Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball

Kentucky Wildcats
2024–25 Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team
University	University of Kentucky
Athletic director	Mitch Barnhart
Head coach	Kenny Brooks (1st season)
Conference	SEC
Location	Lexington, Kentucky
Arena	Memorial Coliseum (capacity: 8,500 [1] )
Nickname	Wildcats
Colors	Blue and white [2]
Uniforms
Home Away
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1982, 2010, 2012, 2013
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1982, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016
NCAA tournament appearances
1982, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022
AIAW tournament Sweet Sixteen
1981
AIAW tournament appearances
1980, 1981
Conference tournament champions
1982, 2022
Conference regular season champions
2012

The Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team represents the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference. The Wildcats have four Elite Eight appearances and seventeen appearances in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. They have won the SEC tournament twice and SEC regular season championship once.

The first University of Kentucky women's basketball team was organized in 1902, ^{[3] [4]} and competed for the first time on Feb. 21, 1903. However, in 1924, despite a perfect 10-0 season, the University Senate passed a bill to abolish women's basketball in part because, according to state politicians, "basketball had proven to be a strenuous sport for boys and therefore was too strenuous for girls." ^{[3] [4]}

After 50 years, women's basketball was granted varsity status in 1974, ^[3] and most of the official records maintained by the university only reflect games since that time. The team, coached by Sue Feamster, was given the nickname "Lady Kats", ^[4] which continued to be used until May 1995. ^[5]

The team's current head coach is Kenny Brooks, who was hired from Virginia Tech after Kyra Elzy was fired in March 2024. ^{[6] [7]}

Facilities

Since the restoration of the program in 1974, the Kentucky Wildcats have played their home games in the 8,500 seat Memorial Coliseum, and their record attendance in that building is 10,622, set on February 5, 1983 against Old Dominion; they also led the nation with an average attendance of 3,645 that season. ^[8] In recent years, the team has also played occasional games in Rupp Arena, which had a capacity of 23,500 before a renovation completed in 2019 reduced the capacity to 20,545.

In January 2007, ^[9] the university opened the Joe Craft Center, a $30 million state-of-the-art basketball practice facility for both the men's and women's teams, named after businessman and philanthropist Joe Craft. ^[10]

In July 2022, Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart announced that Memorial Coliseum would be receiving extensive upgrades during the 2023-2024 athletics season. Most notably, air conditioning would be added to the building for the first time, as well as seating upgrades, and the addition of new event space. The renovations are expected to last for one year, displacing all four teams who call the arena home, including women's basketball. On April 18, 2023, Barnhart announced that the majority of the 2023-2024 women's basketball season will be played at Rupp Arena, with a select number of games being played at Transylvania University's Clive M. Beck Center when Rupp Arena is unavailable. ^[11]

History

Led by UK all-time leading scorer Valerie Still, ^[12] Patty Jo Hedges, and Lea Wise, the Lady Kats won the SEC Tournament in 1982. The following year, the same trio led the team to a #4 ranking in the country, the highest in the team's history.

Head coaches

Former Head Coach Matthew Mitchell

• Jane Todd Watson (1903)
• C.P. St. John (1904 - ?)
• Thomson Bryant (? - 1907)
• C.W. Leaphart (1907–1908)
• Walter C. Fox (1908 - ?)
• John J. Tigert (? - 1915, 1916–1917)
• William Tuttle (1915–1916)
• Jim Park (1917–1918)
• Andy Gill (1918–1919)
• Sarah Blanding (1919–1922)
• Happy Chandler (1922–1923)
• Bart Peak (1923–1924)
• Sue Feamster (1974–76)
• Debbie Yow (1976–80)
• Terry Hall (1980–87)
• Sharon Fanning (1987–95)
• Bernadette Locke-Mattox (1995–2003)
• Mickie DeMoss (2003–2007)
• Matthew Mitchell (2007–2020)
• Kyra Elzy (2020–2024)
• Kenny Brooks (2024–present)

Year by year results

Year Record Coach

1903 1-0 Jane Todd Walton

1904 2-0 C.P. St. John

1905 Unknown

1906 0-1 Thomson Bryant

1907 No Games Thomson Bryant

1908 3-0-1 C.W. Leaphart

1908–09 4-1 Walter C. Fox

1909–10 7-1 No Coach Listed

1910–11 No Record

1911–12 4-1 J.J. Tigert

1912–13 5-0 J.J. Tigert (State Champions)

