Kentucky associate coach Lindsey Hicks, right, with UK players, from left, Teonni Key, Clara Strack and Amelia Hassett. (UK Athletics Photo)
Kentucky associate coach Lindsey Hicks says it has been an “exciting time” helping coach Kenny Brooks build a roster at UK.
“April was insane trying to learn Lexington and build a team,” Hicks said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. “We are pretty excited about the team we have.”
Hicks was with Brooks at Virginia Tech and after he got the UK job, she opted to join him.
“We were pretty comfortable at Virginia Tech getting and recruiting the players we thought were helping us win in a big way,” Hicks said. “Now we are bringing in players we think can help us right away. We didn’t know how it would go but we shot our shot with (top) kids. There is a lot of excitement now around campus and coach Brooks.”
Hicks knows about winning. She helped Purdue make four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and reach the national title game in 2001. Purdue won three Big Ten titles during her career.
The Lebanon, Ohio, native was a Parade All-American in high school and part of the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class at Purdue. She was runner-up for Ohio Miss Basketball.
Hicks knew about Kentucky basketball. She was the video coordinator at Alabama for two seasons and also was an assistant coach for two years at Morehead after playing six seasons professionally in Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.
Her twin brother, Jordan, was also a strength and conditioning graduate assistant for the Kentucky football program for one year in 2009, the last time she had been in Lexington before joining Brooks’ staff.
“When I came back and saw how Lexington had grown it was really cool. I found out a lot of people knew my brother,” she said.
Hicks helped develop All-American and ACC Player of the Year Elizabeth Kitley at Virginia Tech. The Hokies reached their first Final Four in 2023.
Her resume is strong enough to potentially make her an attractive head coaching candidate for many schools. However, staying with Brooks was an easy decision.
“For me, I don’t have the head coaching bug right now. I don’t have that itch in me for the moment,” she said. “I have found a good leader. I am learning so much from him.
“I have found a good situation and wanted to stick with him. For me it was a no-brainer to come with him to Kentucky with all the resources we have here.”
