams played against each other on home-away system. The top team gains promotion to the Premier League next season, while the second-placed team enters playoff series with the eleventh team of the Premier League.


2015 Kazakhstan First Division, Teams, Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to three per team. A team can use all of them on the field in each game.


2015 Kazakhstan First Division, Teams, Foreign players
In bold: Players that have been capped for their national team.


2015 Kazakhstan Futsal Cup
The 2015 Kazakhstan Futsal Cup was the 20th staging of the Kazakhstan Futsal Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan Futsal Cup, Venues
Matches of a group stage took place in "Zhaksy Sportcomplex". Other matches took place on "Baganashyl-Zenit Sportcomplex".


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League
The 2015 Kazakhstan Premier League is the 24th season of the Kazakhstan Premier League, the highest football league competition in Kazakhstan. The season began in March 2015 and finished in November. Astana were the defending champions having won their first league championship the previous year.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Teams
Spartak Semey was relegated at the end of the 2014 season, and were replaced by Okzhetpes.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Teams, Personnel and kits
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Teams, Foreign players
The number of foreign players is restricted to eight per KPL team. A team can use only five foreign players on the field in each game.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Teams, Foreign players
In bold: Players that have been capped for their national team.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Regular season
In the regular season twelve teams played each other home-and-away in a round-robin format for a total of 22 matches per team. The top six teams advanced to the Championship round and the bottom six teams qualified for the Relegation round.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Championship round
The top six teams from Regular season will participate in the Championship round where they will play each other home-and-away in a round-robin format for a total of 10 matches per team. They will start this round with their points from Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and they will keep their Regular season record (matches won, draws, losses and goal differential). After completion of the Championship round the winners will be the Champions of 2015 Kazakhstan Premier League and qualify for 2016–17 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. The runners-up and third-placed team will qualify for Europa League first qualifying round and the fourth placed team may also qualify for Europa League if they or one of the top three teams wins the 2015 Kazakhstan Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, Relegation round
The bottom six teams from Regular season will participate in the Relegation round where they will play each other home-and-away in a round-robin format for a total of 10 matches per team. They will start this round with their points from Regular season halved, rounded upwards, and they will keep their Regular season record (matches won, draws, losses and goal differential). After completion of the Relegation round the winners will be considered 7th-placed team of 2015 Kazakhstan Premier League, the runners-up will be 8th and so on, with the last team being 12th. The 11th-placed team will qualify for Relegation play-off against runners-up of 2015 Kazakhstan First Division, with the loser being eliminated, and the 12th-placed team will be directly relegated to 2016 Kazakhstan First Division as the last-placed team.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup (football)
The 8th Kazakhstan President Cup was played from June 21 to June 27, 2015 in Astana. 8 youth teams participated in the tournament (players were born no earlier than 1999.)


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup (football), Format
The tournament is held in two stages. At the first stage, eight teams are divided into two qualification groups (A and B). Competitions of the first stage were held on circular system. The winners of the groups advance to the final, while the group runners-up meet to determine third place.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup (football), Statistics, Prize money
According to FFK, the prize fund of a tournament will make 20,000 $. "The teams which took 1, 2 and 3 place will be received, respectively 10,000, 6,000 and 4,000 $.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group A, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan's 17-man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group A, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan 16 man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group A, Spain
Spain 16 man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group A, Tajikistan
Tajikistan 16 man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group B, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan's 17-man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group B, Belarus
Belarus's 17-man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group B, Georgia
Georgia's 17-man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan President Cup squads, Group B, Russia
Russia's 17-man squad to play in the 2015 Kazakhstan President Cup.


2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup
2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup was a Kazakhstan football match that was played on 1 March 2015 between the champions of 2014 Kazakhstan Premier League, Astana, and the winner of the 2014 Kazakhstan Cup, Kairat.


2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup
This match was played on 1 March at the Astana Arena. Main and extra time of the match ended with goalless draw, and Astana won the 2015 Kazakhstan Super Cup by a penalty shootout (3:2).


2015 Kazakhstani Women's Cup
The Kazakhstani Women's Cup 2015 was the 9th season of the cup competition, Kazakhstan's second-most important title in women's football.


2015 Kazakhstani Women's Cup
BIIK-Kazygurt won their eighth title after beating Kokshe 6–1 in the final.


2015 Kazakhstani women's football championship
The 2015 Kazakhstani women's football championship is the 11th season of the Kazakhstani women's football championship, the highest women's football league competition in Kazakhstan. The season began in April 2015 and finished in November. BIIK-Kazygurt were the defending championship title.


2015 Kazakhstani women's football championship, Format
Team play each other four times, thus totalling 16 matches per team.


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup
The 2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup was a professional tennis tournament played on hard courts. It was the sixth edition of the tournament which was part of the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour. It took place in Kazan, Russia between 16 and 22 March 2015.


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup – Doubles
Flavio Cipolla and Goran Tošić are the defending champions, but did not participate.


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup – Doubles
Mikhail Elgin and Igor Zelenay won the title, defeating Andrea Arnaboldi and Matteo Viola in the final, 6–3, 6–3.


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup – Singles
Marsel İlhan was the defending champion, but he lost in quarterfinals to Konstantin Kravchuk.


2015 Kazan Kremlin Cup – Singles
Aslan Karatsev won the title, defeating Konstantin Kravchuk in the final, 6–4, 4–6, 6–3.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire
The 2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire occurred on 11 March 2015 when a fire and partial collapse of the Admiral shopping complex in the Russian city of Kazan killed at least 17 people with 55 more injured.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Fire
The fire reportedly started in a first floor cafe, next to the Admiral center. The building collapsed, trapping 25 individuals under the rubble.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Fire
A security guard initially attempted to extinguish the fire himself, and there was a delay in calling for first responders. It affected an area of 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet).


