Kenny Brooks (2022) - JMU Athletics Hall of Fame - James Madison University Athletics

Kenny Brooks

Induction:
2022
Class:
1992

The all-time winningest head coach in the storied history of JMU women's basketball, Kenny Brooks went 337-122 (.734) in 14 seasons as head coach, breaking Shelia Moorman's previous record in 2015. He became interim head coach in 2002, finishing the season 16-10, followed by 13-18 and 18-11 the next two years before reeling off 11 consecutive campaigns of 24 or more victories. The Dukes won five CAA Championships (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016) under Brooks with five NCAA appearances. He was named CAA Coach of the Year four times (2007, 2014, 2015, 2016) and ranks second all-time in both CAA Tournament coaching victories (27) and victories in CAA games (220). Six athletes were named CAA Player of the Year under Brooks: Meredith Alexis (2007), Tamera Young (2008), Dawn Evans (2011), Kirby Burkholder (2014), Precious Hall (2015) and Jazmon Gwathmey (2016). JMU achieved postseason play every season from 2006 through 2016, including the second round of the NCAA Championship in 2014 and runner-up of the WNIT in 2012. Young and Lauren Okafor became the first WNBA draft picks in program history, with Evans and Burkholder also earning invitations. A Shenandoah-Valley native from nearby Waynesboro, Brooks was a four-year letterwinner for JMU men's basketball under Hall of Fame coach Lefty Driesell. He ranks fourth in career 3-point percentage at 41% (82-200). The two-year team captain played in 107 games with 606 points, 216 assists and 128 rebounds. He continues his coaching career at Virginia Tech, with a 124-69 record in six seasons to stand at 461-191 overall in his coaching career.