The BYU men’s basketball team has advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament following a thrilling 91-89 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers on March 22, 2025, under Kevin Young’s coaching.
Highlights
- Kevin Young’s leadership as coach led the BYU Cougars to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
- Kevin Young is the descendant of Lorenzo Dow Young, the younger brother of Brigham Young.
- Brigham Young’s great-great-great-grandson, Steve Young, and Kevin met and compared their family roots in April 2024.
Kevin Young, who took over as BYU’s men’s basketball head coach in April 2024, has made significant strides in his inaugural season.
In early February, BYU had a 6-6 record in the Big 12; ever since the record has progressed to 11-1.
Moreover, on March 22, 2025, in the NCAA Tournament’s second round, BYU’s men’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 91-89 victory over the Wisconsin Badgers.
Kevin Young leads BYU to the Sweet 16 in year one pic.twitter.com/cexiPXb9Ik
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) March 23, 2025
Moreover, the BYU Cougars await the match winner between Alabama and Saint Mary’s in the Sweet 16 on March 26, 2025.
Head coach Kevin Young is highly praised for his incredible leadership to the team with a place in Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament within one year. On the X (formerly Twitter), one of the fans writes,
Kevin Young walked to the Sweet 16 with players Pope developed within 1 years, wow we got a demon
Before joining the BYU men’s basketball team, Kevin was the associate head coach for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. His transition to collegiate coaching has been regarded as seamless, and he brings professional-level strategies.
Kevin Young And His Historic Family: The Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandson of Lorenzo Young
Kevin Young was born on November 17, 1981, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is one of the seven childrens of his parents, Phil and Jody Young.
The Young family are the descendants of Lorenzo Dow Young, one of the pioneer leaders who worked for the settlement of Salt Lake City.
Moreover, Lorenzo was popularly known as Brigham Young‘s brother.
Brigham Young was an American religious leader and politician. He served as the first governor of the Utah Territory from 1851 until his resignation in 1858.
Furthermore, Brigham also worked to establish the learning institutions that would later become the University of Utah and Brigham Young University.
The same BYU where Brigham Young’s brother Lorenzo’s great-great-great-great-grandson Kevin Young is head coach of the basketball team.
The beautiful weirdness of March Madness is the journey of seeing the BYU coach is named Kevin Young -> thinking, “Gee, I wonder if he is related to *the* Brigham Young” -> finding out that Kevin Young is in fact related to *the* Brigham Young pic.twitter.com/fl4HQTzgyA
— Ella Brockway (@ellabrockway) March 23, 2025
The family tree of Kevin Young to Lorenzo is vague, as Lorenzo Dow Young was married five times.
With his first wife, Persis Goodwall, Lorenzo had ten children. With his second wife, Harriet Wheeler, he had two sons, but they died in childhood.
Furthermore, with a third, Hannah Ida Hewitt, Lorenzo had five children; their fourth wife, Eleanor Jones, was the mother of four, and their last wife, Anna Larsen, mothered his three sons.
Moreover, Kevin became more aware of his family lineage after being appointed head coach of the BYU men’s basketball team.
Kevin Young already changing college basketball in his first year pic.twitter.com/UbSwIFsLNC
— Doc Holliday (@cougjazzfan) March 23, 2025
Steve Young, the great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young, welcomed Kevin to BYU and compared family notes.
Moreover, Steve is a former collegiate star at Brigham Young University. He played for the BYU Cougars from 1980 to 1983, and later, he played in the NFL for 15 seasons.
In April 2024, when Steve was asked about Kevin’s joining BYU, he stated
I’m not sure that we are related, but we are now!
Steve Young
Later, when they compared family notes, they found being related to the lineage of Brighman and his younger brother Lorenzo Young.
Additional Information
- Kevin Young is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where Brigham Young became second president from 1847 to 1877.
- Kevin Young is married to Melissa Bailey of Omaha, Nebraska. They have two sons and one daughter.
- Brigham Young passed away on August 29, 1877, at the age of 76, following a health complication caused by a ruptured appendix.
