[1] Hairston committed to play college football at the University of Kentucky over other schools such as Kansas, Minnesota, Purdue, Virginia Tech, and Washington State.

[3] In the 2023 season opener, he forced a fumble as he helped Kentucky beat Ball State 44–14.

[4] The next week, Hairston recorded his first career interception in a win over Eastern Kentucky.

[5] In week three of the 2023 season, he led the team with seven tackles with one going for a loss in a win over Akron.

[6] In week four, Hairston set the single-game school record with two interceptions returned for touchdowns, as he helped Kentucky beat the Vanderbilt Commodores.