The rumor mill recently began to say that Kenny Brooks, the head coach of Kentucky Women’s Basketball, had been a name to watch for the women’s job at Virginia.
Talks appeared to die down over the weekend, then fired back up on Monday when Brooks seemed the favorite for the Cavaliers job, but the search ultimately shifted elsewhere.
As it turns out, Brooks was offered the job by Virginia but turned it down to stay in Lexington, according to KSR’s Phoenix Stevens. KSR also reported that Brooks, the former
head coach of Virginia Tech, was the Cavaliers’ attempt at a big-time hire to build their program as a real contender in the ACC.
Instead, the UK coach will stick with the Wildcats, as Mitch Barnhart has worked hard to invest in the women’s program in order to help it reach new heights before he steps down as the school’s AD.
Aaron Rousell was named the Cavaliers’ head coach on Tuesday. He spent the last seven years in the state, coaching the Richmond Spiders. Rousell turned the program around in a big way from a bottom-tier mid-major to a legitimate contender in the rankings.
This doesn’t mean other jobs won’t open up that Brooks may generate interest from, but for now, he’s set to coach the Wildcats for what will be his third season in Lexington.
