Another former Virginia Tech assistant joins Kenny Brooks’ UK basketball staff

Kenny Brooks has brought another assistant coach with him to Lexington.

Brooks and UK Athletics announced on Wednesday that Radvile “Rad” Autukaite, a former Virginia Tech women’s basketball assistant, will be joining the Kentucky women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.

“I have had the pleasure to work alongside Coach Brooks for many years and am honored to continue to do so at a high-level program like Kentucky,” Autukaite said. “I’m so excited to be joining Big Blue Nation and am looking forward to continuing to help grow the legacy that is Kentucky Basketball for years to come!”

Autukaite first arrived in Blacksburg in 2017, when she started as a graduate assistant with the Hokies following a pair of seasons as a graduate assistant at Webber International in Babson Park, Florida. Autukaite then spent two seasons as Virginia Tech’s player personnel specialist. She was named an assistant coach ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.

As an assistant coach, Autukaite was part of some of the biggest moments in Virginia Tech women’s basketball history; the Hokies won the ACC Tournament in 2022-23 and went on to reach the Final Four, and earned their first ACC regular-season championship in 2023-24.

Autukaite played the guard position for NAIA-level Reinhardt, and earned the NAIA AAC Female Champion of Character Award, presented annually to a female athlete in the Appalachian Athletic Conference who demonstrates a high level of character, sportsmanship and servant leadership.

Originally from Lithuania, Autukaite played for the Lithuanian National Team at the U16, U18 and U20 levels. The announcement of her hiring comes hours after the program announced that former Virginia Tech associate head coach Lindsey Hicks was hired to serve the same role at UK.

While at Virginia Tech, Autukaite worked with former Hokies Aisha Sheppard, Kendyl Brooks and Taylor Emery. She also helped develop All-America point guard Georgia Amoore, who signed with the Wildcats as a graduate transfer out of Virginia Tech on Monday. 6-foot-5 freshman center Clara Strack also signed with the Wildcats as a transfer from Virginia Tech on Tuesday.

The Wildcats also received verbal commitments from former Virginia Tech pledges Amelia Hassett, a 6-foot-3 sophomore forward out of Northeast Florida State, and 6-foot-2 guard Lexi Blue, the No. 38 overall recruit in the class of 2024.

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