Despite the club's success and following all NCAA regulations, UK still wouldn't obtain varsity status until 3 years after Mossbrook left.

Having fulfilled his ultimate goal, Rizk, the head of soccer since 1964, would step away from the team after the 1990 season and retire from the university in 1992.

It's known they competed in at least the first 8 editions of the competition and advanced from the group stage for the first time in 2000 where they lost in the quarterfinals to Virginia Tech.

The following year, in 2003, UK would have its best regional tournament performance by advancing to the semifinals where they would lose to Mississippi State, who had previously beat them in the quarterfinals of the Clemson Socctoberfest.

UK would end the season being ranked 2nd in the region, but would not receive a bid to the 2003 national championship in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Luckily, NIRSA's other Region II-affiliated league, later known as the Southeast Collegiate Soccer Alliance (SCSA), would allow all SCSL teams to join, including UK who accepted the offer.

[23] Kentucky would participate in the SCSA until 2019 when two forfeits in the 2018 regular season caused by a lack of players forced them to be removed from the league.

[24] Despite them being unable to meet in person, a small group of players would help keep the team's affiliation with the university and in 2021 were allowed to resume in-person activities.

In 2023, UK would advance to Clemson's Socctoberfest finals for the first time since their 2002 championship but would lose to NC State who they previously beat 2-1 in the group stage.