Eight years ago, Kenny Brooks took over a Virginia Tech women's basketball team that had just finished 11th out of 15 teams in the ACC standings.
Last year, the coach led Tech to its first ACC Tournament win and first Final Four appearance. This year, Tech won its first ACC regular season title.
No wonder Kentucky wanted to hire him.
“He did a great job at Virginia Tech,” ACC Network analyst Kelly Gramlich said in a phone interview this week. “I don't think anyone, other than maybe him, thought he could take Virginia Tech to the Final Four when he was hired. He took a team that was near the bottom of the ACC to the top.” …in a very tough league where it's difficult to build a program from scratch.
“What he did was just incredible.”
Others are also reading…
Brooks left Tech on Tuesday to take the reins at the University of Kentucky.
ESPN analyst Debbie Antonelli said she wasn't surprised by Brooks' decision.
“If he were to make a move, now would be the perfect time given the success he has had so far,” Antonelli said in a telephone interview. “His stock may never be bigger than it is now… [And] He was preparing to lose some important pieces. ”
This was the final college season for Tech center Elizabeth Kitley, a three-time All-American and three-time ACC Player of the Year. Third-team All-American point guard Georgia Amoore will not return to Tech for an additional year of eligibility.
Brooks helped Kitley develop into Tech's career scoring leader and the ACC's career rebounding leader. He helped Amoore develop into a career support leader at his Tech.
“If you look at his track record with players like Liz Kitley and Georgia Amoore and even further back, Regan McGarity and Aisha Shepherd, he is definitely regarded as one of the best skill development coaches in the country.” Gramlich said.
“He's considered one of the best coaches in the country, and obviously he's going somewhere that will pay him that kind of money.”
Unlike Antonelli, Gramlich said he was surprised Brooks left the Hokies.
“I thought he built something very special at Virginia Tech, and he's from Virginia. I didn't think he would leave,” Gramlich said.
However, Kentucky belongs to the Southeastern Conference and is a well-funded school. Does Gramlich see Brooks' move as the latest sign of the growing revenue disparity between the Big Two (SEC and Big Ten) and the ACC?
“I can't help but think of that,” Gramlich said. “It's hard not to worry about that difference. Some schools in the SEC seem willing to pay a little more in tuition. …Kentucky clearly wants to focus on basketball at all levels. This is the basketball school I'm thinking about.
“As far as this widening revenue gap, I've said it from the beginning, it's going to ultimately impact women's sports. It's honestly very disappointing for someone like me who knows that we're the best conference in the country. But it's hard to take a hit like this.”
Brooks, who led Tech to 180 wins in eight seasons, will replace Kyla Elzy at Kentucky. The school announced Elsey's termination on March 11.
“He was Kentucky's first choice,” Antonelli said. “This speaks to how much respect he has earned and how much he has earned by building what he built at Virginia Tech.” I don’t know.”
Antonelli, who previously worked in marketing at Kentucky, said the school is “a great place to be involved in basketball.”
“There's no way he doesn't have the resources at his disposal to win,” she said. “What they're adding in his Kenny is someone who can manage and manipulate all the resources at their disposal. … This is a basketball school, and every decision has basketball intent.”
The SEC has powerhouse schools such as South Carolina and LSU, and Texas and Oklahoma are also expected to join them. Antonelli said the SEC will be a “bold challenge” for Brooks.
“I'm sure Kenny heard it.” [Kentucky] how much money do you have [NIL] We need that to compete with other schools,” Antonelli said. “I’m sure Kentucky will provide it.”
Brooks left James Madison in 2016 to take the reins at then-ACC lightweight Tech.
Tech continued to struggle in the ACC during Brooks' first three seasons. However, the team had an overall winning record and each season he advanced to the WNIT.
“[Brooks scheduled] Winnable early non-conference games [Tech] As his career progressed and his talent improved, he changed his schedule to suit his talent, which put him in a position to compete on the national stage,” Antonelli said. “This is a blueprint that he will probably follow at Kentucky.”
Tech finished 21-9 overall and 11-7 in ACC play in 2019-20. Tech achieved his first ACC winning record. The Hokies were a sure bet to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but there was no NCAA Tournament or WNIT that year due to the pandemic.
The Hokies went 15-10 overall and 8-8 in league play during the shortened 2020-21 season. For the first time in 15 years, a tech company has entered the NCAA.
The following season, Tech went 23-10 overall and 13-5 in ACC play. Tech companies created the NCAA again. The team included Kitley, Shepard, Amoore, Kayana Traylor and Kayla King.
The Hokies went 31-5 overall and 14-4 in ACC play last year, breaking school records for overall wins and ACC wins. The team won the ACC Tournament and earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA. The Hokies lost in the Final Four to eventual NCAA champion LSU. Its technical team included Kitley, Amoore, King, Traylor and Taylor Soule.
With the return of Kitley, Amoore and King, the Hokies are 25-8 overall this year. Tech went 14-4 in league play and won the ACC regular season title. The team drew seven sold-out crowds to Cassell Coliseum, including the first five sold-out home regular season games in program history. Tech lost to Baylor in the NCAA second round.
Brooks' relationships with his players contributed to the program's success.
“His relationship-building skills with the players were really great,” Antonelli said. “…the mutual respect that his best players had for him…you could see that permeate throughout the program.
“He cares about the kids and he cares about them being successful. … All the personal training sessions he had with the top players, along with all the other demands of the head coach. It takes time to do this, but that's how important it is and it's part of the relationship process.”
So far, four players Brooks coached at Tech have been selected in the WNBA Draft: Magarity, Shepard, Traylor and Soule.
Brooks pulled Traylor and Soule from the transfer portal. Brooks added Matilda Ek, Olivia Zumiel and Rose Michaud from the portal after last season.
“He recruited people very well, but he also used the portal very well,” Gramlich said. “That helped put Virginia Tech over the top.”
Brooks made Tech a nationally relevant program.
Tech companies rose to No. 4 in the Associated Press poll last season and rose to No. 5 this season.
Virginia Tech played for Iowa in Charlotte this season and earned a whopping $150,000. Tech will earn an additional $150,000 in the rematch next season.
Last month, Tech became the first ACC school to host the women's basketball version of ESPN's “College GameDay.”
“He's won everything. He's done it all with good people and quality kids who care about winning and doing things the right way,” Antonelli said.