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, First responders
Five hundred riot police were sent to seal off the center and create a line around the building as business owners attempted to re-enter the building and save goods. A fire train and helicopter were also used in order to get the fire under control.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Victims
Kazan law enforcers reported that the number of injured by the fire had exceeded 30, with nineteen people being transported to the hospital and fourteen going to the doctors or hospitals on their own choice.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Victims
On March 12 it was reported that based on reports by workers and relatives, five people were confirmed dead and 25 missing. By March 14, the number of deceased victims had risen to 15 with 17 more missing, the final death total of 17 was released on March 15 with eight foreign nationals being identified among the dead.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Response
Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov stated that managers of the center had failed to comply with fire safety regulations. He also decreed a Republic-wide day of morning, and that the families of each Russian citizen among the victims would receive 1 million rubles (US$16,000) in compensation, and foreign victims would have the cost of transporting the remains covered.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Investigation
Investigators have detained the shopping centers director and at the time were looking into multiple theories including arson.


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Investigation
Two firefighters have received widespread criticism with the selfie style photo in front of the burning building, and officials are investigating over whether they should be removed from their positions. The Regional Emergency Situations Department stated that the actions of the two are "not characteristic of those who work hard every day, tirelessly saving lives."


2015 Kazan Shopping Center fire, Investigation, Criminal charges
A local court sanctioned the arrest of the shopping mall's chief executive on charges of fire safety regulations. The Russia Investigative Committee placed Minzilya Safina a former bailiff to a wanted list for failure to enforce a regional courts 2013 decision to rectify the shopping centers numerous fire safety violations.


2015 Kebbi State gubernatorial election
The 2015 Kebbi State gubernatorial election was the 7th gubernatorial election of Kebbi State. Held on April 11, 2015, the All Progressives Congress nominee Abubakar Atiku Bagudu won the election, defeating Bello Sarkin Yaki of the People's Democratic Party.


2015 Kebbi State gubernatorial election, APC primary
APC candidate, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu clinched the party ticket. The APC primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Kebbi State gubernatorial election, PDP primary
PDP candidate, Bello Sarkin Yaki clinched the party ticket. The PDP primary election was held in 2014.


2015 Kebbi State gubernatorial election, Results
A total of 17 candidates contested in the election. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu from the All Progressives Congress won the election, defeating Bello Sarkin Yaki from the People's Democratic Party. Registered voters was 1,454,369, accredited voters was 873,542, 34,875 votes was cancelled, votes cast was 813,239, valid votes was 778,364. The winner, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu won in 19 out of 21 Local Government Areas in the State, Bello Sarkin Yaki won just 2 Local Government Areas.


2015 Kedah FA season
The 2015 season was Kedah FA's 5th season in the Malaysia Premier League since its inception in 2004. They also participated in the  Malaysia FA Cup and the Malaysia Cup.


2015 Kedah FA season, Competitions, Premier League
The league will kick-off on 6 February and ends on 21 August 2015.


2015 Kedah FA season, Competitions, Premier League, Results summary
Last updated: 17 May 2016. Source: Premier League fixtures and results


2015 Kehoe Cup
The 2015 Kehoe Cup was an inter-county and colleges hurling competition in the province of Leinster. The competition was ranked below the Walsh Cup and featured second and third tier counties from Leinster.


2015 Keio Challenger
The 2015 Keio Challenger is a professional tennis tournament played on hard courts. It is the eleventh edition of the tournament which is part of the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour. It takes place in Yokohama, Japan between November 16 and November 22, 2015.


2015 Keio Challenger, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Keio Challenger – Doubles
Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana won the title , defeating Riccardo Ghedin and Yi Chu-huan in the final 6–4 , 6–4


2015 Keio Challenger – Singles
Taro Daniel won the title , defeating Go Soeda in the final  4–6 , 6–3 , 6–3 .


2015 Kelantan FA season
The 2015 season was Kelantan FA's 7th season in the Malaysia Super League and 20th successive season in the top flight of Malaysian football league system. They will also compete in FA Cup and Malaysia Cup. For the first time since 2012, they will not compete in AFC Cup.


2015 Kelantan FA season, Competition, FA Cup
The draw for the competition was made on 14 December 2014 with games expected to start in February 2015.


2015 Kelantan FA season, Competition, Malaysia Cup
The draw for the 2015 Malaysia Cup was held on 27 August 2015 at the Hilton Hotel Petaling Jaya and Kelantan FA was drawn into group C which is arguably the “Group of Death” consisting of 32-time winners Selangor FA, previous season semi-finalist Felda United F.C. and T-Team F.C.. Their Journey in Malaysia Cup ended after they finished in third place behind 2015 Malaysia Cup semi-finalist, Felda United F.C. and champion, Selangor FA.


2015 Kelantan FA season, Player statistics, Squad
On 1 December 2014, Tan Sri Annuar Musa has announced the 2015 provisional squad for Kelantan. It was finalized before the transfer window closed on 12 a.m., Friday 5 December 2014.


2015 Kelantan FA season, Player statistics, Squad
Key: = Appearances, = Goals, = Yellow card, = Red card(Player names in italics denotes player that left mid-season)


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs
The 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs of the ECHL started April 14, 2015 following the conclusion of the 2014–15 ECHL regular season.


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs, Playoff format
At the end of the regular season the top four teams in each division qualified for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs. The first two playoff rounds are played entirely within the divisions, with the divisional playoff champions facing each other in the conference championships. The Kelly Cup final pits the Eastern Conference champion against the Western Conference champion. All four rounds are a best-of-seven format.


