Breaking down the Kentucky roster Kenny Brooks inherits as the new women’s basketball coach

Celebrated Virginia Tech leader Kenny Brooks is the new head coach of Kentucky women’s basketball.

Now that UK has its new boss, what’s next for the roster?

Since the announcement that former coach Kyra Elzy had been relieved of her duties March 11, the Wildcats’ 2023-24 roster has seen some shakeup, with players both active and dismissed entering their names into the portal. And, though entering one’s name in the transfer portal doesn’t necessarily mean a player won’t return, Brooks will probably have several conversations with players both gone and remaining in an attempt to build the best roster possible.

Technically, the only player unable to return for Kentucky’s 2024-25 season is graduate guard Emma King, who exhausted her fifth and final season of eligibility, granted by the NCAA in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, this year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the state of the roster Brooks is inheriting at UK.

DECLARED FOR THE PORTAL

The NCAA’s notification-of-transfer window officially opened the Monday after Selection Sunday, and will stay open until March 1.

AJAE PETTY

After leading the Wildcats in points (14.2), rebounds (10.6) and blocks (0.8) this season, Petty declared for the transfer portal as a graduate transfer one day after Barnhart announced Elzy’s dismissal. Petty arrived in Lexington ahead of the 2022-23 season following two seasons at LSU, and averaged 5.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 29 games with no starts during her junior season. Touted as majorly improved ahead of this season, Petty took full responsibility of the Wildcats’ frontcourt in stride; the Baltimore native recorded 18 double-doubles this year, and started in each of UK’s 32 games.

JANAE WALKER

Walker announced that she would enter the transfer two days after Elzy’s dismissal, and has three seasons of eligibility remaining. A late addition to Kentucky’s 2023 recruiting class, the 6-foot-4 forward initially signed with Gardner-Webb, but decommitted following coach Alex Simmons’ departure for Memphis. Walker picked UK over Southern California, Syracuse and Wisconsin, and averaged 0.9 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.1 steals and 0.3 blocks in 7.6 minutes per game across 28 contests.

YET TO ISSUE A STATEMENT

JORDY GRIGGS

The 6-2 guard out of Montverde (Florida) Academy has three years of eligibility remaining without petitioning for a redshirt year; Griggs played in just four games this season, averaging 3.5 minutes per contest. Griggs scored once this season, a 3-pointer in the Wildcats’ 76-57 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 6.

AMIYA JENKINS

One of three Miss Kentucky Basketball honorees on UK’s 2023-24 roster, Jenkins (2022) averaged 22.2 minutes per game in 26 games played this season. Like all of Kentucky’s 2022 freshman class, Jenkins saw a big increase in playing time during her sophomore campaign. Outside of missing much of December due to a shoulder injury sustained in UK’s 65-41 loss to Cincinnati in the Paradise Jam over Thanksgiving weekend, Jenkins averaged 7.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 0.6 steals per game.

NYAH LEVERETTER*

Leveretter didn’t play during her senior season while rehabilitating an ACL tear sustained in February 2023, but remained an integral part of the team’s leadership core. As a junior, Leveretter made 21 starts, and averaged career highs in both points (2.5) and rebounds (3.9) in 26 games.

BROOKLYNN MILES

The former Franklin County standout transferred to UK ahead of the 2023-24 season after two years at rival Tennessee, and immediately inherited the brunt of the team’s point guard responsibilities. At UK, the 2021 Miss Kentucky Basketball honoree averaged 5.8 points, 2.8 points, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals in 32 games. Miles made 27 starts, after not starting a single game in either of her seasons with the Lady Vols.

CASSIDY ROWE

No Wildcat took more charges this season than Rowe, who recorded more than 20 in her sophomore year. She also averaged 2.6 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.2 steals per game in 17.4 minutes over 31 games, and made 16 starts.

Rowe’s father, Lonnie, tweeted after Brooks was hired Tuesday, that Cassidy is “looking forward to playing for Coach Brooks.”

ENIYA RUSSELL*

Following two seasons with South Carolina, Russell transferred to UK, freshly crowned a national champion. Russell was one the Wildcats’ most helpful bench players during her senior campaign, averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks in what was the best statistical season of her collegiate career. Russell played in all 32 of the Wildcats’ games this season, and made two starts.

MADDIE SCHERR*

The 2020 Miss Kentucky Basketball transferred back to her home state ahead of the 2022-23 season after two years with Oregon, and has been the Wildcats’ second-leading scorer in each of her two campaigns at UK. This season, Scherr averaged 12.5 points and 4.8 rebounds while leading the team in assists (3.4) and steals (1.6) in 26 games; she missed four non-conference games with an ankle injury, and did not suit up for the Wildcats during the 2024 SEC Tournament because she was in concussion protocol.

SANIAH TYLER

The Wildcats’ third-leading scorer this season saw the biggest increase in minutes, responsibility and production, going from 25 total minutes of playing time during her freshman season to averaging 26.8 minutes per game over all 32 of Kentucky’s games this year. Tyler averaged 10.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 0.7 steals, and led the team in 3-point shooting, hitting 34.5% of her long-range attempts.

*Note: Leveretter, Russell and Scherr are not listed on the Wildcats’ online roster for 2024-25, but have not issued statements regarding their intentions for next season.

INCOMING FRESHMEN

The Wildcats’ 2024 recruiting class under Elzy had two commitments. And, as of the week of her firing, both of those commitments remained intact.

RAMIYA WHITE

The 6-5 center from Butler Traditional High School of Louisville signed her letter of intent with the Wildcats in November. The 2024 Miss Kentucky Basketball finalist averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game. Following Butler Traditional’s victory in the first round of this year’s Sweet 16, White responded to a question asking about her recruitment status in light of Elzy’s dismissal.

“Right now I’m not really worried about it,” White said. “I’m worried about the state tournament. There’s no pressure on me right now with that.”

TANAH BECKER

The Wildcats picked up a late-stage commitment from 6-1 wing Tanah Becker of Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Feb. 26. Becker spent this season at Hamilton Heights after graduating from high school in her hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 2023. With the Hawks this season, Becker averaged 12.0 points per game on a team-high-tying 43% shooting. Becker also led the team in assists (2.6), steals (3.3) and blocks per game.

The Herald-Leader reached out to Hamilton Heights head coach Melvin Williams via email regarding Becker’s commitment status following Elzy’s dismissal.

“Yes. ... She is still committed to UK,” Williams said on March 13.

Kentucky women’s basketball needed a ‘home run hire.’ Kenny Brooks is every bit that.

What to know about new Kentucky women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks

Kentucky hires women’s basketball coach from ACC power to replace Kyra Elzy

Kenny Brooks is the ninth coach in UK women’s basketball history. See who came before him.