Top 5 Kentucky head coach candidates after Wildcats fire Kyra Elzy ft. Carly Thibault-DuDonis

On Monday, Kentucky women's basketball athletic director Mitch Barnhart announced in a press release that head coach Kyra Elzy has been relieved from her duties.

After winning the SEC Tournament in 2021, Elzy's time at Kentucky took a turn as the Wildcats had two consecutive losing seasons. They wrapped this season with a 76-62 loss to Tennessee bringing their numbers to 4-12 (12-20 overall). Kyra Elzy was 61-60 in four seasons and 8-3 in the conference 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 the statement.

Kentucky also announced that they are on a nationwide search for the next coach and here are a few options they could consider:

Top 5 Kentucky head coach candidates

#1. Carly Thibault-DuDonis

In her second season at Fairfield, Carly Thibault-DuDonis's team has been stellar with a 28-1 overall record and she was named the MAAC coach of the year for 2023. From a 15-15 in her first year, DuDonis has led the program to a 13-win increase.

Before joining Fairfield, she spent five seasons at Minnesota as Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator and helped the Golden Gophers reach the NIT twice. In the same role at Mississippi State between 2016-18, DuDonis helped coach Vic Schaefer to lead the Bulldogs to the National Championship Game in both seasons.

#2. Juli Fulks

Juli Fulks and the Transylvania Pioneers did not lose a game in the 2021-22 season, winning 64 straight. Last season, the Pioneers won the NCAA DIII National Championship with a 33-0 record. With a 31-0 this season, Transylvania is on its way once again to the championship.

Fulks has been leading the Pioneers since 2014 with a 242-38 record to date. While her resume does not include any experience with a Division I program, her records alone speak for themselves.

#3. Karl Smesko

With a winning record of 642–132, Karl Smesko's 27-year coaching career has seen him go from Walsh University to Purdue University Fort Wayne and finally to Florida Gulf Coast in 2002. With the Eagles alone, Smesko holds a 581–104 record. He has led FGC to the NCAA Tournament nine times.

Prior to its transition to DI, the Eagles won the NCAA DII Tournament championship in 2007. The 13-time Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year has been linked to several openings for some time now, and this could be the year he makes a move.

#4. Matthew Mitchell

After his retirement as the head coach of Kentucky in 2020, rumors have floated of Matthew Mitchell making a return to the court again. In his 12 seasons with the Wildcats, Mitchell had 281–125 and led the team to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including seven straight ones from 2010-17.

As per reports from USA Today's Lindsay Schnell, there are indications that Mitchell might return to Lexington once again.

#5. Molly Miller

Molly Miller has led Grand Canyon to 24-7 this season and is a No. 2 seed in the WAC Tournament. In her four seasons with the Antelopes, Miller has an 85-34 record and her .846 winning percentage this season ranks fourth among active Division I coaches. She is right behind UConn's Geno Auriemma, Marshall's Kim Stephens and LSU's Kim Mulkey.

In her 10 seasons as the head coach, Miller was named WBCA Division II Coach of the Year twice in 2019 and 2020 and was also named WAC Coach of the Year in 2023.