1913–14 4-2 J.J. Tigert

1914–15 5-1 J.J. Tigert

1915–16 2-2 William Tuttle

1916–17 5-0 J.J. Tigert

1917–18 1-4 Jim Park

1918–19 2-0 Andy Gill

1919–20 0-3-1 Sarah Blanding

1920–21 1-7 Sarah Blanding

1921–22 2-4 Sarah Blanding

1922–23 7-3 A.B. "Happy" Chandler

1923–24 10-0 Bart Peak (Champions of the South)

Total: 65-30-1

Conference tournament winners noted with W Source ^[13]

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason	Coaches' poll	AP poll
Unknown (CIAW)(1969–1970)
1968–69	Unknown	1–1	–		CIAW First Round
:		–	–
Sue Feamster (Independent)(1971–1976)
1971–72	Sue Feamster	10–3	–		-
1972–73	Sue Feamster	13–8	–		-
1973–74	Sue Feamster	13–7	–		-
1974–75	Sue Feamster	16–9	–		Regional II
1975–76	Sue Feamster	13–12	–		Kentucky Women's Intercoll. Conf. Tournament
Sue Feamster:		64–21	–
Debbie Yow (Independent, SEC)(1976–1980)
1976–77	Debbie Yow	19–7	–		Kentucky Women's Intercoll. Conf. Tournament
1977–78	Debbie Yow	23–12	–		AIAW Region II, NWIT Third Place
1978–79	Debbie Yow	13–16	–		Kentucky Women's Intercoll. Conf. Tournament
1979–80	Debbie Yow	24–5	–		AIAW First Round		14
Debbie Yow:		79–40	–
Terry Hall (Independent, SEC)(1980–1987)
1980–81	Terry Hall	25–6	–		AIAW Sixteen		11
1981–82	Terry Hall	24–8	–	W	NCAA Quarterfinals		13
1982–83	Terry Hall	23–5	6–2	2nd (SEC East)	NCAA First Round		12
1983–84	Terry Hall	15–13	2–6	T-3rd (SEC East)
1984–85	Terry Hall	16–12	3–5	4th (SEC East)
1985–86	Terry Hall	18–11	4–5	T-6th	NCAA First Round
1986–87	Terry Hall	17–11	3–6	7th
Terry Hall:		138–66	18–24
Sharon Fanning (SEC)(1987–1995)
1987–88	Sharon Fanning	14–15	0–9	10th
1988–89	Sharon Fanning	12–16	3–6	T-7th
1989–90	Sharon Fanning	23–8	3–6	8th	NWIT Champions
1990–91	Sharon Fanning	20–9	4–5	T-5th	NCAA First Round
1991–92	Sharon Fanning	16–14	5–6	6th
1992–93	Sharon Fanning	18–10	5–6	T-6th
1993–94	Sharon Fanning	17–11	5–6	T-7th
1994–95	Sharon Fanning	14–14	4–7	9th
Sharon Fanning:		134–97	29–51
Bernadette Maddox (SEC)(1995–2003)
1995–96	Bernadette Maddox	8–19	2–9	T-11th
1996–97	Bernadette Maddox	8–19	2–10	10th
1997–98	Bernadette Maddox	13–15	5–9	8th
1998–99	Bernadette Maddox	21–11	7–7	T-5th	NCAA Second Round
1999–2000	Bernadette Maddox	15–14	5–9	T-8th
2000–01	Bernadette Maddox	6–21	2–12	12th
2001–02	Bernadette Maddox	9–20	1–13	12th
2002–03	Bernadette Maddox	11–16	4–10	9th
Bernadette Maddox:		91–135	28–79
Mickie DeMoss (SEC)(2003–2007)
2003–04	Mickie DeMoss	11–17	3–11	11th
2004–05	Mickie DeMoss	18–16	4–10	T-9th	WNIT Semifinals
2005–06	Mickie DeMoss	22–9	9–5	4th	NCAA Second Round
2006–07	Mickie DeMoss	20–14	6–8	T-7th	WNIT Sixteen
Mickie DeMoss:		71–56	22–34
Matthew Mitchell (SEC)(2007–2020)
2007–08	Matthew Mitchell	17–16	8–6	T-4th	WNIT Quarterfinals
2008–09	Matthew Mitchell	16–16	5–9	T-9th	WNIT First Round (Play-in)
2009–10	Matthew Mitchell	28–8	11–5	2nd	NCAA Elite Eight	9	19
2010–11	Matthew Mitchell	25–9	11–5	2nd	NCAA Second Round	22	17
2011–12	Matthew Mitchell	28–7	13–3	1st	NCAA Elite Eight	8	12
2012–13	Matthew Mitchell	30–6	13–3	2nd	NCAA Elite Eight	7	7
2013–14	Matthew Mitchell	26–9	10–6	4th	NCAA Sweet 16	10	11
2014–15	Matthew Mitchell	24–10	10–6	T-4th	NCAA Second Round	11	16
2015–16	Matthew Mitchell	25-8	10-6	T-4th	NCAA Sweet Sixteen	12	13
2016–17	Matthew Mitchell	22-11	11-5	T-3rd	NCAA Second Round	18	24
2017–18	Matthew Mitchell	15–17	6–10	9th
2018–19	Matthew Mitchell	25-8	11-5	4th	NCAA Second Round	18	17
2019-20	Matthew Mitchell	22-8	10-6	T-3rd	Canceled due to covid	16	18
Matthew Mitchell:		281–125 (.692)	119–69 (.633)
Kyra Elzy (SEC)(2020–2024)
2020-21	Kyra Elzy	18-9	9-6	5th	NCAA Second Round	18	21
2021-22	Kyra Elzy	19-12	8-8	7th	NCAA First Round
2022-23	Kyra Elzy	12-18	2-14	14th
2023-24	Kyra Elzy	12–20	4-12	12th
Kyra Elzy:		61–59 (.508)	23–40 (.365)
Kenny Brooks (SEC)(2024–present)
2024–25	Kenny Brooks	3–0	0–0
Kenny Brooks:		3–0 (1.000)	0–0 (–)
Total:		909–609
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

