‘It’s a new day.’ Five takeaways from Kentucky women’s basketball’s media day.

We got our first real taste of what’s to come this season for Kentucky women’s basketball at the program’s annual media day on Monday.

This year’s roster features 11 healthy players — plus forward Nyah Leveretter, who remains out indefinitely as she continues to recover from ACL repair surgery in the spring — all of whom seem eager to build upon the momentum found in the 2023 SEC Tournament and put together a winning season.

Here are five takeaways from media day.

A fresh start

UK women’s basketball is through with talking about last season.

The overall record of 12-19 (2-14 SEC), the players no longer on the roster, the missteps and disappointments. And, in fairness, this program saw a lot of change in the offseason. Six new staff hires, one transfer in 2021 Miss Kentucky Basketball honoree Brooklynn Miles, and two freshman additions, post players Jordy Griggs and Janaé Walker.

“It’s a new day,” UK head coach Kyra Elzy said. “I’m excited about this team and staff. I know everyone wants to talk about last year, but we have officially closed the chapter. We took the proper time to reset, refocus and reflect. I learned a lot about myself as a person, as a coach, and so did this team. So as of today, we are 0-0. A new year, a new team, a new staff, a new mindset, new goals.”

It’s one thing to say it, but what does this new beginning look like? Does it feel different? The returning players think so.

“Our team chemistry is way better than it was last year,” senior guard Eniya Russell said. “Like we don’t have to (be asked to) do things, we do things on our own. Coach don’t have to assign us to go to a team bonding (event).”

An emphasis on scoring

After going 8-4 in nonconference play last season, the Wildcats hit an offensive wall against SEC competition. Even on better shooting days, almost always fueled by leading scorers Robyn Benton (16.3 points), Jada Walker (12.9) and Maddie Scherr (11.6), the team couldn’t manage to overcome opponents offensively. Successful moments were often more due to getting defensive stops rather than generating points. This season, Elzy is determined to capitalize on that defense and convert, as well as find a new “big three” to lead the charge offensively.

“We return Maddie Scherr, obviously,” Elzy said. “But we need to score off of our defense. We’ve got to create some scoring off of our defense. And then Ajae Petty gives us the post presence inside. So we need her to be a double-figure scorer for us, which she is more than capable of. She showed glimpses of it last year. Need it to be more consistent. And then you have Mimi (Jenkins), Saniyah (Tyler) and Eniya. We need all of those to score. You need a ‘big three’ consistently, so one of those three every game, we need Maddie and Ajae Petty to score consistently for us.”

Second-year surge

It’s not uncommon for players to make a big jump in their sophomore season. It can be difficult to adjust to a new environment, a new basketball program, a new way of life. Sometimes, the explanation is as simple as that.

“I just feel like I knew what to expect more this year than I did last year,” Jenkins said. “So that’s, that’s really all it is.”

Jenkins, the 2022 Miss Kentucky Basketball honoree, is one of a few second year players Elzy expects to make a big jump. Another is Tyler, who, at both the open practice on Sept. 26 and the open practice following media day on Monday, appeared to be taking first-team reps.

“My attitude going into this year is like, prove a lot of people wrong,” Tyler said. “Obviously, freshman year I didn’t get to play a lot, so I kind of want to make different changes so I can be more of a face of Kentucky women’s basketball.”

That second year surge isn’t necessarily limited to freshmen, either. A player like Petty or Russell, who transferred into the program ahead of last season from LSU and South Carolina, respectively, are now in their second year at UK and both have expressed a better preparedness for this season.

“Man, I feel so much better,” Russell said. “I’m in better shape. I see the floor differently. I feel like I’m starting to play like myself now, like back when I was in high school. So it’s a good transformation. I feel like this year is the breakout year for me and our team in general. So it’s been a different transformation for me, and it’s been feeling pretty good. I felt way better than I did last year coming in.”

Crystal Kelly’s impact

The hiring of the 2004 Miss Kentucky Basketball winner and former Western Kentucky University star as the Wildcats’ newest assistant coach and lead recruiter has the potential to provide a major lift to the program, but perhaps nowhere more pressing than in her work with the post group.



Last season, Elzy was very clear on her expectations for the frontcourt: at least 12 points and 15 rebounds as a collective.



Most of the time, that goal was not met. There are several questions surrounding this season’s post group, what with senior forward Leveretter’s on-court absence, Adeyeye’s exit and the little playing time received by now-sophomore Zennia Thomas. Though both of UK’s incoming freshmen are at least 6-2, Griggs spent much of her high school career playing out on the wing. The program will look to Petty for that starting post position, but development for Thomas, Griggs and Walker is vital to this team’s success.

“Oh, my God, Coach Kelly, she’s awesome,” Griggs said. “She came in and it was like I’ve always known her. Like she’s on me, she helps me, she’s encouraging me. And it’s kind of new for me because when I was at Montverde (Academy), I played a wing position. And now just trying to transition to be a post. It’s a little different, but she’s been working with me, I’ve been growing as a player.”

During her career with the Hilltoppers, Kelly scored 2,803 points — graduating as the 12th-leading scorer in NCAA Division I history — and grabbed 1,258 rebounds before being drafted 31st overall by the Houston Comets in the 2008 WNBA Draft.

Kelly, as well as assistant coach Jen Hoover, have been working together to ensure that the UK post group is ready to go for the upcoming season.

“I feel like I’ve seen so much more growth,” Thomas said. “Working with them this year. Especially with Coach Kelly. I mean, I love Coach Jen, but I’ve been working with Coach Kelly more. And so I’ve just seen such a jump from the summer to now and every time that I work with either one of them, once we transfer it to live in practice, I see some of the stuff that we worked on, I’m doing it live, so I just feel great working with them.”

Player-led culture

In the spring, the Wildcats graduated important program veterans Benton and Blair Green, as well as experienced post Adebola Adeyeye. The team also said goodbye to do-it-all guard Jada Walker, as one of the few remaining members of the 2022 SEC Tournament title team transferred to Baylor. As previously mentioned, the Wildcats are leaning into a new era completely separate from the adversity — and even triumphs — of past rosters.

The leadership council, a group voted on by the roster to handle team matters and set the tone, isn’t new for the Wildcats, but Elzy emphasized its importance to their ideal season in her opening remarks on Monday. This year, the council is made up of Emma King, Scherr and Leveretter, plus Petty and Cassidy Rowe.

“It’s one thing for me to set the tone and culture,” Elzy said. “It’s another thing for our players to have a player-led culture. When they hold themselves accountable in the locker room, and they echo our vision as a staff, now we’re in business.”



That player-led culture is all about recognizing what it takes to win and executing when the time comes.

“It’s a different team, you know?” Rowe said. “We still have the same mindset: We want to win. And I feel like now we know what to expect. We know what to expect from each other. We know what to expect from the coaches, and we’re just gonna come in and get it done.”

Important upcoming dates

Friday: Big Blue Madness, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1: Exhibition game vs. Kentucky State in Rupp Arena, 11 a.m.

Nov. 7: Regular season and home opener vs. East Tennessee State at Transylvania University, 7 p.m.

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