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs, Playoff seeds
After the regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Toledo Walleye were the Brabham Cup winners with the best record, winning their first regular season title since the 2002-03 season, when they were known as the Storm.


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs, Statistical leaders, Skaters
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs, Statistical leaders, Goaltending
This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 240 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.


2015 Kelly Cup playoffs, Statistical leaders, Goaltending
GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime Losses; SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; SO = Shutouts; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes)


2015 Ken Galluccio Cup
The 2015 Ken Galluccio Cup was the seventh edition of the Ken Galluccio Cup, the European men's lacrosse club competition.


2015 Ken Galluccio Cup, Competition format
The twelve teams were divided into four groups of three, where the two first qualified teams joined the quarterfinals.


2015 Kennesaw State Owls football team
The 2015 Kennesaw State Owls football team represented Kennesaw State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach Brian Bohannon and played their home games at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. They were first year members of the Big South Conference. This was the Owls inaugural season of intercollegiate football. They finished the season 6–5, 2–4 in Big South play to finish in a tie for fifth place.


2015 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2015 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Paul Haynes and played their home games at Dix Stadium as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in MAC play to finish in a three-way tie for fifth place in the East Division.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships
The 2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships was a professional tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the twentieth (ATP) and eighteenth (ITF) edition of the tournament and part of the 2015 ATP Challenger Tour and 2015 ITF Women's Circuit, offering a total of $50,000 in prize money in both events. It took place in Lexington, United States, on 27 July–2 August 2015.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships, Singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships, Women's singles main draw entrants, Other entrants
The following players received wildcards into the singles main draw:


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Men's Doubles
Peter Polansky and Adil Shamasdin were the defending champions, but chose not to participate.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Men's Doubles
Carsten Ball and Brydan Klein won the title defeating Dean O'Brien and Ruan Roelofse in the final, 6–4, 7–6(7–4).


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Men's Singles
James Duckworth is the defending champion, but chose not to participate.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Men's Singles
John Millman won the tournament, defeating Yasutaka Uchiyama in the final, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Women's Doubles
Jocelyn Rae and Anna Smith were the defending champions, but lost to Nao Hibino and Emily Webley-Smith in the quarterfinals.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Women's Doubles
Hibino and Webley-Smith won the title, defeating Nicha Lertpitaksinchai and Peangtarn Plipuech in the final, 6–2, 6–2.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Women's Singles
Madison Brengle is the defending champion, but chose not to participate.


2015 Kentucky Bank Tennis Championships – Women's Singles
Nao Hibino won the title defeating Samantha Crawford in the final, 6–2, 6–1.


2015 Kentucky Derby
The 2015 Kentucky Derby was the 141st running of the Kentucky Derby. The race was run at 6:44 pm Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 2, 2015, at Churchill Downs. It was broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network. Kentucky native Ashley Judd voiced the opening for the telecast of the race, and was the first woman to do so.


2015 Kentucky Derby
The weather was warm, and a record 170,513 people attended. The 2015 race also set a wagering record with parimutuel betting of $137.9 million. Jockey Victor Espinoza rode American Pharoah to victory after taking the lead in the homestretch. The race marked the fourth Kentucky Derby win for horse trainer Bob Baffert and the third win for Espinoza.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Qualification
The Kentucky Derby is a race for 3-year-old Thoroughbred horses. The 2015 field was determined by a points system that was introduced in 2013.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Field
The post position draw of the entries for the Kentucky Derby was held on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the Churchill Downs Racetrack clubhouse. American Pharoah was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The day after the draw, Todd Pletcher scratched Stanford, stating that the horse was "fine" but they were not pleased with the draw and had been "on the fence" about running in the Derby.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Field
On May 1, El Kabeir was scratched due to a possible hoof problem; however, the also-eligible Tale of Verve did not get a chance to run since the scratch was made after the cutoff time that allows also-eligible runners to start in the race. Early on race day, International Star was also scratched after having problems with his left-front foot.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Field
Overall, the 2015 field was considered "the deepest and most talented in decades". Trainer Bob Baffert had the top two favorites: American Pharoah and Dortmund. Dortmund, winner of the Santa Anita Derby, was 6–0 entering the race, a feat matched by 1977 winner Seattle Slew and 2004 winner Smarty Jones. American Pharoah was 4–1, having placed fifth in his debut before running off four straight victories, including an eight-length win in the Arkansas Derby. Baffert described the experience as like being "on pins and needles all week long", as reporters and fans expected one of his two horses to win.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Field
Other notable horses in the field included the undefeated Florida Derby winner Materiality; Wood Memorial winner Frosted; UAE Derby winner Mubtaahij; and Sunland Derby winner Firing Line, who had lost to Dortmund twice by very narrow margins.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description
The weather on race day, May 2, 2015, was warm. A record setting 170,513 fans watched the race live at Churchill Downs. The 2015 race also set a record for money wagered with $137.9 million bet from all sources on the Derby and $194.3 million for the entire day of racing. Eighteen horses started the race, which was the eleventh on the race card and started at 6:43 p.m. Television viewership was also higher than in previous years. The Nielsen ratings for the race were 9.6/23, which translated into roughly 16 million viewers.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description
Dortmund was the first out of the gate, followed closely by Firing Line and then American Pharoah. In the early stages of the Kentucky Derby, Dortmund and Firing Line traded the lead several times. Carpe Diem and American Pharoah were also at the front of the pack, just behind the leaders. Dortmund took the inside position and held it throughout the race. As the horses came around the final turn, it was a three-horse race. Dortmund held the lead on the inside, but Firing Line, running more toward the middle of the track, passed him.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description
American Pharoah, ridden by Victor Espinoza, took the final turn very wide but had the lead by a head in the homestretch. From there, he increased his lead, winning with a time of 2:03.02. Firing Line finished second, one length back; Dortmund took third, three lengths off the lead. Frosted and Danzig Moon rounded out the top five.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description
It was second straight Derby win for Espinoza, who rode California Chrome to victory in 2014, and his third overall. "I feel like the luckiest Mexican on Earth", he declared after the race. For trainer Bob Baffert, it was his fourth Derby victory and his first since 2002. Espinoza and Baffert had teamed up to win the 2002 Kentucky Derby with War Emblem. For owner Ahmed Zayat, it was his first Derby victory and the end of a streak of losses.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description
His horses had placed second in three of the previous six Kentucky Derbies, including 2009 when American Pharoah's sire, Pioneerof The Nile, finished second. Additionally, Zayat's 2010 entry, Eskendereya, was the morning line favorite but had to scratch with a career-ending leg injury. "I'm speechless", Zayat said. "No more seconds ... This is one special horse ... This is a dream come true." Zayat collected $1.4 million for the win out of the $2.2 million total purse. American Pharoah became the first two-year-old champion to win the Derby since Street Sense in 2007.


