Cassidy Rowe won't get a Senior Night at UK after losing her scholarship. (Vicky Graff Photo)
When Kentucky needed to secure a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Liberty, coach Kenny Brooks inserted junior guard Cassidy Rowe in the final second because of her ball handling and free throw shooting skills.
Rowe played in 23 games last season and averaged about 10 minutes per game. That was a significant drop from her playing time in the 2023=24 season when she started 16 games and played in 31 games for former UK coach Kyra Elzy. However, playing behind transfers Georgia Amoore and Dazia Lawrence this season, Rowe accepted her playing time would decrease but her enthusiasm and love for UK never changed.
Rowe committed to Matthew Mitchell, another former UK coach, during her freshman season at Shelby Valley High School in eastern Kentucky and despite two significant knee injuries, got to Kentucky — her dream school.
She planned to play her final season at UK and start on her physical therapy certification after managing to graduate in only three years. However, all that changed dramatically.
Rowe issued this statement to Rise Up Sports Media Saturday:
Wow…I wasn’t expecting this to be a goodbye post. I wanted nothing more than to play my senior year in a Kentucky uniform, but I know that God has bigger and better plans for me. Sometimes “no” is God’s way of preventing us from greater heartbreak.
What a blessing basketball has been in my life. Basketball was my very first love. I spent every single day in the gym working towards a dream that many people called me crazy for having. After facing back to back ACL tears, I sometimes questioned it myself. But through hard work and God’s faithfulness I was able to represent my home state and become a Kentucky wildcat. Truly a dream come true.
These past three years have been some of the hardest, yet most rewarding and joyous times of my life. I am thankful for the bad times just as much as the good because it all brought me closer to God. I have met so many amazing people and made memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
While I still have a year of eligibility left, I will not be entering the transfer portal. I will be pursuing my new dream of becoming a physical therapist through UK’s DPT program.
Younger me would be crushed that our basketball career is over, but she also wouldn’t believe all of the things we’ve accomplished. I know she is proud.
To Big Blue Nation: Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support and for giving this small town girl the opportunity to live out her wildest dreams. I poured everything I have into this program and you all poured into me just the same. I will forever be grateful for that… and I will always bleed blue.
John 13:7
No surprise she ended her statement with that Bible verse: Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”
Hopefully, that is how this works out for Rowe, a very popular player in eastern Kentucky, especially with young girls who have watched her play, attended her basketball camps, or stopped her for a picture and/or autograph.
Rowe was one of two players who returned to Kentucky this year after Elzy’s firing. The other one — junior Saniah Tyler — announced she was transferring almost as soon as the season ended.
Kentucky currently has seven returning players and one incoming freshman slated to be on next year’s roster. Brooks apparently wants to add four more transfers — two point guards and a big for sure. Still, even with four more additions and no other transfers, that would still leave a scholarship spot for Rowe.
Sure, I know college basketball is a business but that doesn’t mean there cannot be compassion. Rowe wanted her Senior Night and obviously would have done that this season if she knew her scholarship was being yanked and there is no other explanation for what happened. She also will now be left to foot the bill for graduate school when she was expecting her scholarship to cover that cost next season.
I reached out to Rowe to see if she would like to say more or join me on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. She declined saying she was not “quite ready” to talk, which is understandable after having her world rocked in such a dramatic fashion.
31 Responses
I posted my comments on the other thread about this wonderful ambassador of UK WBB and can only add that this is UNJUST & a VERY DUMB decision!
Brooks just took a big step toward being another unwanted HC, doing just as the now coach of the hogs, who hated to have any player who played HS BB in the great state of KY!
You don’t win fans with this type of DUMB action, but it will certainly lose fans.
It’s a lie that Calipari didn’t want Ky kids. Cal had more than one Ky kid. They just had to be good. He had Reed Sheppard didn’t he? By the way, Sheppard was sporting a Arkansas shirt after Cal whipped Ky in Rupp. Even he knew Cal wasn’t treated right by the entitled fans and media.
I sure hope there’s more to this than meets the eye. Coach seems to be a very compassionate person – this will certainly change my opinion.
Very confusing situation paul
Coaches are certainly free to make decisions about their rosters. But this seems like a horrible move to me. As you noted, Coach Brooks has put Cassidy in games at crunch time. While she may not be a superstar, she plays hard, plays smart and plays dependable defense which can be rare in today’s game. Even in limited minutes, I would venture a guess that she led the team in taking charges. To take away her opportunity to be celebrated on senior night seems especially cruel to a player who has done nothing but be a great ambassador for the program. I wish nothing but the best for Ms. Rowe.
With you Karen
I would think he probably told her it would be best for her to transfer and she declined. Coaches does it all the time. It’s because she’s a Ky kid that everyone dislikes it. It’s just like Pope should tell Perry to transfer. Just like Rowe, he will be a bench warmer next year. But Pope will waste the scholarship instead of doing the right thing.
