Kim Mulkey

Kim Mulkey is a college basketball coach and former player. She currently coaches the LSU Lady Tigers after a successful tenure at Baylor. As a player, Mulkey won Olympic and Pan-American gold medals. She then became the first person in NCAA women’s basketball history to win a national championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

Kim Mulkey: The Athlete

Born in California in 1962, Mulkey played high school basketball at St. Joseph, earning two All-State selections. She then attended Louisiana Tech, where she was a two-time All-American. Mulkey helped Louisiana Tech win two national titles in 1981 and 1982. She also won the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the top senior player under 5’6″.

Coach Mulkey

Subsequently, after retiring as a player, Mulkey began coaching as an assistant at Louisiana Tech under Leon Barmore. In 1987, Southwest Texas State University hired her as head coach. She led the team to two NCAA Tournaments in six seasons.

Baylor Success

In 1993, Baylor University hired Mulkey as head coach. Over 26 seasons, she led the Lady Bears to three national championships, four Final Four appearances, and 11 NCAA berths, along with 628 wins. Mulkey is known for her fiery spirit and advocacy of women’s athletics. She entered the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2017.

Mulkey Players Coached

In April 2022, Mulkey left Baylor to become the head coach at Louisiana State University. She is the first woman to ever coach a men’s or women’s basketball team at LSU.  Here are some of her notable student-athletes coached at Baylor:

• Brittney Griner (Baylor): Griner was a two-time All-American and the 2012 Naismith Player of the Year. She led Baylor to the 2012 national championship and was also named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Griner is now a professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
• Odyssey Sims (Baylor): Sims was a two-time All-American and the 2014 Naismith Player of the Year. She led Baylor to the 2012 and 2014 national championships and was also named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2014. Sims is now a professional basketball player for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.
• Kalani Brown (Baylor): Brown was a two-time All-American and the 2019 Big 12 Player of the Year. She led Baylor to the 2019 national championship and was also named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Brown is now a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.

LSU Players Coached: Kim Mulkey

• Tiasha Brown (LSU): Brown was a two-time All-SEC selection and the 2022 SEC Player of the Year. She led LSU to the 2022 NCAA Tournament and was also named the SEC Tournament MVP. Brown is now a professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA.
• NaLyssa Smith (LSU): Smith was a two-time All-SEC selection and the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year. She led LSU to the 2022 NCAA Tournament and was also named the SEC Tournament Freshman of the Year. Smith is now a professional basketball player for the Indiana Fever in the WNBA.

These are just a few of the many talented athletes that Kim Mulkey has coached over the years. She is a proven winner and a respected coach, and she is sure to continue to have success in her new role at LSU.

Angel Reese Press Conference

Kim and the LSU Tigers 2023

The 2022-23 season was a historic one for Kim Mulkey and her LSU Lady Tigers basketball team. The team finished the regular season with a 34-2 record, which was the best record in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). LSU also won the SEC regular season championship and the SEC Tournament championship.

The Lady Tigers then went on to the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Final Four. In the Final Four, LSU defeated the University of Connecticut, 79-72. In the championship game, LSU defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes, 102-85, to win the national championship.

NCAA Kim Mulkey

This was the first national championship for LSU women’s basketball. It was also the first national championship for Kim Mulkey as a head coach. Mulkey is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and she is one of the most successful coaches in women’s basketball history.

The Lady Tigers are expected to be one of the top teams in the country in the 2023-24 season. They return a lot of talent, including All-SEC players like Khayla Pointer, Alexis Morris, and Autumn Johnson. Mulkey is a proven winner and a respected coach. She is sure to continue to have success at LSU.