2015 Kentucky Derby, Race description, Results
Times: 1⁄4 mile – 23.24; 1⁄2 mile – 47.34; 3⁄4 mile – 1:11.29; mile – 1:36.45; final – 2:03.02. Splits for each quarter-mile: (23.24) (24.10) (23.95) (25.16) (26.57)


2015 Kentucky Derby, Subsequent Grade I wins
Several horses from the Derby went on to later wins at the Grade I level. Most notably, American Pharoah went on to win the American Triple Crown and was named Horse of the Year.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team
The 2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team (variously "Kentucky", "UK", or "Wildcats") represents the University of Kentucky in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats compete in its 122nd season and 82nd as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) as part of its Eastern Division. The team is led by head coach Mark Stoops, which is his third year coaching the team, and the Wildcats play its home games at Commonwealth Stadium in Lexington, Kentucky.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team
After the completion of the 2014 season, the Wildcats signed one of their highest rated recruiting classes in February. They completed their spring practice in April.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Pre-season, Previous season
In 2014–2015, the Wildcats lost their final six games of the season after starting the season 5–1, completing their second year under Mark Stoops at 5-7 and 2–6 in the SEC (6th-East). They lost to in-state rival Louisville 40–44 to end the season, missing out on their fourth consecutive bowl game since the 2010–2011 season when they lost to Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Coaching staff
Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops enters his third year as the Wildcat's head coach for the 2015 season. During his previous two seasons he led the Wildcats to an overall record of 7 wins and 17 losses. Despite the losing record, he doubled his win total from his first season to his second.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Coaching staff
On November 30, 2014 Offensive Coordinator Neal Brown accepted the Head Coach position at Troy, where he was an assistant from 2006 to 2009. In his place Kentucky hired West Virginia Co-offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson on December 19, 2014.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Coaching staff
Special Teams coach Craig Naivar accepted a position  at Houston under his former colleague Tom Herman on December 18, 2014. The position he vacated was filled by California assistant Andy Buh on February 4, 2015. Stoops announced with Buh's hiring that the special teams would be a joint effort among multiple assistant coaches.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Transfers
Third string quarterback Maxwell Smith announced on January 11 that he would transfer to San Diego State for his senior season.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Transfers
On January 14 running back Braylon Heard announced he would forgo his last season of eligibility and enter his name into the 2015 NFL Draft. Heard rushed for 366 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry in 2014.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, Transfers
On February 4 running back Josh Clemons announced he will transfer from the program in May after he receives his degree.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, 2015 signing class
Prior to National Signing Day on February 4, 2015, four players enrolled for the spring semester in order to participate in spring practice The early enrollments from high school included offensive lineman George Asafo-Adjei, tight end C.J. Conrad, defensive end Kengera Daniel, and linebacker Jordan Jones.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, 2015 signing class
On National Signing Day, Alabama signed 18 additional players out of high school that completed the 2015 recruiting class. The class was highlighted by 2 players from the "ESPN 300": No. 214 Marcus Walker; and No. 244 Eli Brown. Kentucky signed a top-35 class according to Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247Sports.com.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Personnel, 2015 signing class
In addition to those signed as part of the 2015 class, on December 12, 2014 Nebraska transfers, tight end Greg Hart and linebacker Courtney Love, announced they would enroll and join Kentucky's football team. Due to health concerns of relatives, both players plan to apply for hardship waivers that would allow them to play in 2015 without sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule
Kentucky announced their 2015 football schedule on October 14, 2014. The 2015 schedule consist of eight home games and four away games in the regular season for the first time since the 2007 season. The Wildcats will host SEC foes Auburn, Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee, and will travel to Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, and Vanderbilt.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule
The Wildcats will host all non–conference play against Louisiana-Lafayette and Charlotte (both for the first time), and in–state rivals Eastern Kentucky and Louisville. The match–up against long–rival Tennessee will be held in October for the first time since 1909. Kentucky will also host Auburn on a Thursday night for the first home game on a Thursday night in program history.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Kentucky overcame a three-touchdown comeback by Louisiana-Lafayette with a late touchdown to defeat the Ragin' Cajuns 40–33 in the season opener for both teams. This was the first game in the newly renovated Commonwealth Stadium. The $120 million renovation includes player amenities such as a recruiting room and patio atop a tunnel leading to a new synthetic turf field. The Wildcats initially gave a sellout crowd of 62,933 something to feel good about on the field and in their seats before things turned sour.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Stanley "Boom" Williams' ran for a 75-yard TD on the game's first play. Williams' speed helped the Wildcats deliver just 16 seconds in. Last year's team rushing leader blew through a big hole up the middle and off for a big TD that brought a roar from the packed house before they got comfortable in their seats. He finished with 135 yards on 10 carries.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Patrick Towles' five-yard touchdown pass to Blake Bone provided a 33–10 lead late in the third quarter. But Austin MacGinnis' missed extra point opened the door for the Ragin' Cajuns to rally with TD runs of 56 and 26 yards by Torrey Pierce and a 23-yarder by Jalen Nixon.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Elijah McGuire's game-tying two point conversion run with 7:36 left created more anxiety, especially for Kentucky when Towles fumbled a fourth-and-1 snap at Louisiana's 49. The junior somehow recovered the ball for a two-yard gain to extend the drive. Five plays later Horton's 12-yard run with 57 seconds remaining put Kentucky ahead for good.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Josh Forrest intercepted Brooks Haack's Hail Mary pass as time expired to preserve Kentucky's narrow win on a wild but long night that included a faulty game clock and even lightning in the near distance along with the drone crash.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisiana–Lafayette
Towles passed for 257 yards and TDs of 35 yards to Garrett Johnson, 37 to Jeff Badet and Bone.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At South Carolina
It was a tale of two halves, with Kentucky's offense scoring 24 unanswered first-half points before the Wildcat defense made big play after big play in the second half to secure Kentucky's first win at South Carolina since 1999. Mark Stoops started the week reminding the Wildcats they hadn't had a winning road trip in his three-year tenure. They ended the week celebrating a 26 to 22 road victory at South Carolina on Saturday in front of 82,178 at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At South Carolina
The victory for Kentucky broke a 22-game losing streak in road games with the Wildcats last road win coming at Louisville in September 2010. Kentucky's last SEC road victory was at Georgia in November 2009. UK is now 2–0 on the season and starts conference play with a victory for the first time since defeating Arkansas in 2007 in Fayetteville.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At South Carolina
Heading into halftime with a 24–7 lead, South Carolina scored the first 15 points of the second half, including three Elliott Fry field goals and a 33-yard touchdown pass from Perry Orth, who was playing for injured Gamecock quarterback Conner Mitch, to Jerrell Adams, to cut the UK lead to 24–22. The Gamecocks and head coach Steve Spurrier decided to go for the two-point conversion to try to tie the game before freshman Denzil Ware scooped up a fumble and returned it 98 yards for two points to give UK a 26–22 lead with 8:09 to go in the game.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At South Carolina
