A massive addition to LSU’s catalog of head coaches was announced after the circulation of rumors throughout the last few weeks. Former Baylor and three-time national championship winning head coach Kim Mulkey was named LSU’s next women’s basketball after the resignation of former Head Coach Nikki Fargas was finalized earlier this week.
Mulkey is a Louisiana native of Tickfaw, Louisiana, and was a force both as a player and coach at Louisiana Tech, where she participated in 11 Final Fours and three national championships in her time in Ruston.
She led Baylor to four Final Fours in her tenure, missing the tournament only once in her 20 years there. Mulkey was the fastest coach in both men’s and women’s Division 1 basketball to reach 600 wins, as she accomplished the feat in just 700 games. She will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in May.
This is an enormous move by Athletic Director Scott Woodward as a sign of re-investment into LSU’s women’s basketball program, which made five straight final fours from 2004 to 2008, but have not made it to the Elite Eight since. With the program faltering after missing the tournament every year since 2018, Woodward made it clear with this move that LSU will no longer neglect their women’s basketball team and will look to compete for a national championship.
“Kim Mulkey is a champion and a Hall of Famer, and we are thrilled to welcome her home,” said Woodward. “Her accomplishments are unprecedented, her passion is unrivaled, and her commitment to winning in all aspects of life – in the classroom, on the court, and in the community – is unparalleled. We look forward to working with her as she instills that championship culture at LSU.”
LSU fans are naturally aware of Mulkey’s direct connection to the university via her son, Kramer Robertson. Robertson was the starting shortstop on LSU’s College World Series Runner-Up team in 2017 and was a Tiger fan favorite with boisterous play and eccentric hair. Robertson is now in the St. Louis Cardinals organization as he pursues a career as a major league baseball player.
Mulkey will be introduced publicly Monday at 5:00 p.m. in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Fans are invited to attend.