Kentucky hires Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks

Kentucky hired Virginia Tech's Kenny Brooks to be the Wildcats' new women's basketball coach on Tuesday.

Brooks replaces Kyra Elzy, who was fired on March 11 after compiling a 61-60 record over four seasons.

He guided Virginia Tech to its first Atlantic Coast Conference tournament title in 2022-23 and first ACC regular-season title in 2023-24.

"We are extremely excited to bring Kenny Brooks to the University of Kentucky," athletic director Mitch Barnhart said in a news 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."

Brooks, 55, was 180-82 in eight seasons with the Hokies (2016-24). He is 517-204 overall including 14 seasons at James Madison from 2002-16, leading his teams to 10 Women's NCAA Tournament appearances.

Virginia Tech finished 25-8 overall and 14-4 in the ACC this season. The fourth-seeded Hokies' season ended Sunday with a 75-72 loss to No. 5 Baylor in the second round of the NCAA tourney.

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

Kentucky went 12-20 during Elzy's final season, including 4-12 in the Southeastern Conference.