By Keith Taylor 

Kentucky Today

 

The search for a women’s basketball coach at Kentucky ended Tuesday.

Kenny Brooks, who has spent the past eight seasons at Virginia Tech, compiled an 180-82 record as coach of the Hokies and led Virginia Tech to the Final Four last season. During the 2022-23 campaign, Brooks led the Hokies to a school-record 31 wins.

“We are extremely excited to bring Kenny Brooks to the University of Kentucky,” Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch 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 his eight years in Blacksburg, Brooks guided Virginia Tech to 20 wins or more in seven of his eight seasons. He also served as head coach at James Madison. In his 22 seasons as a head coach, Brooks has compiled a 517-204 record.

“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.”

Virginia Tech said Brooks elevated the program to new heights during his tenure at the school.

“We hired Kenny in 2016 with the intent of revitalizing our women’s basketball program,” Virginia Tech director of athletics Whit Babcock said. “Needless to say, Kenny, his staff and student-athletes created a culture of excellence on and off the court. He was an incredible mentor to the young women in our women’s basketball program and a terrific representative of our department and university. We wish Kenny and his family well in this next chapter of his career.”