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Kentucky fans welcomed Kenny Brooks with open arms when he left Virginia Tech to become the new UK women’s basketball coach.
He had led the Hokies to the 2023 Final Four and the 2024 ACC regular-season championships. He had produced All-Americans and WNBA draft picks.
Brooks took Tech from a program that really was not on the national radar to a highly ranked team and put the Hokies on the women’s college basketball map. That’s why — despite what some Virginia Tech fans apparently thought — it was not easy for him to walk away to come to UK.
“It was very tough and if you think it was not you are mistaken,” he said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “I caught a lot of flak from Hokie fans and some made me sound like a traitor and that I did not care about the program. That’s not the truth.
“This is my career and you only have one. This was a good opportunity for me and my family to see what I wanted to do with the rest of my career. It was extremely hard to leave.”
He said he took the program from “nothing” and being picked 14th out of 15 ACC teams his first year to winning ACC regular season and tournament titles.
“I poured my heart and soul into the program and I will do the same here,” Brooks said. “I was not looking for a job. I was good where I was but this is a great opportunity. There are a lot of changes going on (in college athletics). I had to weigh my options and this is what I decided to do. I would not leave Virginia Tech for just anything but this was a great opportunity.
“Lexington has been very welcoming. I am looking forward to getting settled. I have not had a bad meal in this town yet. The food and hospitality are great.”
Soon Kentucky fans hope the women’s basketball will be “great” also.
18 Responses
Known Kenny from ymca days in Waynesboro VA. Fabulous person, wonderful teacher an very respectful. I’m sure it’s hard for tech to lose such a good coach but coaching has changed so much that u can’t blame coaches for looking out for families an opportunities. Good luck Kenny!
Thanks Scott for sharing that with us
Sometimes you don’t realize what you have until it’s not there. Congratulations Coach Brooks and the best to you in your future endeavors. VPI ‘86.
Well said Santford
We loved Coach Brooks and thought he believed we were family. He intentionally misled fans to buy in to his family fiction.
Misled you how ?
You obviously do not follow VT basketball! He publicly announced his love for the program and fans and, he indeed mislead us with his comments! So in my eyes he is a traitor! See how long his leash is in Kentucky.
Pretty harsh words for a guy who got Tech to a Final Four.
You are so very correct. He went about this totally the wrong way! And this transfer portal is a joke. The NCAA has let it run rampant!
Great person and fabulous coach. True Hokies wish him and his family all the best. We welcome our new coach and bid fond farewell to Kenny B.
Mark Few of the Gonzaga Bulldogs is one of the greatest men’s basketball coaches ever. He has remained at Gonzaga and has built a remarkable legacy. He could have left many times for more money, but continuing with what he started at Gonzaga has been his priority. Much respect to Mark Few for being dedicated to the Gonzaga program. K. Brooks started something at VT, but his dedication is elsewhere.
Well said!
Interesting & helpful comments by those who know his history. He built an impressive team from scratch.
A coach who is not out shopping to move on but instead is made an offer “out of the blue” (or in this case “from the Big Blue”) is an impressive hire because he’s “been there & done that” & UK Women’s BB already is way ahead of the hole it was in a month ago.
Sure would be nice to know what kind of "opportunities" Coach Brooks will have at UK that he did not have at VT. He was a great coach at VT from everything I’ve read and seen.
I don’t be grudge coach Brooks anything for taking the opportunity at Kentucky. He did great things for Virginia Tech’s women’s basketball program. The fact that he called us a family was gratifying and endearing. I wish he’d had the class to say goodbye to his family. Georgia left to follow Kenny. She bid us farewell…
Really impressed with Coach Brooks, think he is going to take KY women’s basketball to the next level! Can’t wait for the new season to start in women’s and men’s basketball this year, the new beginning!
I dont begrudge any coach for improving his situation. But he did a big disservice to the new Va Tech womens coach in 2024-2025 by taking 4 or 5 Tech players with him to Kentucky. Not very classy.
kind of the way of the world now unfortunately Gregory