After a short drive by the UK offense, South Carolina started another drive on a tired Kentucky defense before another freshman made a big play with rookie cornerback Chris Westry earning his first-career interception to put the Wildcats back in the driver's seat. The Wildcat offense, who struggled for much of the second half, sealed the victory from there, taking the final 4:32 off the clock, including a key 11-yard quarterback draw by Patrick Towles on third down to drain the Gamecocks of timeouts. Sophomore Stanley "Boom" Williams took over from there with a 25-yard rush to end the game.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
Despite a sparkling defensive effort in which the Kentucky football team held Florida scoreless in the second half, a fourth-quarter rally fell short as Florida prevailed 14–9 on Saturday night in a front of a sold-out Commonwealth Stadium. Trailing 14-3 going into the fourth quarter, the Wildcats made it a one-score game behind two Austin MacGinnis field goals and had the ball twice over the final five minutes in an attempt to score the go-ahead touchdown. Kentucky's final drive of the night began on its own 20-yard line and was dissipated by a Quincy Wilson interception on fourth-and-27 to lift the Gators to the win.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
Kentucky's defense stymied the Gator attack for the entire second half. Five Wildcats registered six or more tackles on the night, led by Khalid Henderson's nine stops. UK posted three tackles for a loss and J.D. Harmon picked off a pass in the end zone to halt a Florida drive in the middle of the third quarter that would have pushed UF's lead to three scores. The interception sparked a momentum change in the game as UK would go on to put together back-to-back scoring drives.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
UK quarterback Patrick Towles was 8 of 24 on the night with 126 yards and two interceptions. Running back Stanley "Boom" Williams rushed 16 times for 80 yards – snapping his three-game 100-yard rushing streak. Dorian Baker led the receivers with four hauls for 38 yards, including a big fourth-down catch late in the game. Florida's Will Grier threw for 125 yards and rushed for a team-high 61 yards that included a 1-yard touchdown scamper in the opening quarter.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
Following Harmon's interception in the third quarter, Towles' 33-yard scramble highlighted a 75-yard drive by the Wildcats to inch closer at 14–6 with 14:50 in the fourth. MacGinnis connected on a 22-yard field goal for the Wildcats to make it a one-possession game. After the UK defense forced a three-and-out, MacGinnis made it a five-point contest with 10:57 to go with a 45-yard field goal. Towles found Jeff Badet for a 45-yard strike down the left sideline to push the Wildcats into field-goal range as the drive's highlight.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
Following UK's third field goal of the game, Florida managed one first down before being forced to punt with 8:34 remaining. Faced with a third-and-10 from its own 22, Towles found Baker open on the right sideline to keep the drive alive. Williams followed with a 14-yard rush, but the drive stalled at UK's 48. Punter Landon Foster pinned the Gators inside the 20 with 6:10 to go. The Gators picked up two first downs and killed 3:44 of clock before punting back to the Wildcats, which began the final drive at their own 20.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Florida
Towles and Baker hooked up for a 20-yard gain on fourth-and-3 at the Kentucky 27 to keep the drive alive. Florida sacked Towles for a loss of 12 on third-and-10 from the UK 47 and then the Wildcats committed a false start. Towels' deep ball down the left side line intended for Ryan Timmons was picked off by Wilson to preserve the Gators' victory.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Patrick Towles guided Kentucky to two second-half touchdowns while pacing the Kentucky football team to a 21–13 victory over No. 25 Missouri. Towles led UK to its first league victory at the New Commonwealth Stadium and its first win over a ranked opponent since 2010 when Kentucky defeated No. 9 South Carolina. The win over the Tigers signified the first win over a top-25 opponent in the Mark Stoops era.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Towles directed scoring drives in the third and fourth quarters to ignite the offensive effort in the second half. The junior gunslinger found CJ Conrad for a 24-yard strike before connecting with Dorian Baker with less than seven minutes to play to give the Wildcats a 14-point lead it would not relinquish. Towles had his most consistent game of the season, connecting on 22-of-27 passes for 249 yards with the two touchdown passes. He also added a 14-yard scamper for a score in the opening half.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Defensively, C.J. Johnson paced the Wildcats with 11 tackles, besting his career high by five. Senior linebacker Josh Forrest added nine tackles, while Jason Hatcher posted eight stops to aid the stout defensive effort. Kentucky yielded just 14 points per game through its opening three games against SEC foes.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Kentucky, which had not won against Mizzou since the Tigers joined the SEC in 2012, had a number of player milestones as well. With his 6-yard carry with 1:24 remaining in the fourth quarter to help seal the victory, running back JoJo Kemp became the 34th Wildcat to rush for 1,000 yards in a career. The junior led the UK attack on the ground, racking up 66 yards on 13 attempts. Garrett Johnson led the team in receiving with a season-high 119 yards, including a long of 35 yards that matched his season best. Conrad had a breakout game, not only recording his first career catch but also his first career touchdown with 55 yards of offense through the air. Baker also had a standout game, matching his career high of 51 yards and recording the second touchdown of his career.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Following a rocky start to the drive that found the Wildcats in a first-and-29 situation, Towles found Johnson for consecutive 20-plus-yard throws to move the chains and get UK into Missouri territory for the first time in the contest. Kentucky continued to cruise downfield, closing out the quarter on the 14-yard line. The short break did not derail the Wildcats as Towles used the opening play of the second quarter to dodge and weave through the Tiger defense for a rushing touchdown. That knotted the score at seven apiece.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Much like the start of the game, the second half started slow before Missouri struck late in the third quarter. However, the Tigers were left to settle for a field goal in lieu of a touchdown with 6:04 remaining, with Andrew Baggett sending a 39-yarder through the uprights to give MU a slight 10–7 edge.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Missouri
Kemp acted as the catalyst for the team, as three of his carries totaled a combined 37 yards, giving UK a first-and-goal late in the third quarter. Though Kemp moved the offense down the field for the bulk of the drive, it was Conrad who would complete it for the Wildcats, pulling down a perfect 24-yard toss from Towles for the first touchdown of his career. With the addition of the extra point, Kentucky was able to take its first lead of the game with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, leading by a count of 14–10.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
Despite trailing by 14 points with less than eight minutes in the fourth quarter, the Kentucky football team celebrated its 100th Homecoming anniversary at The New CWS in thrilling fashion, notching a 34-27 comeback overtime victory over in-state foe Eastern Kentucky.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
Kentucky rallied from a 27–13 deficit late in the fourth quarter with back-to-back game-saving drives. Facing a fourth-and-3 at the end of regulation, Patrick Towles stood in the face of a blitz and found Dorian Baker for a 5-yard touchdown to force overtime.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
The duo connected again in overtime with a 3-yard pitch-and-catch to take a 34–27 lead. CJ Johnson, who recorded 19 tackles, the most by a defensive lineman in program history, fittingly sealed the outcome with a game-clinching sack. Eight of Johnson's 19 tackles were solo stops, including a sack and two-and-a-half tackles for loss. Ryan Flannigan was one tackle off his career best with 11 tackles, Josh Forrest recorded double-digit tackles with 10 stops on the night, and Farrington Huguenin blocked a field goal and recovered a fumble.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
Coupled with 2014's opening five games, it marks the first time that UK has been 4-1 for two consecutive seasons since 1976–77.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