NCAA tournament results

Year	Seed	Round	Opponent	Result
1982	#2	First Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight	#7 Illinois #3 South Carolina #1 Louisiana Tech	W 88-80 W 73-69 L 60-82
1983	#3	First Round	#6 Indiana	L 76-87
1986	#7	First Round	#10 Drake	L 70-73
1991	#9	Second Round	#8 James Madison	L 62-70
1999	#6	First Round Second Round	#11 Nebraska #3 UCLA	W 98-92 L 63-87
2006	#5	First Round Second Round	#12 Chattanooga #4 Michigan State	W 69-59 L 63-67
2010	#4	First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight	#13 Liberty #5 Michigan State #1 Nebraska #3 Oklahoma	W 83-77 W 70-52 W 76-67 L 68-88
2011	#4	First Round Second Round	#13 Hampton #5 North Carolina	W 66-62 (OT) L 74-86
2012	#2	First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight	#15 McNeese State #7 Green Bay #11 Gonzaga #1 Connecticut	W 68-62 W 65-62 W 79-62 L 65-80
2013	#2	First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen Elite Eight	#15 Navy #7 Dayton #6 Delaware #1 Connecticut	W 61-41 W 84-70 W 69-62 L 53-83
2014	#3	First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen	#14 Wright State #6 Syracuse #2 Baylor	W 106-60 W 64-59 L 72-90
2015	#2	First Round Second Round	#15 Tennessee State #7 Dayton	W 97-52 L 94-99
2016	#3	First Round Second Round Sweet Sixteen	#14 UNC Asheville #6 Oklahoma #7 Washington	W 85-31 W 79-58 L 72-85
2017	#4	First Round Second Round	#13 Belmont #5 Ohio State	W 73-70 L 68-82
2019	#6	First Round Second Round	#11 Princeton #3 NC State	W 82-77 L 57-72
2021	#4	First Round Second Round	#13 Idaho State #5 Iowa	W 71-63 L 72-86
2022	#6	First Round	#11 Princeton	L 62–69

Accomplishments

2009–10

• SEC Player of the Year (consensus): Victoria Dunlap ^[14]
• SEC Freshman of the Year: A'dia Mathies ^[14]
• SEC Coach of the Year: Matthew Mitchell ^[14]

2010–11

• SEC Player of the Year (AP): Victoria Dunlap ^[15]
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year: Victoria Dunlap ^[16]

2011–12

• SEC Player of the Year (consensus): A'dia Mathies ^{[17] [18]}
• SEC Freshman of the Year (consensus): Bria Goss ^{[17] [18]}
• SEC Sixth Woman of the Year (shared; awarded only by coaches): Keyla Snowden ^[17]
• SEC Coach of the Year (AP): Matthew Mitchell ^[18]

2012–13

• A'dia Mathies Drafted in the First Round of the 2013 WNBA draft ^[19]
• SEC Co-Player of the Year : A'dia Mathies ^[20]

