| Kentucky Wildcats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| University | University of Kentucky | ||
| Athletic director | Mitch Barnhart | ||
| Head coach | Kenny Brooks (1st season) | ||
| Conference | SEC | ||
| Location | Lexington, Kentucky | ||
| Arena | Memorial Coliseum (capacity: 8,500[1]) | ||
| Nickname | Wildcats | ||
| Colors | Blue and white[2] | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| NCAA tournament Elite Eight | |||
| 1982, 2010, 2012, 2013 | |||
| NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1982, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 | |||
| NCAA tournament appearances | |||
| 1982, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 | |||
| AIAW tournament Sweet Sixteen | |||
| 1981 | |||
| AIAW tournament appearances | |||
| 1980, 1981 | |||
| Conference tournament champions | |||
| 1982, 2022 | |||
| Conference regular season champions | |||
| 2012 | |||
The Kentucky Wildcats women's basketball team represents the University of Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference. The Wildcats have four Elite Eight appearances and seventeen appearances in the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. They have won the SEC tournament twice and SEC regular season championship once.
The first University of Kentucky women's basketball team was organized in 1902,[3][4] and competed for the first time on Feb. 21, 1903. However, in 1924, despite a perfect 10-0 season, the University Senate passed a bill to abolish women's basketball in part because, according to state politicians, "basketball had proven to be a strenuous sport for boys and therefore was too strenuous for girls."[3][4]
After 50 years, women's basketball was granted varsity status in 1974,[3] and most of the official records maintained by the university only reflect games since that time. The team, coached by Sue Feamster, was given the nickname "Lady Kats",[4] which continued to be used until May 1995.[5]
The team's current head coach is Kenny Brooks, who was hired from Virginia Tech after Kyra Elzy was fired in March 2024.[6][7]
- ^ "Memorial Coliseum". University of Kentucky. Archived from the original on December 17, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
A one million dollar renovation was completed in 1990, when a state-of-the-art weight training facility, new basketball and athletics administration offices, a players' lounge, and a team meeting room were added. As a result of the renovation, the seating capacity was reduced from 11,500 to 8,500.
- ^ "Primary Color Palette". University of Kentucky Athletics Brand Identity Guidelines (PDF). February 5, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- ^ a b c "All-Time Kentucky Head Coaches" (PDF). University of Kentucky. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 25, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Women's Basketball Timeline" (PDF). University of Kentucky. 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ "'Lady' killer women's basketball team now Wildcats", Lexington Herald-Leader, p. B1, May 13, 1995,
The gender-specific Lady Kats are out. The gender-neutral Wildcats are in. In a stark three-line, three-sentence press release issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, the school announced that its women's hoops team is switching monikers.
- ^ "Kyra Elzy, Kentucky Women's Basketball Head Coach, Relieved of Duties". UKAtheltics.com. March 11, 2024.
- ^ Makauskas, Caroline (March 26, 2024). "Kentucky hires women's basketball coach from ACC power to replace Kyra Elzy". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 26, 2024.