Towles rebounded from a two-interception first half to lead the offense for the Wildcats, connecting on 29-of-42 pass attempts for 329 yards and three touchdowns to go along with a rushing score. Towles surpassed the 300-yard mark for the first time this season and the fourth of his career. The duo of Baker and Blake Bone carried the offense in receiving with 86 and 85 yards, respectively. Both bested their career highs by more than 20 yards each, and Baker's two touchdowns, which included the game-tying and game-winning catches, is a career best for the wide receiver.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. (FCS) Eastern Kentucky
The Wildcats retain an unblemished all-time record against the Colonels and advance to 4–1 on the season with the victory.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Auburn
Kentucky scored 17 second-half points and rallied to within one score, but the Auburn Tigers held on for a 30–27 win in front of 63,407 fans in The New Commonwealth Stadium on Thursday night. Auburn earned a 10-point advantage at 30–20 with less than eight minutes to play before the Wildcats pulled to within three following a Mikel Horton 1-yard plunge. Kentucky was able to get the ball back with 2:12 remaining, but UK failed to convert on fourth-and-3 from the Auburn 44 to allow the Tigers to clinch the victory.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Auburn
Patrick Towles posted more than 300 yards of offense for the second consecutive game, racking up 359 yards on 27-of-44 passing with one interception. The junior gunslinger had five 20-plus-yard tosses for the evening, including a pair of throws longer than 35 yards. Garrett Johnson was Towles' primary target for the long ball, as he posted a career-best 160 yards receiving, including a season-long 39-yard catch that started a drive to help the Wildcats chip away at a 10-point deficit in the second quarter. Marcus McWilson led the way for the UK defense, tying his career best in total tackles after making 10 stops. Josh Forrest was not far behind with nine tackles, and Jason Hatcher also matched his career mark with seven takedowns.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Auburn
For the Tigers, Sean White led the team on 17-of-27 passing for 255 yards, 154 of which went into the hands of Ricardo Louis to lead the team in receiving. On the ground, Peyton Barber rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while Kerryon Johnson added 36 yards and a touchdown for Auburn.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Auburn
Kentucky's running backs paced the team in scoring, with Stanley "Boom" Williams returning to action to rush for 113 yards and two touchdowns, including a 60-yard sprint that the sophomore would follow up with the opening touchdown for the Wildcats. Horton also notched a touchdown for the Wildcats, making the most of his five carries in the third quarter to bring UK within three points of the Tigers in the final minutes of the game.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Mississippi State
Mississippi State scored 21 points in the second quarter behind the impressive play of Bulldog senior quarterback Dak Prescott, handing Kentucky its first road loss of the season, 42–16, at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Mississippi State
Prescott was the star of the game, going 25-for-35 through the air for 348 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing 13 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns. Brandon Holloway was the team's second-leading rusher, carrying the ball six times for 36 yards. Holloway was also the team's leading receiver with five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Mississippi State
Kentucky quarterback Patrick Towles went 23-for-42 in the game for 218 yards and two interceptions, rushing six times for 13 yards and a touchdown. Boom Williams was the leading rusher for Kentucky, carrying the ball 18 times for 95 yards, including a 25-yard rush. Dorian Baker had seven receptions for 56 yards, while tight end C.J. Conrad had a career game with six receptions for 56 yards and sophomore Garrett "Juice" Johnson had five catches for 74 yards.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Tennessee
The Volunteers, any way you slice it, were dominant in their first trip to The New Commonwealth Stadium. They gained nearly 500 yards, limited UK to only two offensive touchdowns, forced a pair of turnovers and scored touchdowns on kick and punt returns.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Tennessee
When UK seized even the tiniest bit of momentum, Tennessee took it right back, starting after C.J. Johnson picked up a sack-fumble forced by Marcus McWilson and returned it 77 yards for a 7-0 Wildcat lead. It was the first of two times in the opening half UK went ahead, but that did not stop the Volunteers from scoring 14 points over the final 5:26 before halftime to take a 24–14 lead.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Georgia
The University of Georgia football team scored 14 points in the third quarter to open up a 21-point lead and roll to a 27–3 victory over Kentucky. The two teams traded field goals for the remainder of the first half with Marshall Morgan hitting from 22 yards and UK's Austin MacGinnis hitting from 32 yards to cut the UGA halftime lead to 10–3. Georgia took control of the game in the third quarter. Kentucky received the opening kickoff of the second half and elected to go for it on fourth-and-short near midfield, but could not covert. The Bulldogs took advantage of the open field, marching 52 yards down the field with Sony Michel's one-yard scoring rush giving UGA a 17–3 lead.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Georgia
The Bulldogs added to that lead late in the third quarter when Keith Marshall scored on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Greyson Lambert to put UGA up 24–3. Georgia added a 27-yard field goal by Morgan in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on the 27–3 victory.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Vanderbilt
Sophomore running back Stanley "Boom" Williams rushed 13 times for 115 yards on Saturday as Kentucky fell to Vanderbilt 21–17 in Nashville. Williams had rushes of 66 and 38 yards in his return from an elbow injury. Kentucky (4-6, 2-6 SEC) got on the board first in the game, as Austin MacGinnis hit a 38-yard field goal in the first quarter. But Vandy took its first lead later in that period when Kyle Shurmur hit Kyle Anderton for a four-yard touchdown to give the Commodores a 7–3 lead. nIn the second quarter, Kentucky got into the end zone when redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Barker connected with Ryan Timmons on a seven-yard pass to make it 10-7 Kentucky. That marked Barker's first career touchdown pass.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, At Vanderbilt
On Kentucky's next possession, Barker was intercepted by Oren Burks, who returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown to give Vanderbilt a 14–10 lead before the half. Vanderbilt (4-6, 2-4 SEC) tacked on another touchdown before the half when Shurmur connected with Caleb Scott on a 37-yard pass, giving the Commodores a 21–10 lead at the break. The second half was largely dominated by the defenses. In fact, the only score after the break came when Kentucky running back Jojo Kemp found the end zone from two yards out with 1:06 left in the third quarter, pulling Kentucky within four points.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Charlotte
For the first time in five weeks, Kentucky players and coaches happily talked about building on a victorious performance instead of wondering what might have been in defeat. In fact, the Wildcats executed so well against Charlotte that topping the effort might be tough. Jojo Kemp rushed for three touchdowns, Boom Williams ran for two and Kentucky rolled up 544 yards in a 58-10 blowout of Charlotte Saturday night that ended a five-game losing streak.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Charlotte
Kemp broke TD runs of 6, 18, and 47 yards, Williams scored from 20 and 53 yards and Sihiem King added a 62-yarder as Kentucky (5-6) rushed for 415 yards, fourth most in school history. Mike Edwards returned an interception 20 yards for another Wildcats score that handed the 49ers (2-9) their ninth straight loss. Redshirt freshman Drew Barker added 129 yards passing in his first career start for Kentucky, which earned the first of two wins needed to reach the threshold for bowl eligibility.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Charlotte
The Wildcats' defense held Charlotte to just 233 yards, recorded four sacks and forced three turnovers. Miles Butler kicked field goals of 21, 46 and 32 yards for Kentucky. Kentucky registered 50 points for the first time since August 2014 against UT Martin, and their 48-point victory margin was its largest since beating UTEP 77–17 in 2002.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisville
The Kentucky Wildcats raced out to a 21–0 lead in the first quarter but could not hold on, as Louisville rallied for a 38–24 win at Commonwealth Stadium on Saturday. Kentucky received the opening kickoff and marched down the field, taking a 7–0 lead on a one-yard rush by quarterback Drew Barker. After an A.J. Stamps interception, Kentucky took advantage of a short field, going 13 yards in two plays, capped off by a six-yard touchdown rush by Boom Williams to make it 14-0 Kentucky.