2018–19

• USBWA National Freshman of the Year: Rhyne Howard

2019–20

• SEC Player of the Year (consensus): Rhyne Howard

All-American players

• Valerie Still, 1983 (Coaches; Street & Smith) ^{[21] [22]}
• Victoria Dunlap, 2010 (AP; USBWA; Coaches') ^{[21] [22] [23]}
• A'dia Mathies, 2012 (USBWA), ^[24] 2013 (AP; Full Court)
• Rhyne Howard, 2020 (AP, USBWA)

Player awards

SEC Awards

• Player of the Year

Victoria Dunlap - 2010, 2011

A'dia Mathies - 2012, 2013

Rhyne Howard – 2020 , 2021

See also

• 2018–19 Kentucky Wildcats women’s basketball team

References

1. "Memorial Coliseum". University of Kentucky. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2010. A one million dollar renovation was completed in 1990, when a state-of-the-art weight training facility, new basketball and athletics administration offices, a players' lounge, and a team meeting room were added. As a result of the renovation, the seating capacity was reduced from 11,500 to 8,500.
2. "Primary Color Palette". University of Kentucky Athletics Brand Identity Guidelines (PDF). February 5, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
3. "All-Time Kentucky Head Coaches" (PDF). University of Kentucky. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
4. "Women's Basketball Timeline" (PDF). University of Kentucky. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
5. "'Lady' killer women's basketball team now Wildcats", Lexington Herald-Leader , p. B1, May 13, 1995, The gender-specific Lady Kats are out. The gender-neutral Wildcats are in. In a stark three-line, three-sentence press release issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, the school announced that its women's hoops team is switching monikers.
6. "Kyra Elzy, Kentucky Women's Basketball Head Coach, Relieved of Duties". UKAtheltics.com. March 11, 2024.
7. Makauskas, Caroline (March 26, 2024). "Kentucky hires women's basketball coach from ACC power to replace Kyra Elzy". Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved March 26, 2024.
8. "Memorial Coliseum: Home of Kentucky Women's Basketball". University of Kentucky. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
9. "Practice facility will benefit all of UK's athletic teams". Kentucky Kernel . January 16, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
10. "Basketball Practice Facility". University of Kentucky. 2005. Archived from the original on November 15, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
11. Rupp Arena to Serve as Primary Home Venue for UK Indoor Sports in 2023-24
12. "This Still's a Potent Producer". Sports Illustrated . January 17, 1983. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2010. Now, as a 6'1" senior center at the University of Kentucky, Valerie Still finally has her own athletic identity. That was ensured when she tallied 30 points against Miami of Ohio on Dec. 5 and thereby surpassed Dan Issel's 2,138 to make her the school's alltime leading scorer. The game was halted so Still could receive a plaque, the game ball and applause.
13. "Media Guide". University of Kentucky. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
14. Smith, Jennifer (March 3, 2010). "UK women sweep SEC post-season awards". Lexington Herald-Leader . Retrieved March 7, 2010.
15. "Dunlap Named AP SEC Player of the Years" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. March 15, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
16. "Three Wildcats Earn SEC Postseason Honors" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. March 1, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
17. "Mathies, Goss, Snowden Honored by SEC" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. February 29, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
18. "Wildcats Sweep Associated Press All-SEC Awards" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. March 13, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
19. SEC (April 15, 2013). "Seven SEC Players Taken In 2013 WNBA Draft". secdigitalnetwork.com. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
20. "Mathies, Stallworth, Walker Honored by SEC" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. March 5, 2013. Archived from the original on March 9, 2013. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
21. Smith, Jennifer (March 31, 2010). "UK notes: Dunlap is third-team All-American". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 31, 2010. On Tuesday, she added another first to her ballooning list when she was named UK's first Associated Press All-American...The UK women have not had any kind of All-American since Valerie Still made the Kodak and Street & Smith All-America teams in 1983.
22. "UK's Dunlap named coaches' All-American". Louisville Courier-Journal. April 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2010. Victoria Dunlap became the second University of Kentucky women's player to be named to the 10-member State Farm Coaches' All-America team, it was announced Saturday by State Farm and the Women's Basketball Coaches' Association...She joins Valerie Stil[sic] (1981–83) as the only UK players to earn State Farm (formerly Kodak) All-America honors.
23. "Dunlap on USBWA All-America team". Louisville Courier-Journal . March 31, 2010. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2010. University of Kentucky junior Victoria Dunlap is on the 10-player All-America team announced Wednesday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the first UK player honored since the USBWA started naming a team in 1997.
24. "Mathies Named to USBWA All-America Team" (Press release). University of Kentucky Athletics. March 28, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2012.

External links

• Official website