Wow. Jimmy. You are just brutal. Guess you know Brooks will have 15 five-star All-Americans on the team and play them all equal minutes next year
No, I don’t know that. However, if the women or men are to be true contenders, players like Rowe and Perry Must be recruited over. I guess they could have fired Brooks and kept Rowe.
You can recruit over anyone, but it doesnt mean they don’t need to be on the team.
Plenty of scholarships to go around.
You should also understand that if not for Cameron Mills and Scott Padgett there is no title in ’98. Mills was a walk on that earned PT. Perry can too, it just may take time.
I’m not saying preferrential treatment should go to any player just because they are from KY, but in most cases it simply means more to KY kids and that is good for a team culture.
Well said Josh
Your lack of BB knowledge voids your comments.
That’s hilarious coming from you. "Play Pope ball". "No Hero ball". "Ky HS basketball players are the best in the world". Coaches are hired to win games and not to appease whiners.
I got to ask how does anyone knows that this was Brooks call? WE CAN’T ASSUME UNTILL WE KNOW THE FACTS. !!!
Who else would make that call except to head coach to pull her scholarship?
Only the head coach makes that decision
Thanks Larry for the clarify.
Really sad story, will look for any clarification you can find from Coach Brooks. Certainly wish her all the best!
This really changes my opinion on Brooks. It wouldn’t hurt a thing to recruit over her like he did this year. He had already cut her minutes and she was willing to be a team player. It isn’t like every player on the bench is going to play significant minutes and that is why a couple of his players have hit the portal. He won’t find another player to cheer her teammates and practice hard to make the starters better knowing they themselves won’t be playing much.
I might be able to continue to cheer the team, but don’t think I can ever feel good about Brooks. Doing things like this, really causes some big concerns.
I would rather Brooks leave than her! Turns out he is a piece of garbage. The sooner he is gone, the better!
We the fans in Blacksburg understand. He did not leave us under good circumstances, but we survived and you will too. It’s hard to accept though. Good luck to all of you.
Very interesting Shirley. Thanks for sharing with us
The question which has not been asked…
Is Brooks man enough to admit he erred & ask her to forgive him & remain on the team?
Thai reminds me of someone who was a friend, who had a powerful position at an Engineering Company where I worked. I was told that I had a big raise and promotion coming in 6 weeks. Then he turned sour because someone died – who I did not know, but his bitterness thrust him into turmoil and he threatened to fire several employees of they remained my friends – he wanted them to even stop talking to me. I did not work for him, but he had major power with only a couple of others above him. I was soon told there would be no promotion or raise, without explanation. Six months later, after successfully completing writing a very complex computer program – heat train energy balance of every BTU of energy in a production facility, to utilize every bit of energy produced by reactions to power other operations. Some formulas literally extended across a page requiring 3 lines. It was successful. After that I was terminated. I did not make any comments and one of the top men in the company (2 levels above me) said the company has never had anyone like men who was so well-liked and did amazing work. I just left without any issues.
About 3 months later, the person who fired me called & said I needed to come to his office and collect a bonus check. This was his way of trying to apologize, but those words were never spoken. The bonus was equal to 50% of my annual salary! It definitely was a nice gesture, but I still had hope for an apology and some reason why!
I never wished him any misfortune, never said anything negative to him – so thankful the Grace of Gos ruled within and over any possible negative thoughts.
About 5 years later, an elevator door opened and he was stepping out and said hi to me. I greeted him & said I hope all is well. He then said his wife & daughter left him, divorced, and then he admitted himself into a psychiatric hospital. So sad. My family had befriended his family and it was heartbreaking for my wife & daughter to no longer have them as friends. May the Lord Jesus have mercy on that entire family!
A bit long winded – one of traits – but my point is that I hope Brooks has the heart and integrity to admit he made a major blunder and extend an olive branch (check out the olive branch in Genesis at the end of the flood) to release peace into everyone frustrated with the big error!
The Apostle Paul pursued a conscience void of offense toward God and man. We all need His Grace to do it.
To any who stayed with this long post, may your days be blessed richly by the Lord Jesus that peace & joy May reign in your hearts!
He’d be well advised to explain this situation – rather than lose the good vibes he’s created.
Yes, Paul. It’s a no brainer.
UK men’s team talked about the importance of family atmosphere they had all season long . Don’t tell me you have a “family” environment on the woman’s team, when you decide to tell Cassidy, sorry , but you need to move on, because we don’t have any use for you next season, even though we still have 7 scholarships available , you bleed blue ,your a fan favorite, and you are a senior. I bet this decision is playing great in the home of recruits and their families 🏀👎
I heard this weekend that there will be good news coming on the Cassidy Rowe situation. Can’t wait to find out the news, she deserves the best, hope UK has stepped up and done the right thing.👍🏀
I hope you heard that from me JS Kerr on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk. got my fingers crossed that karma will work its magic
He is keeping his daughter on the team…….couldn’t he have Cassidy as a walk-on rather than tell her “she didn’t have a spot”. Maybe she would have stayed for her Senior Night. Never know.
Larry,
How come no good news on Cassidy, what are they waiting for 🏀‼️
hopefully some coming soon