Kenny Brooks lands first recruiting commitment since taking over UK women’s basketball
Kenny Brooks has landed his first recruiting commitment at the University of Kentucky.
Eastern Florida State College sophomore Amelia Hassett, a 6-foot-3 junior college forward, announced via Instagram on Thursday that she would be following Kentucky’s new women’s basketball coach to Lexington. Hassett initially committed to Virginia Tech, Brooks’ former team, on Feb. 10.
“Very excited to announce my commitment to University of Kentucky to continue my athletic and academic career!” Hassett captioned the post. “I would like to thank my coaches, friends and family and everyone who helped me throughout this process and gave me the support and guidance. Go wildcats.”
Hassett was one of four Virginia Tech commitments for Brooks in the class of 2024. She was joined by 6-2 wing Lexi Blue from Florida, 6-4 forward Myah Hazelton from Maryland and 6-7 center Clara Silva from Portugal. Only Hazelton has reaffirmed her commitment to the Hokies at this point. Blue and Silva both follow Kentucky women’s basketball on Instagram.
Hassett, a native of Adelong, New South Wales in Australia, averaged 19.0 points on 54.5% shooting from the field, including 40.4% from 3-point range this season. Hassett also pulled in 12.7 rebounds while averaging 27 minutes per game over 32 contests for the Titans.
Hassett, who recorded more than 20 double-doubles this season, helped lead Eastern Florida State College to a third straight Citrus Conference championship, and received both Citrus Conference Player of the Year and Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) Player of the Year honors. Hassett is the first player in EFSC history to win FCSAA Player of the Year.
“Obviously, it’s a great achievement to win both,” Hassett said in an interview for EFSC Sports. “And I just give props to my teammates for always pushing me in practice and my coaches being there. And everyone just being there to support me, and, yeah, it’s such a great achievement.”
EFSC finished the 2023-24 season 27-5, winning the Region VIII Women’s Basketball Championship before falling in the FCSAA DI/NJCAA South Atlantic District women’s basketball semifinals, as well as in the first round of the 2024 NJCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.
Hassett is the first player connected to Virginia Tech to commit to UK. It has been reported that All-America point guard Georgia Amoore, 6-5 freshman center Clara Strack and freshman guard Samyha Suffren are in the transfer portal.
Virginia Tech director of athletics Whit Babcock announced the hiring of former Marquette head coach Megan Duffy as Brooks’ replacement Wednesday. Hokies redshirt freshman guard Carleigh Wenzel announced Wednesday that she would be returning for her sophomore season in Blacksburg.
At Brooks’ introductory press conference at UK on March 28, he said he had not yet had conversations with any player on the Wildcats’ 2023-24 roster or Ramiya White, UK’s lone 2024 signee.
Only graduate guard Emma King is unable to return for UK’s 2024-25 season, having this season used her fifth year of eligibility granted by the NCAA following the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading scorer Ajae Petty and freshman forward Janaé Walker are the only two players to publicly declare their intentions to enter the transfer portal. Petty and Walker, as well as seniors Nyah Leveretter, Eniya Russell and Maddie Scherr are not listed on UK’s 2024-25 roster online, though Leveretter, Russell and Scherr have yet to issue public comment regarding their future plans. Each retains their COVID year of eligibility.
All-America point guard transfers to Kentucky as part of fast break for Kenny Brooks era
Kentucky women’s basketball lands 6-foot-5 freshman center in transfer portal
New Kentucky women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks sends a message on the recruiting trail
Mitch Barnhart opens the door on what the ‘new Memorial Coliseum’ will be like
The analyst who is putting ‘Kentucky twang’ into ESPN’s NCAA Tournament coverage
Breaking down Kenny Brooks’ Kentucky contract details. Here’s how much he’ll make.
Five observations from Kenny Brooks’ introduction as UK’s new women’s basketball coach
Is UK women’s basketball ‘a sleeping giant’? With Kenny Brooks, we will at last find out.
