Kenny Brooks named Kentucky women's basketball head coach

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kenny Brooks will be the next head coach of the Kentucky women's basketball program.

The Waynesboro, Virginia native led the Hokies to four straight NCAA tournament appearances, one Final Four and 180 wins in eight seasons in Blacksburg. He replaces Kyra Elzy, who was relieved of her duties earlier this month after four seasons at the helm.

“I am thrilled to be named the head coach of the Kentucky women’s basketball program,” Brooks said in a press release. “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 built the Hokies into a champion brand, guiding the program to its first ACC tournament title in 2023 and first ACC regular-season championship in 2024. While in Blacksburg, Brooks compiled a 180-82 overall record, which includes a school-record 31 wins in 2022-23 that culminated in the program's first-ever Final Four appearance.

“We are extremely excited to bring Kenny Brooks to the University of Kentucky,” UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said in a press release. “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 seasons at the helm of the Hokies, Brooks produced at least 20 wins seven times, while steering Tech to the NCAA tournament four straight seasons (2021-2024). He was a finalist for the Werner Ladder Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year in 2023 after achieving a slew of program firsts, which also included Tech's first 30-win season.

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"We hired Kenny in 2016 with the intent of revitalizing our women's basketball program," Virginia Tech director of athletics Whit Babcock said in a press release. "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."

Brooks joined the Hokies after an impressive 14-season stint as head coach at James Madison University where he compiled a record of 337-122 (.756), making him the winningest coach in that school’s history. Brooks guided the Dukes to 11 consecutive postseason appearances, including six NCAA bids and five trips to the WNIT.

A 1992 graduate of James Madison, Brooks played for three seasons under legendary coach Lefty Driesell and made two NIT appearances while earning a degree in business management. He began his coaching career as a part-time assistant for the 1993-94 JMU men’s squad that won the CAA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

After four seasons as an assistant for the men’s program at VMI (1994-98), he moved back to his alma mater as a men’s assistant from 1998-2002. He was named interim women’s head coach on Dec. 6, 2002 before taking over those duties on a full-time basis on March 21, 2003.

Brooks and his wife, the former Chrissy Stewart have four children: Kendyl, Chloe, Gabby and Nicholas.

This article will be updated.