Kenny Brooks

Last updated
Kenny Brooks
Kenny Brooks 2024 (cropped).jpg
Brooks in 2024
Current position
TitleHead coach
Team Kentucky
Conference SEC
Record3–0 (1.000)
Biographical details
Born (1968-12-20) December 20, 1968 (age 55)
Waynesboro, Virginia
Playing career
1988–1991 James Madison
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1994–1998 VMI (men's asst.)
1998–2002 James Madison (men's asst.)
2002–2003 James Madison (women's asst.)
2003–2016James Madison
2016–2024 Virginia Tech
2024–present Kentucky
Head coaching record
Overall520–204 (.718)
TournamentsNCAA: 7–10
WNIT: 20–7
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
  • 2022 JMU Athletics Hall of Fame
  • 4× CAA Coach of the Year (2007, 2014, 2015, 2016)
Records
  • 500+ Career Wins
  • 220 CAA Victories (2nd all-time)
  • 27 CAA Tournament Victories (2nd all-time)

Kenny Brooks (born December 20, 1968) is the head coach of the University of Kentucky women's basketball team. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Career

Brooks played his collegiate basketball for the James Madison Dukes basketball program.

After serving as the interim head coach for the 2002–03 season, Brooks was introduced as the James Madison University women's basketball head coach on March 21, 2003.

During the 2013–14 season, the James Madison University women's basketball team upset the 6-seed Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament. It was JMU's first NCAA tournament victory since 1991.

Brooks has the most regular season game victories in James Madison's women's basketball program history (337), having surpassed Shelia Moorman (302) in 2015. Brooks was the head coach when the James Madison University women's basketball team became the third school in NCAA women's basketball history to win 1,000 program games. He twice tied the school record for most wins in a single season with 29 (2011–12 and 2013–14).

On February 6, 2015, James Madison beat Hofstra University, (77–68), giving Brooks his 300th career win.

On March 28, 2016, Brooks accepted the position of head coach of the Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team. Brooks helped guide the program to many firsts, including the ACC tournament championship, the Sweet Sixteen, the Elite Eight, the Final Four, and a 30-win season all which were accomplished during the 2022–23 season. For the first time in program history, the Hokies won the ACC regular season title during the 2023–2024 season. He achieved his 500th career win as head coach while with the program.

On March 26, 2024, after eight seasons with Virginia Tech, Brooks resigned from his position and accepted a five-year, $7.7 million contract with Kentucky, making him the third highest paid women's basketball coach in the Southeastern Conference behind only LSU's Kim Mulkey and South Carolina's Dawn Staley. [4]

Final Four

In 2023, Brooks achieved two college basketball coaching milestones. He coached his first team to a thirty win season, and his team made it to the final four of the woman's basketball tournament. Virginia Tech won their first two games in the 2023 Women's NCAA Tournament by double digits, then faced Tennessee in the regional semi final. The Hokies had 29 wins after the first two rounds of the tournament. The game against Tennessee started very well, with Virginia Tech achieving a 13 point lead (35 – 22) at halftime, then starting the second half with five straight points to open up an 18 point lead. Tennessee responded, cutting the lead to 9 points at the end of the third quarter and continued cutting into the lead, reducing the deficit to a single point at 53–52. The Hokies fought back and extended the lead to 11 points with just over two minutes remaining in the game. Virginia Tech ended up with the win, pushing their season win total to 30 wins for the first time in Brooks' career and resulting in the first time Virginia Tech has advanced to the elite eight game. [5]

