LEXINGTON, Ky. – Following the resignation of UK baseball coach Gary Henderson, athletic director Mitch Barnhart is faced with an intriguing coaching search.

Any Southeastern Conference baseball job will attract no shortage of interest, but there are also several factors working against the Wildcats. The facilities are out of date, and the long-talked-about new stadium has yet to leave the planning stage. As the northernmost SEC program, UK will always face weather concerns. Louisville’s ascension to a national baseball power will also compound the pressure on whoever is hired to establish similar success.

The coaching landscape in the rest of the SEC adds additional concerns. Georgia and Tennessee both made heavily praised hires in the last five years in Scott Stricklin and Dave Serrano – both coaches had led teams to the College World Series previously – but neither program has finished ahead of Kentucky since the moves. Alabama is also looking for a new coach and already has a new stadium to sell to its prospective candidates.

So who could follow Henderson at Kentucky? Here are 10 names that might make sense for Barnhart to consider.

Greg Goff (Louisiana Tech head coach) – A former assistant at Kentucky under Keith Madison from 1999 to 2003, Goff recently led Louisiana Tech to its first NCAA tournament bid since 1987 as an at-large selection. The tournament bid came in Goff’s second season at the program and followed three consecutive 40-win seasons as the head coach at Campbell. Goff’s Campbell team reached the NCAA tournament as the Big South’s representative in 2014 and earned the first tournament win in program history. Goff could be in the running for several major conference jobs this offseason but at least has a previous connection to UK.

Brad Bohannon (Auburn assistant coach) – The 2015 Baseball America and American Baseball Coaches Association National Assistant Coach of the Year, Bohannon left UK prior to the 2016 season for a spot on Butch Thompson’s staff at Auburn. At UK, Bohannon served as the Wildcats’ recruiting coordinator and was responsible for attracting many of the program’s recent MLB draft picks to Lexington. His most prized UK recruit was former National Player of the Year AJ Reed. Bohannon knows the landscape in Lexington but will probably have several head-coaching opportunities in the near future and might not want to return to a program he so recently left.

Brian Green (New Mexico State head coach) – A former UK assistant, Green left Lexington for the head coaching job at his alma mater prior to the 2014 season. He spent six seasons at UK and was at the helm of the offense on the record-setting 2014 team, which was carried by Reed’s Player of the Year season. After struggling to an 11-38-1 season in his first year at New Mexico State, Green led the Aggies to a 34-23 record in 2016 and the No. 2 seed in the WAC tournament. Head coaching experience would be a point in Green’s favor, but he has yet to find the sustained success that would excite some fans.

Matt Bragga (Tennessee Tech head coach) – A former UK star, Bragga, the Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2013, just completed his 13th season at Tennessee Tech. He has won three OVC titles but has a losing record overall in his tenure there. Bragga was a four-year letterman at UK from 1991 to 1994 and hit .408 as a senior. Barnhart may look for a splashier hire, but Bragga has experience and UK connections working in his favor. He probably would have an advocate in Madison as well.

Rick Eckstein (Kentucky hitting coach) — Promoting an assistant coach from UK’s current staff would be a risky public relations move, but the program could do worse than hiring a former MLB hitting coach. Eckstein served as the Washington Nationals hitting coach from 2009 to 2013 and a player information coach for the Los Angels in 2014 before joining UK’s staff before the 2014 season. His status as Bryce Harper’s former hitting coach would be a selling point for recruits, but a disappointing 2016 season for the offense — UK ranked 11th in the SEC in batting average and runs and 12th in on-base percentage — will do him few favors. Eckstein’s current UK contract expires on June 30, and he will likely have opportunities in the college and professional ranks.

Nick Mingione (Mississippi State assistant coach): One of former UK head coach John Cohen’s lieutenants at Mississippi State, Mingione also worked for Cohen at UK from 2005-06. Has worked with 53 MLB draft picks and 33 All-Americans in stops at Mississippi State, Western Carolina and Kentucky.

READ MORE: UK baseball misses NCAA tournament

Chris Burke (ESPN/SEC Network analyst): Louisville native has worked in television and as a private coach since his professional career ended in 2010 but was reportedly a candidate for the Tennessee head coaching job in 2011. Burke earned All-American honors and was named SEC Player of the year as a junior at Tennessee. He also hit a walk-off home run to send the Houston Astros to a series win in game four of the 2005 NLDS.

Roger Williams (Louisville pitching coach): Considered one of the best pitching minds in college baseball, Williams has spent the last 10 years in the Bluegrass State. Hard to imagine Barnhart hiring a head coach from UK’s arch rival and Williams’ profile might be too close to Henderson’s when he was hired at UK, but there’s no doubting his coaching ability.

Daron Schoenrock (Memphis head coach): Another former Madison assistant at UK, Schoenrock was named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2013 but has a losing record in his head-coaching career and is coming off a 22-39 season. Barnhart’s last hire from Memphis didn’t work out too badly though.

Greg Lovelady (Wright State head coach): One of the up-and-coming coaching stars in college baseball, Lovelady has led Wright State to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances. Wright State will play as the No. 3 seed in the Louisville regional this week, so Barnhart wouldn’t have to go far for an in-person chat. Lovelady’s success at Wright State will place him on many such lists, but Kentucky might get the first shot if interested.

Email Jon Hale at jahale@courier-journal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JonHale_CJ.