Brooks and Amoore are semifinalists for Naismith Awards

Kenny Brooks after the UF win. Credit- UK Athletics.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC36 NEWS NOW)- Head Coach Kenny Brooks and point guard Georgia Amoore are semifinalists for the Naismith Women’s College Coach and Player of the Year awards.

Brooks has led UK to a 22-7 overall record in his first season in Lexington and is one of ten head coaches overall and one of four in the SEC to be named a semifinalist.

The five finalists will be released on March 18 before the Atlanta Tipoff Club decides on an award winner on April 2.

Brooks built his new-look Cats from scratch with only two returners from last year’s UK team. The rest were college transfers or flipped commits from Virginia Tech.

The Wildcats were picked to finish eighth in the preseason league standings, but Brooks guided UK to a No. 4 seed and a double bye at the SEC Tournament, the program’s first in five seasons.

The 2024-25 campaign also marked the program’s first 20-plus win season in half a decade.

UK Athletics

Amoore is one of 10 semifinalists and has led Kentucky to a a fourth place finish in the SEC regular season.

Through 29 games this season, she is averaging the best stats of her college career in five categories.

• 19.1 points per game
• 42.5 field-goal percentage
• 6.9 assists per game
• 2.2 assist-turnover ratio
• 1.0 steals per game

Brooks, Amoore and the Cats will know their next opponent during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.