It’s never easy replacing someone who has built something so strong. When former Virginia Tech women’s basketball coach Kenny Brooks left in late March to take the same position at the University of Kentucky two days after the Hokies were eliminated in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, athletic director Whit Babcock began his search to find a replacement.
After nearly a week of searching and amidst widespread speculation and rumors, he revealed that he had selected Marquette coach Megan Duffy to replace Brooks. During an interview with Kelly Gramlich on the Gramlich and MacLain podcast, Brooks disclosed one of the key factors that influenced her decision to accept the position in Blacksburg.
Megan Duffy reveals a major factor in accepting the Virginia Tech job
On an episode of the Gramlich & MacLain podcast, Duffy spoke about what into deciding to come to Virginia Tech and leave behind what she had built with Marquette in the Big East after taking the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years.
"Hokie nation is incredible. And to be honest with you, it was a huge reason why I decided to be the new head coach here." – @CoachMeganDuffy
That fan impact is real w/ @HokiesWBB 🦃
Full episode: https://t.co/yN7CFtru2O pic.twitter.com/w6abylwY9c
— Kelly Gramlich (@kellygramlich) June 10, 2024
Virginia Tech supporters have warmly embraced Duffy, and she’s kicking off her tenure with promising retention for the 2024-25 season. Carleigh Wenzel, Matilda Ekh, Carys Baker, Rose Micheaux, and Samyha Suffren are all set to return, and Duffy has secured a four-star recruit, Katie Sears, from the Class of 2025.
Duffy is laying the foundation for something remarkable in Blacksburg, and there’s no doubt she’ll keep the Hokies competitive in the upcoming ACC season while also positioning them as future contenders. One constant for Duffy is the unwavering support of Hokie Nation, through both the highs and lows.