2015 Kentucky Wildcats football team, Schedule, Game summaries, Vs. Louisville
On Louisville's next possession, Kentucky intercepted Louisville quarterback Kyle Bolin for the second time, and Josh Forrest returned the pick 81 yards for a touchdown to make it 21–0, still in the first quarter. Louisville got on the board late in the first quarter when backup quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed 16 yards for a score to make it 21–7. In the second quarter, Kentucky added a 20-yard field goal by Miles Butler to take a 24–7 lead, which would be the halftime score. Louisville rallied in the second half, eventually taking the lead late in the third quarter, and going on to the victory. Dorian Baker had three catches for 94 yards for Kentucky, while Mikel Horton had 44 yards on the ground to lead the Cats.


2015 Kentucky elections
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Kentucky on November 3, 2015. All of Kentucky's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
In Kentucky, gubernatorial candidates pick their own running mates and they are elected on shared tickets in both the primary and general elections.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
The candidates for the Democratic nomination were Attorney General of Kentucky Jack Conway and his running mate State Representative Sannie Overly; and retired engineer and 2014 Congressional candidate Geoff Young and his running mate Jonathan Masters. Conway and Overly easily defeated Young and Masters at the primary election for the Democratic Party nomination.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
For the Republicans, businessman and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 Matt Bevin ran on a ticket with Tea Party activist and 2014 State House candidate Jenean Hampton; Agriculture Commissioner of Kentucky James Comer ran on a ticket with State Senator Christian McDaniel; former Louisville Metro Councilman and nominee for Mayor of Louisville in 2010 Hal Heiner ran on a ticket with former Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilwoman and nominee for Kentucky State Treasurer in 2011 K.C. Crosbie; and former Associate Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court Will T. Scott ran on a ticket with former Menifee County Sheriff Rodney Coffey.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Bevin held an 83-vote lead over Comer in the primary election, with both Heiner and Scott conceding. The Associated Press, referring to the race between Bevin and Comer a "virtual tie", did not call the race in favor of either candidate. In addition, Comer refused to concede and stated that he would ask for a recanvass. The request for recanvass was filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office on May 20, 2015 with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes ordering the recanvass to occur at 9:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, May 28, 2015.


