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

The Kenny Brooks era of Kentucky women’s basketball begins now.

Virginia Tech announced Tuesday morning that Brooks was departing the Hokies to become the head coach at UK, replacing Kyra Elzy. UK athletics director Mitch Barnhart relieved Elzy of her duties on March 11.

Barnhart announced Brooks’ hiring on Tuesday afternoon via press release.

“We are extremely excited to bring Kenny Brooks to the University of Kentucky,” Barnhart said. “Kenny has a strong history of player development and championship performance at James Madison and Virginia Tech. When you combine his coaching excellence with his vision for this program and his passion to take us there, he is ideally suited to be head coach of the Wildcats. We are eager to introduce Kenny, (wife) Chrissy and their family to the Big Blue Nation!”

In the same press release, Brooks stated his excitement in taking the job, thanking Virginia Tech for “the most joyful journey of (his) coaching career,” as well as extending his appreciation to both Kentucky and UK Athletics for the opportunity.

“I am thrilled to be named the head coach of the Kentucky women’s basketball program,” Brooks said. “From the Big Blue Nation and the stunning landscape of the Bluegrass State to the UK Athletics brand and getting to compete in the Southeastern Conference, my family and I are excited about this new chapter in our lives. I want to thank Virginia Tech for the most joyful journey of my coaching career, and to the University of Kentucky and UK Athletics administration for this new opportunity. I don’t plan on wasting any time building a positive atmosphere, winning environment and a persistent program that Big Blue Nation can be proud of.”

Brooks, 55, brings to Kentucky a career record of 517-204 (.717) through 22 seasons as a head coach.

Brooks, who had served as the Hokies’ head coach since 2016, led Virginia Tech to eight consecutive winning seasons, including the program’s first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title in 2023. The Hokies reached the Final Four last season as a No. 1 seed, taking down Chattanooga, South Dakota State, Tennessee and Ohio State prior to falling to eventual national champion LSU.

This season, the Hokies achieved a regular season ACC title, but a torn ACL for three-time ACC Player of the Year and three-time All-American center Liz Kitley seriously hampered the Hokies’ offensive production in the postseason, and Virginia Tech fell in the ACC Tournament semifinals to eventual champion Notre Dame. Kitley was one of three Hokies under Brooks to receive All-America status, alongside active guard Georgia Amoore and guard Aisha Sheppard, a 2022 WNBA champion with the Las Vegas Aces.

The Hokies reached the NCAA Tournament each year since 2021 under Brooks, advancing to the round of 32 in 2021 and falling in the round of 64 in 2022 before last year’s Final Four appearance.

Brooks’ last game at Virginia Tech was Sunday night’s 75-72 NCAA Tournament round-of-32 loss to Baylor.

Brooks has coached seven WNBA Draft picks, including 2008 first-round pick Tamera Young, who was selected by the Atlanta Dream before spending the majority of her career with the Chicago Sky.

Brooks received a three-year contract extension in late-July 2023 following the Hokies’ Final Four run. According to Virginia Tech Athletics, the extension, which was set to expire in March 2029, included “a six-year deal totaling $6.4 million, as well as other enhancements made to support staff salaries, assistant coach salary pool, postseason bonuses and operating budget.”

Following Virginia Tech’s announcement Tuesday that Brooks was leaving for Kentucky, The Athletic reported the details of the expected contract, stating that UK will likely make Brooks the third-highest-paid coach in the Southeastern Conference behind LSU’s Kim Mulkey ($3.15 million annually) and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley ($3.1 million annually).

Prior to his tenure at Virginia Tech, Brooks served as head coach of James Madison, his alma mater, for 14 seasons — including six NCAA Tournament appearances — and still stands as the winningest coach in program history. He also served as an assistant coach for the men’s programs at VMI (1994-98) and James Madison (1998-2002) prior to being named the interim coach of James Madison women’s basketball in December 2002. His interim tag was removed in late-March 2003.

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

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

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

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