New Kentucky women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks has injected excitement into the program since his hiring. He has brought in a number of quality players, including both transfers and recruits, and he has completely overhauled the roster.
The improved roster hasn’t gone unnoticed by the college basketball world, including the analysts at ESPN. Charlie Creme updated his way-too-early women’s basketball top 25 and Kentucky is now ranked.
As expected, South Carolina is in the top spot. The Texas Longhorns, new to the SEC, are sixth, the LSU Tigers are seventh, and Oklahoma Sooners come in at luck number 13. Rounding out the top 25 from the SEC are the Alabama Crimson Tide at 21, Ole Miss Rebels at 23, and then, at number 25, are the Kentucky Wildcats.
Creme had this to say about Kentucky:
The entire program has been revamped with the hiring of Brooks as head coach, nine transfers leaving and three more coming in. Having Georgia Amoore along with him from Virginia Tech gives Brooks the opportunity to compete in his first year in the SEC. Clara Strack also followed Brooks, and the addition of 6-4 Teonni Key from North Carolina gives Kentucky necessary size. Strack and Key, who have only started a combined three games in their careers, will be forced to progress quickly, however. Lexi Blue is a top-50 recruit, and 6-3 Australian Amelia Hassett is a JUCO transfer; both originally committed to the Hokies and are now in Lexington, as well.
After a lackluster run for the Wildcats women’s basketball program, there’s reason for fans to be excited about the future. Brooks has put together a very good roster, and his ability to recruit means they should be able to reload each season. ESPN thinks they could be a top 25 team this year. Big Blue Nation hopes they can be even better.
