Welcome in, ladies and gentlemen, to episode 35 of the Memorial Mimo, KSR's, Kentucky Women's Basketball podcast.

Today, I'm in the Joe Craft Center because I'm going to be joined by none other than Taylor Soul,

former Virginia Tech hockey playing under Kenny Brooks for one season there.

And now she's a program assistant at Kentucky, was four-time all-ACC.

Hadso had a really good career at Boston College before she went to Virginia Tech. Of course, spent some time in the WMBA. Just great player, now program assistant at UK. We'll talk to her. You got to know more about her story. Her stories with Kenny, Georgia Amor. And what her role is going to be in Kentucky and, you know, a little bit of what this Kentucky team looks like so stay tuned ladies and

Jonah I'm joined by none other than Taylor's sole former Virginia Tech Hokie was a star there

was a star in five years in the ACC and of course coming now to Kentucky as a program

assistant you know four-time all ACC you were a big part of that Virginia Tech team that

went to that final four spent some time in the WMBA like I said you were brought on part of that Virginia Tech team that went to that Final Four, spent some time in the WMBA. Like I said, you were brought on as a program assistant. So I guess just, you know, kind of explain what that role means. And then, you know, how did you end up getting it? Well, first and foremost, thank you for having me on the podcast. Yeah, of course. Second of all, I'm extremely grateful to be in Lexington, first time kind of in the city and then just with the university. And with the team, you know, kind of being a program assistant, it's like being a coach, but a little bit less. And so there are things I can and can't do. But definitely interact with the players, whether it be, you know, assisting in a drill, reb, as the season progresses, maybe a little bit of clipping up film, things like that. And also because, like you said, I have had the chance to play professional basketball. A little bit of my role also involves, you know, helping them transition, have conversations on, hey, I'm thinking about, you know, wanting to play overseas. What does that kind of look like for me? So different types of things I can do, but I'm extremely grateful to be here. How much thought have you given into coaching in the future? Like obviously your program assistant Taylor-Sull right now, but what about assistant head coach or head coach Taylor-Soul? You know, is there that kind of possibility down the road? Yeah, there's definitely that, you know, desire for me. I think what I love so much about the game of basketball, it's not just the playing side of it, but I love, you know, seeing student athletes learn, apply, you know, try, maybe fail, get back up. I love team camaraderie, all that sort of stuff. And so I think guys have have given me some passion when it comes to basketball, some gifts. But I think, you know, definitely this is a great opportunity for me to see, hey, do I really want to do this? And so far, we're off to a good start. Now, obviously, we only really know coached books from either as media appearances or watching them on the sideline. So I wanted to ask you, because one, you played for him, now you're kind of coaching with them.

You've been Blacksburg and Lexington, just outside of basketball, right? Forget the X's and O's all that crap, you know. What's Kenny like just as a person, as a guy? Yeah, just as a guy, he's a good guy. He's a good guy. He is genuine. He's honest. And he's somebody that I've been able to, as I've kind of grown up a little bit, I've

respected him more and more because I start to understand, you know, some of the philosophies

that he might talk about on the basketball court, translate directly to myself now being a young

adult.

And so it's kind of been enjoyable to be around him for a second time. But he's just a character. He's a good guy. Going back to when you played for him or Virginia Tech, that recruitment process, when he was trying to get you to come, what ultimately led you to choose to play for him? Well, if you can't beat him, you join him. And so I never really got the chance to do that.

But all jokes aside, honestly, I had just seen the upward trend of not only player

development, but the success of his team and program.

And also, like, once you play against some head coaches after a while, you might have some

after game conversations, though we always had mutual respect for one another. And so, you know, I always kind of wanted to continue playing in the ACC, and so the opportunity just wind up perfectly. And so the rest is kind of history, but it worked out well. It's interesting to me, you talk about that upward trend and the player development, because, you know, at that time when he was bringing you in,

he hadn't gone to a Final Four yet. He hadn't won the ACC Championship yet. You know, it's not like he could point at that title in the trophy case and be like, hey, look, come here, you're going to do that. So was it, was it that upward trend kind of, oh, look, he can really develop these, you know, were those the kinds of things that he sold you on when recruiting you?

Yeah, I think also, these, you know, were those the kinds of things that he sold

the one when recruiting you? Yeah, I think also, like from my own self, I knew that going from my

senior year to have an opportunity to play a fifth year, the next question is like, what I want to do

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