Virginia Tech head coach Kenny Brooks was linked as a candidate for the Kentucky Women's Basketball head coach opening yesterday evening by Matt Jones, founder of Kentucky Sports Radio and prominent Kentucky sports media figure.
Hearing that UK is looking at 3-4 candidates for the Women’s Basketball job.
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 21, 2024
The only candidate I can confirm is Virginia Tech’s Kenny Brooks, who I believe has interviewed in last couple of days
Since then, national women's college basketball reporter Mitchell Northam has reported that Brooks is the "top target" for Kentucky's opening, with that news breaking after Brooks' press conference today.
According to multiple sources, Virginia Tech’s Kenny Brooks has emerged as Kentucky’s top target to fill its women’s basketball opening. @KySportsRadio had it first.#ncaaW @TheNextHoops
— Mitchell Northam (@primetimeMitch) March 21, 2024
During his press conference today prior to Virginia Tech's NCAA Tournament opener against Marshall, Brooks addressed the Matt Jones report from yesterday evening.
"That's why I'm not on Twitter anymore. I still have my account but I don't do it. Right now, there's a lot of speculation and talking and whatever. Obviously, if you have success people are interested. Again, my focus is what we're doing right now and how we're doing it. My kids are the most important thing to me. I have not heard that or the radio host or whoever you're talking about. But right now I'm about to go to practice and we're gonna go out here. Marshall is the only thing on my mind other than the Hokies," Brooks said.
That wasn't exactly a denial from Brooks beyond denying that he knew about the report prior to being asked about.
During his eight seasons at Virginia Tech, Kenny Brooks has led the Hokies to new heights reaching the first Final Four in VT Basketball history while winning the program's first ACC Tournament title last year and ACC regular season title this year. His now four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances are the most by any basketball coach in Virginia Tech's history, men's or women's, and would be five-straight if the 2020 NCAA Tournament hadn't been canceled.
He has a 179-81 record over the course of his eight seasons at VT and a 516-203 career record when factoring in his 14 seasons at JMU.
If Brooks were to leave Virginia Tech for Kentucky, Chattanooga head coach and former lead VT assistant Shawn Poppie seems likely to be a top candidate to replace him. Current VT assistant Lindsey Hicks and former VT player & assistant Britney Anderson would also be names to watch.
