Following the hire of new head coach Kenny Brooks, Kentucky women’s basketball has undoubtedly drawn attention from fans nationwide. 

As the expectations and anticipations for this new Kentucky team continue to grow, most fans are left with only a few familiar faces on the Cats’ roster due to most of last year’s roster entering the transfer portal. 

Regardless, one face and name will soon become well known to Big Blue Nation and basketball fans nationwide if they aren’t already: graduate transfer Georgia Amoore.

Following her announcement that she would not be returning to Virginia Tech on social media, many fans were confused as the Australian did not clarify her plans for the 2024 season. 

Having been expected to be a first-round pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, many fans and experts expected her to forgo her additional year of eligibility, granted to her due to COVID-19, and enter her name into the draft. 

However, only a week after her post, the All-American announced her commitment to the Kentucky Wildcats for her fifth and final year of college basketball.

Her commitment was a huge deal to the program, not just because of her talent, but because it gave many fans an understanding of coach Brooks’ impact on his players.

In reality, Amoore did not have anything else to prove at the collegiate level, but, despite her draft stock being as high as ever, she still chose to take one last ride with her former coach. 

During her four years with the Hokies, the Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, native became one of the most remarkable women’s basketball players in Virginia Tech history.

Among her most notable career highlights during her time with the Hokies, she became Tech’s all-time career leader in assists (656) and had the best assists/turnover ratio (1.8), was second in 3-pointers made (330) and third in scoring (1,853 points).

She earned seventeen honors during her career and became a two-time member of the All-ACC First Team and the All-ACC Tournament Team.

During the previous season, Amoore picked up All-American status from the Associated Press, the John R. Wooden Award and the U.S. Writers Basketball Association.

She was also named one of the five finalists for the Nancy Lieberman Award, given to a player who embodies the floor leadership, play-making and ball-handling skills that Lieberman demonstrated during her career.

Amoore started 124 out of 126 games during her four years with the Hokies. She led the team in assists and steals this past season, averaging 18.8 points, 6.8 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 steals on 41.2 percent shooting. She also set career highs in points, assists and field goal percentage. Over her career, she has averaged 14.7 points, 5.2 assists and 2.6 rebounds.

With all that in mind, one thing is evident when looking at her high honors and record-breaking stats during her time with Tech: She continued to improve every year and her single season with the Wildcats should not be an exception.

Despite that, her number of awards and good figures aren’t all that will make Amoore a key player for Kentucky; it’s also her drive for challenge and determination for success, not just for herself but for everyone around her. 

During media day, Amoore highlighted her confidence in both herself and the team and the goals the program is setting for itself.

“It’s going to be a new conference, new teams you are playing against, but I’m excited to experience that now,” she said. “It’s a great challenge. I love a good Challenge.” 

She was crucial in leading the Hokies to their first ACC Tournament title in 2023 and their first ACC regular-season title in 2024. She also helped the team with its four straight NCAA Tournament appearances (2021-24), highlighted by its historic Final Four run in 2023.

Hailing from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Amoore has only played against SEC opponents a few times.

“Tennessee and LSU, I played them twice,” she said. “But every time we played them, it was a great level of physicality and intensity and athleticism.”

Amoore is also expected to play a vital role in helping integrate coach Brooks’ offensive style. Her experience with the system will have her fundamentally coaching the team from the floor.

“We’re going to try to develop this program and take it to new levels that it’s never seen before, but it’s also the hardest conference in America,” she said. 

With such a young team and few players who have ever stepped foot on a court together, building team chemistry is one of the most essential keys to success.

“Have confidence in yourself, where you play, and the pace you play, and we’ll adjust to it,” Amoore concluded. 

With the roster lacking returning veterans, the Aussie is expected to take the role herself as she knows the game, the coach and the mindset better than anyone else.

While the program hopes to turn around and become a contender for the SEC Championship once again, having a player on the court who understands the stakes and the emotions of both winning and losing at such a high level makes her role even more essential to the Wildcats’ success. 

Amoore and the rest of the team will make their first appearance inside Rupp Arena for Big Blue Madness on Friday, Oct. 11.