Earlier this month Virginia Tech beat Louisville 75-67 in the ACC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Hokies wrapped up their 8th straight winning season by clinching the school’s 3rd straight NCAA tourney bid. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Virginia Tech coach Kenny Brooks about being a 1 seed.
You played basketball at JMU for Coach Lefty Driesell: what made him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you ever learned from him? He has been extremely influential in my life/career. I thought that he was the craziest man in the world when I played for him…but now I find myself doing a lot of the same things that he did! I am forever indebted to him and still talk to him every now and then. In 10-20 years hopefully my players will feel the same way about me.
In the 2014 NCAA tourney as coach at JMU you upset Gonzaga for the school’s 1st NCAA tourney win since 1991: where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? That was huge! We had made it to the NCAA tourney before but never won it so we had to take the next step. It was monumental for our program and I was very proud of our kids. Once you win a tourney game you need to learn how to win more.
You were a 4-time CAA COY: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It is not everything and does not validate anything: there are some years when I did not win COY but still felt that I did a great job of coaching. When my kids come up and tell me that I am their COY that is all I need: I do not need a piece of hardware. That happened again this year even though I do not have the trophy.
You remain the winningest coach in JMU women’s history: do you think that anyone will ever break your record? All records are made to be broken! I got married on that campus and my kids were born there. My career has been so rewarding.
In 2016 you were hired at Virginia Tech: why did you take the job? I wanted to go out and challenge myself on the highest level. When this job became available I had to take my talents here and see what I could do against the best.
Last week you had 3 wins in 3 days to win the ACC tourney title: what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards? It was surreal! All of the emotions involved in building a program from the bottom: my 1st year we were #13 in the ACC…and this year we are #4 in the country. The ACC trophy is a LOT heavier than the CAA trophy, which is symbolic because there are a lot of heavy-hitters/national champs in this league. It has not sunk in yet but I will get to reflect on it this summer at my lake house.
You play an up-tempo style of basketball: what makes it so effective? We are a very versatile group so if we have an easy opportunity then we will take it. We have the fastest PG in the country but also have 1 of the best centers in the country. It makes it exciting to come watch us because you never know what you will see.
SR Liz Kitley is the 2-time defending ACC POY and the all-time leading scorer in school history: where does she rank among the greatest players that you have ever coached? She is in a league by herself. I have had several WNBA Draft picks but she is #1. I have had some special kids but the way she operates and the level she has taken us to is 2nd to none…although I might have some former players get mad at me for saying that!
You only have 3 players on the roster from Virginia: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? I try to get kids who fit our culture regardless of where they are from. Geographically we are close to North Carolina: it takes me several hours to get to the Tidewater area. We have a top-20 recruiting class coming in with players from Connecticut/New York/Charlotte so we recruit nationally and want kids who love being at Virginia Tech.
How do you feel about being a 1 seed, and how far can this team go? Being a 1 seed is a monumental accomplishment…which comes with responsibility because we will have a target on our back. My associate head coach from last year (Shawn Poppie) is Chattanooga’s head coach and is 1 of my best friends in the business. The NCAA has a sick sense of humor having us face each other, but that is what makes the tourney fun. Some people thought that UConn should have been a 1 seed so I think our group will use that as motivation: it is great for our program.