2015 Kentucky elections, Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Upon completion of the recanvass, Grimes announced that Bevin remained 83 votes ahead of Comer. Grimes also stated that should Comer want a full recount, it would require a court order from the Franklin Circuit Court. On May 29, Comer announced he would not request a recount and conceded the nomination to Bevin.


2015 Kentucky elections, Attorney General
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He instead ran for Governor.


2015 Kentucky elections, Secretary of State
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was eligible to run for re-election to a second term in office. She had considered running for Governor of Kentucky or for Attorney General of Kentucky. She decided to seek re-election.


2015 Kentucky elections, State Auditor
Incumbent Democratic State Auditor Adam Edelen had considered running for Governor in 2015, even lining up a running mate, but ultimately declined to do so. He instead ran for re-election to a second term in office.


2015 Kentucky elections, State Treasurer
Incumbent Democratic State Treasurer Todd Hollenbach was term-limited and could not run for re-election to a third term in office. He had said that he may run for another office in 2015, but did not specify which, and eventually declined to run for another statewide office. He instead successfully ran for an open seat on the Jefferson County District Court, defeating 20 other candidates.


2015 Kentucky elections, Agriculture Commissioner
Incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner James Comer did not run for re-election to a second term in office. He instead ran for Governor, and was defeated by Matt Bevin in the Republican primary.


2015 Kentucky elections, Kentucky Supreme Court, District 7
A non-partisan special election was held along with the May 19, 2015 primary elections to fill the 7th district seat of the Kentucky Supreme Court. The seat was vacated when Justice Will T. Scott resigned to run for Governor. The winner of the election will serve the remainder of Scott's term, with the seat coming up for re-election next in 2020.


2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election
The 2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015. Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Beshear was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. Primary elections were held on May 19, 2015. Despite trailing in most pre-election polls, Republican nominee Matt Bevin defeated Democratic nominee Jack Conway by a margin of 52.5% to 43.8% in the general election. Statewide turnout in this election was 30%. With a margin of 8.7%, this election was the closest race of the 2015 gubernatorial election cycle.


2015 Kentucky gubernatorial election, Background
Kentucky governor Steve Beshear was first elected in 2007. An attorney, he served as a state representative, attorney general, lieutenant governor, ran unsuccesfully for the United States Senate, and he had reputation for being a moderate liberal.