Agugua-Hamilton Adds Two Staff Members
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia women’s basketball head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton announced today (May 2) that Justin Westbrook has been named women’s basketball’s strength and conditioning coach and Kahree Peterson its director of multimedia and creative content.
Westbrook has been an assistant working for Virginia men’s basketball head strength and conditioning coach Mike Curtis since 2018 and worked with the women’s team for the latter part of the 2023 season. In addition to his work at UVA, he also served as a strength and conditioning coach for Athletic Development and Performance Training (ADAPT) in Charlottesville from 2018 to 2022, coaching and facilitating strength and conditioning training sessions for athletes from middle school to professional athlete levels in private, small group, and team settings.
Westbrook served eight years in the U.S. Navy where he was named Junior Sailor and Sailor of the Year as the top performing EOD technician among 80 Sailors for making the most significant contributions to unit leadership and development. He was also awarded the U.S. Army Commendation Medal, an award normally reserved for much more senior officials after serving as the sole advisor for a 42-person US Army Special Forces Company on all types of explosive and chemical hazards during a month-long military exercise.
Westbrook earned his bachelor of science in education with a major in kinesiology from the University of Virginia and will complete his master’s in exercise physiology later this month. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCA) Speed Specialist.
“I’m thrilled to announce Justin as our new S&C coach,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “There is a familiarity there as we hired him in an interim fashion for the last six weeks of the season. He impressed me in so many areas. He is passionate about discipline, accountability, injury prevention and load management. He understands that there are so many different factors that go into making sure players are available, healthy and ready to compete at an elite level both mentally and physically. Our team vision, goals and the means to get there are in alignment! Blessed to have a high-character family man in Justin to mentor our young ladies.”
Peterson has spent the last three years working as a freelance videographer covering ACC and Big Ten teams as well as serving as the social media manager at LC Bird High School in Chesterfield, Va. He has also worked as a content creator at Overtime, producing entertaining sports content for one of the largest independent online sports content providers. Peterson studied business management at Indiana University.
“I’m super excited to announce KP as our director of multimedia and creative content,” Agugua-Hamilton said. “He brings a lot of energy and positivity to our staff. He is a creative thinker who understands the importance of telling our program’s stories through videography and photography. He is a hard-working, high-character man who loves the game of basketball. He will have our program marketed at an elite level when it comes to recruiting, social media, branding and more! I’m enthused about him and his abilities.“