Athlete – Football
Kio Sanford-Grimes is the son of Patricia Sanford and Geoff Grimes. Born and raised in Lexington, KY, Kio attended Winburn Middle School and Bryan Station High School. He played most of his early and middle sports years at Southland, Meadowthorpe, Kenawood, and Cardinal Valley recreational leagues.
Kio was a three-sport athlete at Bryan Station in basketball, football, and track and field. He was a three-time All-State selection in the 4×100-meter and 1600-meter relays as well as in the high jump. On the field at quarterback for one year, Kio totaled 500 passing yards and seven TDs through the air, but most of his damage was done on the ground. He totaled over 1,000 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. However, it also helped that the 4×100 relay team was in the backfield running the Wishbone offense. Kio was named Paul Woodall Athlete of the Year, Mr. KY Football finalist, and also played in the 1993 Kentucky-Tennessee All-Star football game.
After a successful high school football career, Kio received multiple Division I offers, but decided to stay home to attend the University of Kentucky, so his family and friends could see him play. As a freshman, Kio made the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman Team as a return specialist. However, his best year as a wide receiver came during his senior season. Even though he was only healthy for five games, Kio caught 36 passes for 526 yards & five TDs.
Kio caught six passes for 120 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown vs Louisville, he had nine catches for 147 yards against Tennessee, including an 87-yard touchdown. Kio holds the record with two TD passes over 80 yards in a single season. He was also an accomplished kickoff and punt returner, holding four SEC and 10 UK records for kickoff and punt returns.
While at UK, Kio made the Academic All-SEC Team and was invited to play in the 1997 Blue-Gray All-Star game and the 1998 Senior Bowl. His 87-yard touchdown run against the University of Tennessee was nominated for an Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly (ESPY) finalist award for college football play of the year. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in social work, Kio was drafted in 1998 to the San Diego Chargers and had stints with the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins before a career-ending knee injury.
Kio and Jenny have been together for 26 years, and they are proud parents of their beautiful daughter, Cami. Kio is currently a manager at Rolls-Royce North America in Indianapolis, IN. His family enjoys traveling and attending sporting events. Kio would like to thank everyone who helped him live out his dream, but special thanks go to his grandparents Jackie Grimes and the late George T. Grimes, and Nate and Josephine Sanford.
