Kenny Brooks settling in ahead of first year at Kentucky – ABC 36 News

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW)- New Kentucky women’s basketball Head Coach Kenny Brooks has been moving so fast since he started his new job that he compares his life to a severe weather event.

“It’s been a whirlwind. At one point we upgraded it to a tornado because things got really really crazy,” said Brooks. “I couldn’t have done this without the support of my family.”

Finding the Right Fit

The hiring of a new staff and recruiting of a new roster have been labors of love for Brooks, who hasn’t had to start from scratch at a new school since 2016 when he began his tenure at Virginia Tech.

He had some help with two former Hokies, Clara Strack and Georia Amoore, following him to the Bluegrass. The former Virginia Tech head coach says that he built this year’s roster around that duo and multiple recruits from Virginia Tech who flipped to Kentucky.

“No it’s time to start putting it together,” said Brooks, who is overseeing move-ins for his team before summer practice begins.

This summer, chemistry is the number one priority for the team according to the new head coach.

“Organic,” time spent together is what the Kentucky staff wants their players to embrace.

Moving Parts

One of Brooks’ daughters, Gabby, is a sophomore guard on her father’s first Wildcat team.

But, Blacksburg is where most of Brooks’ family are living until they can find a new home in Lexington.

“I have a daughter getting married this summer so our home base is still there so she can feel comfortable,” said Brooks. “Everything I do is family based. We’re excited.”

Despite his busy schedule, Big Blue Nation has gotten to know Brooks around Lexington.

“(Fans) either want to take a picture or talk about the recruits. I’ve been amazed at how knowledgeable they are about the kids that we have coming in,” said Brooks. “Memorial Coliseum has been a great topic because there have been a lot of people who have gone there over the years and they understand what a great place it can be.”

A New Look in an Old Home

Kentucky women’s basketball’s usual home in Memorial Coliseum is set to be reopened in the fall of 2024 after an extensive renovation. The project is the largest investment into women’s sports in the school’s history.

“(Memorial Coliseum) going to be extremely loud,” said Brooks. “You can compete and contend on a consistent basis.”

A 2023 Final Four and a 2024 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season Championship are the largest jewels in Kenny’s crown from his Blacksburg days. Brooks says that his teams at Kentucky will carry over a winning and hard working mentality.

“We’re going to get up and down the floor. We’ll be very opportunistic to run the fast break and shoot the three-pointer,” said Brooks. “Defensively we’ll be extremely efficient.”

With new digs and a new team, Brooks assures fans that everyone on his team is committed to hanging banners in Lexington.

“Everyone bleeds Kentucky blue,” said Brooks.