The elite eight game was against the Ohio State team that knocked UConn out of their quest for a 15th consecutive Final Four. Both teams led at times in the first half, with Virginia Tech clinging to a slim three point lead at halftime 48–45. Although Ohio State would cut the lead to a single point early in the third quarter, the Hokies never relinquished the lead and ended up with the win 84–74 to advance Brooks and Virginia Tech to their first ever Final Four. [6] [7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
James Madison (Colonial Athletic Association)(2002–2016)
2002–03James Madison 16–1011–74th
2003–04James Madison 13–187–107th
2004–05James Madison 18–1110–84th
2005–06James Madison 24–714–42nd WNIT First Round
2006–07James Madison 27–616–22nd NCAA First Round
2007–08James Madison 24–1014–42nd WNIT Quarterfinals
2008–09James Madison 24–1014–43rd WNIT Second Round
2009–10James Madison 26–713–52nd NCAA First Round
2010–11James Madison 26–816–21st NCAA First Round
2011–12James Madison 29–814–42nd WNIT Runner-up
2012–13James Madison 25–1115–32nd WNIT Quarterfinals
2013–14James Madison 29–615–11st NCAA Second Round
2014–15 James Madison 29–417–11st NCAA First Round
2015–16 James Madison 27–617–11st NCAA First Round
James Madison University:337–122 (.734)193–56 (.775)
Virginia Tech (Atlantic Coast Conference)(2016–2024)
2016–17 Virginia Tech 20–144–12T-11th WNIT Quarterfinals
2017–18 Virginia Tech 23–146–10T-9th WNIT Runner-up
2018–19 Virginia Tech 22–126–1010th WNIT Third Round
2019–20 Virginia Tech 21–911–7T-4thPostseason cancelled
2020–21 Virginia Tech 15–108–87th NCAA Second Round
2021–22 Virginia Tech 23–1013–5T-3rd NCAA First Round
2022–23 Virginia Tech 31–514–4T-2nd NCAA Final Four
2023–24 Virginia Tech 25–814–41st NCAA Second Round
Virginia Tech:180–82 (.687)76–60 (.559)
Kentucky (SEC)(2024–present)
2024–25 Kentucky 3–00–0
Kentucky:3–0 (1.000)0–0 (–)
Total:520–204 (.718)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament</span> Annual college basketball tournament for women

The NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament, sometimes referred to as Women's March Madness, is a single-elimination tournament played each spring in the United States, currently featuring 68 women's college basketball teams from the Division I level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), to determine the national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Tech Hokies</span> Intercollegiate sports teams of Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams representing Virginia Tech in intercollegiate athletics. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 22 varsity sports. Virginia Tech's men's sports are football, basketball, baseball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, and wrestling. Virginia Tech's women's sports are basketball, cross country, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field, golf, and volleyball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament</span> Edition of USA college basketball tournament

The 1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament involved 52 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 17, 1983, and ended with the championship game on April 4 at The Pit, then officially known as University Arena, on the campus of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. A total of 51 games were played.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankie Allen</span> American mens college basketball coach

Frankie Allen is an American men's college basketball coach who most recently coached at Maryland Eastern Shore. He was also the head coach at Virginia Tech, Tennessee State and Howard, as well as an assistant at Radford and UMBC. His greatest success was at Tennessee State where he won three Ohio Valley Conference titles and was the 1993 national Coach of the Year. Allen played collegiately under Charles Moir at Roanoke College, where he was the school's first African-American athlete. Allen would later coach at Virginia Tech as an assistant under Moir and then follow Moir as the head coach of the Hokies. In 2013, Allen was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

The Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Virginia. The school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Virginia has won the NCAA Championship, two National Invitation Tournaments, and three ACC tournament titles. The team plays home games at the on-campus John Paul Jones Arena (14,623) which opened in 2006. They have been called the Cavaliers since 1923, predating the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA by half a century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball</span> Mens basketball team

The Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Home games are played at Cassell Coliseum, located on Virginia Tech's campus in Blacksburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament</span> American college basketball tournament

The 1986 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament began on March 12 and ended on March 30. The tournament expanded to 40 teams from 32. The Final Four consisted of Texas, Tennessee, Western Kentucky, and USC, with Texas defeating Southern California, 97-81 in the championship game. Texas's Clarissa Davis was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. With their championship win, Texas completed the first undefeated season (34-0) since the NCAA began sponsoring women's basketball in 1982.

