‘I always dreamed of taking over.’ UK’s Elzy ‘humbled’ to step into head-coach role.
When the University of Kentucky first came calling nearly a quarter century ago, Kyra Elzy said, “No.”
Following a standout career at Oldham County High School, the LaGrange native in 1996 turned down a scholarship offer from UK and instead chose to play college basketball at Tennessee under legendary Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt — winning two national championships with the Volunteers.
Now, Elzy’s Bluegrass State hoops career has come full circle. Following the sudden retirement of Matthew Mitchell, the 42-year-old Elzy on Thursday was named interim head coach of the UK women’s basketball team.
“I am truly humbled and honored. I am ready to take (the) ownership that has been placed upon me,” Elzy said Friday during a media teleconference. “It was bittersweet in so many ways. I always dreamed of taking over for Coach Mitchell as he rode off into the sunset. I never quite imagined it like this. That’s the funny thing about life, it never goes quite like planned.”
While the circumstances surrounding her promotion were certainly unusual, Elzy’s enhanced relationship with the team over the spring and summer should ease the transition for all involved.
When Mitchell underwent brain surgery in June to address complications from a concussion he sustained during a fall last March, Elzy took over day-to-day operations of the team, stepping into Mitchell’s role as he worked to recover.
The injury and surgery eventually led Mitchell to step away from basketball. On Wednesday, Mitchell informed UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart of his decision.
“Matthew is a 100-percent guy. If nothing else, he doesn’t do anything halfway,” Barnhart said. “He’d been sharing with me a little bit about the challenge of just getting back to 100 percent after his surgery ... And he just couldn’t quite get to where he felt comfortable.
“So, he said he was going to step away and was pretty resolute in that ... He was resolute in saying, ‘I think it’s time.’”
Mitchell told Barnhart he and his family plan to continue living in Lexington and hope to remain involved with the program, though Barnhart said there have been no discussions about a specific role for Mitchell in the future.
Enter Elzy, who spent the last five seasons as associate head coach of the Wildcats. She first joined UK in 2008 as an assistant coach ahead of Mitchell’s second season at the helm. Four years later, she left Kentucky to become an assistant coach under Summitt at Tennessee, acting as the Volunteers’ recruiting coordinator.
In 2016, Elzy returned to UK and helped Mitchell quickly rebuild the program following a tumultuous period in which several players transferred, leaving the Wildcats’ roster decimated.
Elzy played a key role in helping Kentucky sign a top-20 recruiting class in 2017. She was also instrumental in putting together a highly touted class in 2018 that included Rhyne Howard, who’s become a national superstar during her first two seasons in Lexington.
“She’s been alongside Matthew ... for a good chunk of the time and been part of that success we’ve had at the University of Kentucky. She’s been a proven teacher. She’s been a leader. She’s been a great recruiter for our program,” Barnhart said. “She’s got the resume that allows us to have confidence in knowing that she can begin this process.”
‘A really tough day’
Elzy, Mitchell and Barnhart met with the team on Thursday to discuss the changes.
“It was a really tough day, emotionally, for the players and staff,” Elzy said of the meeting. “(The players) were emotional, but happy that he was truly at peace with his decision. They want the best for him.”
Throughout Thursday evening, UK’s players assured Elzy they were prepared to meet this challenge head-on.
“Between phone calls and texts throughout the night they said, ‘We are going to ride, Coach. We are going to put our head down and make this the best season. That is the best way we can pay honor and tribute to Coach (Mitchell),” Elzy said. “So, it will be a transition. But we will be ready to take the floor ... and they are going to give their all for Coach (Mitchell) and this program.”
Elzy doesn’t plan any drastic changes to the Wildcats’ overall game plan. She said she’ll continue to lean on the team’s trademark up-tempo attack and swarming defensive approach. In fact, Elzy was instrumental in helping Mitchell install the scheme that’s helped make the Wildcats one of the best defensive teams in the country over the last few years.
“Coach Mitchell and I are aligned in so many ways in our coaching philosophy. That’s what made our coaching chemistry magical and very successful,” Elzy said. “He’s already laid the blueprint for this program ... and I will follow suit.”
Elzy knows her relationship with UK’s players will probably change to some degree now that she’s steering the ship.
“They have always known me as their assistant coach and we have great relationships. I kind of joked with them yesterday, I told them that I would make some mistakes along the way but I would figure it out and navigate through this time,” Elzy said. “Now, I will be the person that won’t make all the popular decisions, and they won’t always like them ... But I’m confident that they know ... my heart is in the right place to make a decision for the whole of the program.”
While Elzy plans to stick to the blueprint she helped Mitchell develop for the Wildcats, she’ll stray from his footsteps in one respect; Elzy doesn’t intend to reprise Mitchell’s role as dance superstar at Big Blue Madness. She’ll shift that duty to assistant coach Amber Smith.
“I cannot dance, that is not in my realm of expertise,” Elzy said. “I will leave that to Coach Amber Smith. If she would like to take over dancing at Big Blue Madness, I’m all for it. I’ll pass the baton to her.”
Long-term plan
While she’ll officially begin her head-coaching career under the “interim” label, the hope appears to be that Elzy can one day become Kentucky’s long-term leader.
“We wouldn’t be taking these steps if we didn’t think this would be a long-term solution,” Barhart said. “Usually in an interview process you have an opportunity to spend some time going through a couple different conversations just talking philosophy and making sure that you’re aligned ... Because of how fast this occurred I didn’t get the chance to spend time with Kyra on that.”
Barnhart doesn’t have a specific timetable for deciding on a permanent head coach, but he’s optimistic Elzy will make a strong case that she is the answer.
“She sat in my office probably a year ago and she talked about what it would take to be a head coach, and wanted to know what I looked for. I think she knew the answer before she asked the question. She’s really, really smart,” Barnhart said. “So, she prepared. She’s got a game plan, I’d just like to see what the game plan looks like.”
Elzy is confident she’s up for the challenge.
“I am ready to embrace this moment,” she said.
Important upcoming dates
Nov. 20: Big Blue Madness, 9 p.m. (SEC Network)
Nov. 25: Season opener vs. Murray State in Memorial Coliseum
