In a season that saw Kentucky women’s basketball return to national relevance, crack the Top 10, and flirt with a Sweet 16 berth, the biggest storyline wasn’t on the scoreboard. It was the silence—specifically, the silence surrounding Cassidy Rowe’s unceremonious exit from the program.
Rowe, a junior guard from Eastern Kentucky and a lifelong Wildcat, was told by head coach Kenny Brooks that she would no longer have a place on the team moving forward. No Senior Day moment. No farewell video. No final bow in Rupp Arena. A fan favorite with deep ties to the Big Blue Nation was suddenly and quietly shown the door.
The backlash from Kentucky fans was immediate and emotional. Rowe wasn’t just a bench player—she was a symbol. A blue-collar gym rat who stayed late after games to sign autographs and take photos with young fans. A student-athlete in every sense of the word. And until recently, a player Brooks himself said "cried blue tears" and represented everything good about the program.
So when word got out that Duke—yes, Duke—had quietly reached out to Rowe with an opportunity, the story took an unexpected and poetic turn.
According to Rowe’s father, Lonnie Rowe, it was none other than her former head coach, Kyra Elzy, now an assistant at Duke under former Volunteer great Kara Lawson, who helped initiate the contact. The message was simple: You mattered. And you still do.
“It puts a smile on my face knowing that such a high-profile program reached out to Cass once they learned of her situation,” Lonnie wrote on social media. “Much respect for @karalawson20 and @CoachLZ.”
This wasn’t about minutes or media attention. It was about respect. The kind Rowe deserved and didn’t receive in Lexington according to BBN.
Cassidy, for her part, continues to show grace well beyond her years. Despite still having eligibility remaining, she’s chosen not to enter the transfer portal. Instead, she’s set her sights on a new dream: becoming a physical therapist through UK’s prestigious DPT program.
“While I still have a year of eligibility left, I will not be entering the transfer portal,” Rowe said. “I will be pursuing my new dream of becoming a physical therapist through UK's DPT program.”
As for Kenny Brooks? He has yet to publicly address Rowe’s dismissal or the swirling controversy that followed. And with every passing day of silence, the frustration among a loyal fan base grows.
To many, Duke’s gesture is a reminder of the culture Rowe helped foster in Lexington—and what Kentucky may have lost in letting her go. For a player who never asked for the spotlight, Cassidy Rowe continues to be a headline for all the right reasons.