Kyra Elzy relieved of her duties as Kentucky WBB head coach

A coaching search for Kentucky women’s basketball is underway.

After spending eight seasons as an assistant coach at Kentucky in two different stints, Kyra Elzy was named the interim head coach of the Wildcats in November 2020 following Matthew Mitchell’s retirement. Just a month later in December, Mitch Barnhart removed the interim tag, making sure Kyra Elzy was here to stay.

However, after four seasons at the helm, Kyra Elzy has been relieved of her duties as head coach. Following Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee in the second round of the SEC Tournament, athletic director Mitch Barnhart made the call on Monday morning. Kentucky went just 12-20 this season, finishing 12th in the SEC. Under Elzy, the ‘Cats went 61-60 overall, 23-40 mark against SEC competition, and won the 2022 SEC Tournament.

“I appreciate Kyra for her efforts at Kentucky, on and off the court, and wish her and her family the best in the future,” Barnhart said in UK’s press release, which noted a national search for a new head coach is underway.

In Elzy’s first season as head coach, Kentucky went 18-9, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The ‘Cats got off to a strong 6-0 start highlighted by a 72-68 win over No. 13 Indiana, and that’s when Barnhart removed the interim tag on Elzy.

Then, in year two, Kentucky did the impossible. After finishing the regular season 7th in the SEC, Kyra Elzy and the ‘Cats made a run all the way to the SEC Championship game. In that game, they took on 29-1 South Carolina. Of course, it was the underdog story that prevailed.

KENTUCKY HITS THE LATE THREE TO BEAT SOUTH CAROLINA AND WIN THE WOMEN'S SEC CHAMPIONSHIP 😱@KentuckyWBB pic.twitter.com/pOI2k7bsGe

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) March 6, 2022

Unfortunately, Kentucky’s magical run would come to a crushing halt after losing to the 11-seed Princeton Tigers 69-62 in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. This is where things began to take a nose-dive.

Kyra Elzy went into the 2022-23 season without Rhyne Howard, who was selected with the first overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. Howard was more than a special player — she was one of the best players that the UK women’s program has ever seen. In her illustrious collegiate career, Howard was a 3x AP All-American and 2x SEC Player of the Year while averaging 20.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.

Elzy’s third season as head coach marked a lot of firsts. It was Elzy’s first time with a losing record, and it was her first time not making the NCAA Tournament. The ‘Cats finished with a 12-19 overall record, and at this point, the absence of one of the greatest to ever don the Kentucky jersey was prevalent. Still though, Kentucky exceeded expectations in the SEC Tournament by defeating Florida and Alabama before falling to Tennessee in the third round.

Then, we have this past season. Kentucky went just 12-20, and the ‘Cats weren’t able to make a huge run in the SEC Tournament this year. Kyra Elzy would lose 13 of her last 17 games as head coach, and her last one would come in the second round of the SEC Tournament to a Tennessee team that finished just fifth in the SEC in the regular season. Not a horrible finish for the Lady Vols by any means, but they didn’t resemble the Tennessee of old this year.

The “Elzy Era” will be remembered for its incredible highs and damning lows. At one point, it seemed like Kentucky wouldn’t miss a beat after Matthew Mitchell stepped down. She won the program’s second-ever SEC Tournament Championship and the first in 40 years. However, in the two seasons following, Elzy would finish with just 24 total wins, hence why it was time for a change in Lexington.