Kenny Brooks Wanted To Ride Off Into The Sunset With Mitch Barnhart

Vicky Graff photo.

Kenny Brooks was one of Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart’s three major coaching hires in the last two years and what he has already done with the Kentucky women’s basketball program to make UK relevant on the national scene again and with the way he has recruited it seems like Kentucky is going to stay relevant.

After Kentucky’s win over Arkansas in the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, Brooks was asked for his reaction to Barnhart’s resignation on Tuesday.

“Obviously I can’t sit here and say that I expected it, so I was a little bit shocked about the situation,
but when you dive into it and you look at him and you look at everything that’s going on, nothing surprises me anymore,” Brooks said. “Mitch was the reason that I came here (from Virginia Tech), and he’s a big reason that I came here.

“I wanted to be under leadership that was going to lead into the future of college athletics, and obviously Mitch has done so much for college athletics throughout his tenure, not just the University of Kentucky. It was an honor for me to be able to come here, and I learned so much from him in less than two years. You know, there’s a part of me that feels devastated, because I just really — I wanted to ride off into the sunset with him and end my career under his leadership and what he was able to provide for not only the university, but also college athletics in general.

“Shocked a little bit. Saddened, but at the same time happy for him that he gets to go into a new chapter in his life. I know a lot can be made from it just looking at Mitch and his accomplishments and anything that he’s done from the outside and tried to assess what he’s done, but unless you’re on the inside, you have no idea the value that that man brought to everyone.

“I walked into this athletic program, and there’s been nothing but welcoming hands, hugs, everything. I feel like t’s family, and it’s something that I was looking for when I came here, and I had it, and I got it, what he created here in his 24 years.

“Happy for him. Super happy for him. To know him is to celebrate him. If you say anything differently, you just don’t know the man, you don’t know what he’s done and how much he’s accomplished in his tenure in athletics.”

Barnhart’s other two hires, football coach Will Stein and men’s basketball coach Mark Pope, both made statements of support for Barnhart on social media after his resignation was announced.

“Words alone can’t express how grateful I am for Mitch Barnhart,” Pope posted on X before UK lost at Texas A&M Tuesday night. “For his faith, friendship and leadership at Kentucky, and for the impact he’s had across college athletics, which has been transformational. For sure I’m sad to see him step away at year’s end, but incredibly thankful for his service and glad he’s sticking around on campus. Time to make these next few weeks an even more special time together.”

“My life was changed when Mitch called and asked if I was ready to be a Wildcat. I’m beyond thankful for his leadership and what he did for University of Kentucky and college athletics! #BBN” Stein posted on X.