Kenny Brooks Has Hired Kevin Konopasek as the Director of Strength & Conditioning and Athletic Performance for Women’s Basketball
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kevin Konopasek (pronounced like Coo-No-Pah-Zick), former Indiana Director of Athletic Performance, has been hired as the University of Kentucky’s Director of Strength & Conditioning and Athletic Performance for Women’s Basketball, it was announced by head coach Kenny Brooks on Wednesday.
“I am extremely excited to join Coach Brooks and be a part of the rich history of Kentucky basketball,” Konopasek said. “I look forward to helping build a championship culture within the program for years to come.”
Konopasek arrives in Lexington after spending 11 seasons at Indiana University, including the last eight seasons with women’s basketball and men’s and women’s swimming.
In that position, Konopasek has helped the women’s basketball program reach six postseason appearances, including five NCAA Tournament bids and the 2018 WNIT Championship. He aided in the efforts of 31 All-Big Ten honorees and 19 All-America selections, including All-America First Team honoree Mackenzie Holmes and WNBA lottery draft pick Grace Berger. The Hoosiers have won 20 games or more in all eight seasons of his tenure.
Moreover, he has worked with the Indiana men’s and women’s swimming program, guiding greats like Olympian and four-time NCAA Champion Lilly King and seven other Olympians at the 2020 Tokyo Games, including Blake Pieroni, Zach Apple, Annie Lazor and Michael Brinegar who all competed for Team USA. He has also trained athletes from six other nations during their time at Indiana who competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Marwan El Kamash (Egypt), Vini Lanza (Brazil), Tomer Frankel (Israel) and Bailey Andison (Canada).
Konopasek’s time with swimming has also seen the men’s and women’s programs combine for seven Big Ten titles as well as 101 All-Big Ten First Team honors.
In the summer of 2014, Konopasek completed an internship at EXOS, formerly Athlete’s Performance, in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Throughout his internship experience, Konopasek was able to train athletes from the NFL, NBA and U.S. Military Special Forces. He also assisted the Argentinian National Rugby Team train for the World Cup and SOCOM tactical athletes prepare for the Warrior Games.
Konopasek received his master’s in kinesiology with a focus in applied sport science from Indiana University in May 2015. Prior to Indiana, Konopasek received his undergraduate degree in movement and sport science from Purdue University in May 2013. A native of Griffith, Indiana, Konopasek and his wife Kali have one son, Paxton, and one daughter, Parker.
For more information on the Kentucky women’s basketball team, visit UKathletics.com or follow @KentuckyWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