Donald Eugene DeVoe is a former American college basketball coach and former player. DeVoe played college basketball for Ohio State University, and later served as the head coach for Virginia Tech, the University of Wyoming, the University of Tennessee, the University of Florida and the United States Naval Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball</span> Womens college basketball team

The Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team represents the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee in NCAA women's basketball competition. The team has been a contender for national titles for over forty years, having made every NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship tournament since the NCAA began sanctioning women's sports in the 1981–82 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament</span> American college basketball tournament

The 1991 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament began on March 13 and ended on March 31. The tournament featured 48 teams. The Final Four event was hosted by the University of New Orleans, and held at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans. The Final Four teams consisted of Tennessee, Stanford, Connecticut, and Virginia, with Tennessee defeating Virginia 70-67 (OT) to win its third NCAA title. Virginia's Dawn Staley was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buzz Williams</span> American basketball coach (born 1972)

Brent Langdon "Buzz" Williams is an American basketball coach who is the head coach at Texas A&M University. He previously served as head coach at Virginia Tech from 2014 to 2019, Marquette from 2008 to 2014, and New Orleans during the 2006–07 season, and as an assistant coach at Texas-Arlington, Texas A&M–Kingsville, Northwestern State, Colorado State, and Texas A&M.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball</span> University basketball team

The West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team represents West Virginia University in NCAA Division I college basketball competition. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. WVU has won 13 conference tournament championships, and has 31 appearances in the NCAA tournament, including two Final Fours, most recently in 2010. The Mountaineers have also appeared in 16 National Invitation Tournaments (NIT), and have won the tournament twice, in 1942 and 2007. The 1942 NIT Championship is claimed by West Virginia as a National Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009–10 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 2009–10 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their head coach was Roy Williams. The team played its home games in the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were the defending National Champions. This season represented the 100th season of basketball in the school's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Warlick</span> American college basketball coach (born 1958)

Frances Hollingsworth "Holly" Warlick is an American college basketball coach who was head coach for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers. She replaced head coach Pat Summitt prior to the 2012–13 season and held the position until the end of the 2018–19 season. Warlick was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018–19 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2018–19 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Hokies, led by third year head coach Kenny Brooks, played their home games at Cassell Coliseum as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 22–12, 6–10 in ACC play to finish in a tie for tenth place. They advanced to the second round of the ACC women's tournament where they lost to Clemson. They received an automatic bid to the Women's National Invitation Tournament where they defeated Furman and VCU in the first and second rounds before losing to James Madison in the third round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019–20 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2019–20 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Hokies, led by fourth year head coach Kenny Brooks, played their home games at Cassell Coliseum as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Kitley</span> American basketball player

Elizabeth Ann Kitley is an American professional basketball player who played college basketball at Virginia Tech. She was drafted in 2024 by the Las Vegas Aces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022–23 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2022–23 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Hokies, were led by seventh-year head coach Kenny Brooks, and played their home games at Cassell Coliseum as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Amoore</span> Australian basketball player

Georgia Lee Amoore is an Australian college basketball player for the Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). She previously played for the Virginia Tech Hokies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023–24 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team</span> Intercollegiate basketball season

The 2023–24 Virginia Tech Hokies women's basketball team represented Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I women's basketball season. The Hokies were led by eighth-year head coach Kenny Brooks and played their home games at Cassell Coliseum as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

References

  1. "James Madison University Athletics – 2014–15 Women's Basketball Coaching Staff". jmusports.com. Retrieved 2016-03-28.
  2. Jeff Malmgremm. "Basketball coach calls Gwathmey 'as talented as anyone' at James Madison over past decade". Fauquier. Retrieved 2 February 2015 via Highbeam.
  3. "Brooks named women's basketball head coach at Kentucky". Virginia Tech Athletics. Retrieved 2024-03-26.
  4. Caroline Makauskas (April 1, 2024). "Breaking down Kenny Brooks' Kentucky contract details. Here's how much he'll make". Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  5. "Virginia Tech 73-64 Tennessee (Mar 25, 2023) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  6. "Virginia Tech 84-74 Ohio State (Mar 27, 2023) Game Recap". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  7. "Virginia Tech 84-74 Ohio State (Mar 27, 2023) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved 2023-11-15.