Kyra Elzy Joins Duke As Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

Duke women’s basketball head coach Kara Larson announced Monday the hiring of Kyra Elzy as an assistant coach beginning in the 2024-25 season.

“This is a big day for Duke Basketball,” Larson said in a press release. “We are thrilled to welcome Kyra Elzy to The Sisterhood! She will immediately raise the level in our program. Kyra brings great integrity, tactical ability and passion to Durham. She is one of the best relationship builders I’ve been around. She’s been an elite player and coach. I look forward to pursuing championships together again!”

Lawson and Elzy were teammates at The University of Tennesse from 1999-2001 under head coach Pat Summitt, winning the SEC Tournament in 2000 and playing in the NCAA Division I women’s basketball tournament championship before falling to the University of Connecticut 71-52. 

“I am elated beyond belief to join the Duke family and the incredible staff that Coach Lawson has assembled,” Elzy said in a press release. “Duke has a standard of excellence and competes at the highest level, and I look forward to being a part of this rich tradition.”

Elzy began her coaching career as an assistant at Western Kentucky from 2002-04. She went on to hold coaching positions at Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee from assistant coach to associate head coach.

Elzy returned to Kentucky as an associate head coach in 2016 before taking on the role of head coach at Kentucky following Matthew Mitchell’s sudden departure in 2020 following to health complications. 

 As a head coach, Elzy held an overall record of 61-60. In 2022, Elzy led the Wildcats to their first SEC Tournament championship win since 1982. 

Elzy was relieved of her duties as head coach March 11 following Kentucky’s 76-62 loss to Tennessee in the 2024 SEC tournament. The loss concluded the WIlcats 11-20 season, their second consecutive losing season.

In the 2023-24 season, the Duke Blue Devils went 22-12 overall and 11-7 in ACC play. The Blue Devils defeated the Univeristy of Richmond and Ohio State Univeristy before falling to UConn in the Sweet 16.