Kentucky WBB Features a Plethora of In-State Talent

Almost half of the Kentucky women’s basketball team for the 2023-24 season is made up of in-state talent. When asked if this was by design or accident, head coach Kyra Elzy confirmed that this was 100% intentional, saying “We talk about keeping the most in-state talent home.”

Between the players and coaching staff, there are seven total Kentuckians on the roster, including four former Miss Kentucky Basketball winners. Let’s break them all down.

Kyra Elzy

We’ll start with the headwoman of the team, Coach Kyra Elzy. Elzy is originally from Oldham County, which is roughly 75 miles from Lexington. Not only is Elzy from Oldham County, but she’s also a megastar there. Elzy attended Oldham County High School, where she was a two-time All-American basketball player.

Elzy recorded over 3,000 points and 1,700 rebounds in her time in high school. Her 3,020 career points rank 28th in Kentucky girl’s high school basketball history, and her 1,703 total rebounds are 10th all-time.

She was also elected to the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. Others in her Hall of Fame class were Shaun Alexander, Darel Carrier, Scott Davenport, Philip Haywood, Joel Utley, and the Lakeside Swim Club.

Crystal Kelly

Assistant coach Crystal Kelly is also a Kentucky native. Kelly was born and raised in Louisville, KY, and attended Sacred Heart Academy, where she would win three consecutive Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) State Championships from 2002-04.

Kelly won multiple personal awards in her high school days. She won Miss Kentucky Basketball in 2004, was named 2004 AP Player of the Year, and also the 2003 and 2004 Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year.

Kelly was actually recruited by Elzy to play at WKU in 2004. With the Hilltoppers, Kelly would tally a school-record 2,803 points and 1,258 rebounds. Kelly’s No. 42 jersey was retired by the program in 2008.

Maddie Scherr

Senior guard Maddie Scherr is an up-and-comer from Florence, KY, just over 70 miles north of Lexington. Scherr has (arguably) the most impressive resume of any alumni from Ryle High School.

Scherr won Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year in 2019 and 2020, and she also won Miss Kentucky Basketball in 2020. The signs of Scherr’s talent started showing in her sophomore year of high school when she led Ryle to a 29-7 record.

In 2019, Scherr carried the Lady Raiders to their first-ever KHSAA Sweet 16 Championship. In 2020, the Sweet 16 was canceled, but Ryle did win the 33rd District and 9th Region Championships before the COVID-19 cancelations took over.

Amiya Jenkins

Lady ‘Cat and sophomore guard Amiya Jenkins didn’t have to travel far to get to UK. Jenkins grew up in Lexington, but she went to Anderson County High School. Like Scherr, Jenkins saw a lot of personal success in high school, and ultimately, a lot of team success.

Jenkins was named 2021 MaxPreps Kentucky Player of the Year and would lead Anderson County to a 28-3 and 30-5 record in her junior and senior seasons, respectively. She was crowned Miss Kentucky Basketball in 2022, too. The Lady Bearcats would win three consecutive 8th Region championships with Jenkins.

She was ranked as a four-star recruit out of high school and a Top 100 player according to ESPN. Jenkins picked Kentucky over the likes of Tennessee, Virginia Tech, and Belmont among others.

Brooklynn Miles

Brooklynn Miles is heading into her junior season as a guard for the Kentucky Wildcats after spending the previous two seasons at Tennessee. Before making the jump to college, however, Miles was in her hometown of Frankfort, KY, where she attended Franklin County High School.

Miles racked up a ton of prolific stats in her time at FCHS. She was a 2,000-point scorer, dished out over 600 assists, and accumulated over 400 rebounds and steals for the Lady Flyers. She was also named 2021 Miss Kentucky Basketball.

Her excellent high school career and all-around ability earned her a spot as a top 20 point guard in the 2021 recruiting class.

Cassidy Rowe

Cassidy Rowe is a sophomore guard who hails from Virgie, KY. Virgie is a small eastern Kentucky town located in Pike County, but her small-town upbringing didn’t limit her from seeing stardom in high school.

As a senior at Shelby Valley High School, Rowe averaged 16.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She also shot 40% from the three-point line. Rowe’s cumulative stats may look slightly underwhelming on paper, but she overcame great odds to get where she is today.

Rowe suffered several major injuries from a severe arm sprain to tearing both of her ACLs throughout her high school career. However, none of that has stopped her from getting to UK, where she’s expected to see a bigger role in year two.

Emma King

Like a lot of people in the BBN, Emma King grew up a big fan of the Kentucky Wildcats. When she was younger, she had dreams of wearing Kentucky across her chest and playing in Lexington. Well, it’s safe to say that the girl from Stanford, KY has accomplished her dreams.

King was an in-state prospect who picked Kentucky over several schools, including two big rivals, the Florida Gators and Louisville Cardinals. However, for King, it was a no-brainer to come to Kentucky.

The former three-star guard recorded 2,500 points and 750 rebounds for Lincoln County High School. In her final season of high school play, King averaged 18.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. In addition, she shot an impressive 83.9% from the charity stripe. King would also be named to the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Classic roster.

“What does it mean to you to be a Kentucky Wildcat?”

Maddie Scherr: “We play for that name on the front of our jersey. It’s a blessing to be able to play for this school and university, especially for us three [Miss Kentucky Basketball winners] and the other Kentucky girls too. Having our family come to games, stuff like that, it means a little more.”

Amiya Jenkins: “I feel like being from Kentucky, wearing the Kentucky jerseys hits a little harder for some of us. Overall, wearing ‘KENTUCKY’ is still a great honor.”

Brooklynn Miles: “It means everything to me. Every time I walk in here, I think about it, ‘It’s real. You’re back home. You’re here to represent your state.’ So, it feels great.”

Cassidy Rowe: “As a Kentucky native, it’s every little girl’s dream to play for the University of Kentucky. Getting to do so is a dream come true. I don’t know how else to describe it. Coming out here every day, I still can’t get over the fact that I’m here.”

Emma King: “It’s so special. Being able to represent everybody in this state is something that I’ve dreamt of since I was little. Just being able to do it and for as long as I have, I’m so grateful that I’ve been given this opportunity, and I’m excited to do it one more time.”

The 2023-24 Kentucky women’s basketball team is made up of a bunch of talented players and staff. Five players and two staff members are Kentuckians at heart, and it’ll be interesting to see how they can contribute to the Lady ‘Cats this season. Maybe, Kentucky can once again compete for an SEC Championship. This time, with a collection of women who were born and raised in the Bluegrass.