Kim Mulkey Leaves Baylor for LSU

Louisiana State recorded a major women’s basketball hit on Sunday when it hired Baylor’s three national championship winners in 21 years, Kim Mulkey, as their new coach.

Mulkey’s move is perhaps the most significant coaching change in women’s college basketball in recent years, sending one of the best coaches in the country to one of the deepest leagues, the Southeastern Conference. Long a standard player in women’s basketball, the fiercely competitive SEC sent seven teams and South Carolina to the Final Four to the NCAA tournament this spring.

One day after he decided to leave, he made an appearance on the LSU campus on Monday. BaylorMulkey noted the storied history of the college’s women’s basketball program, but the lack of national titles, and warned that building a competitor could take time. LSU played five consecutive Final Fours from 2004 to 2008, but hasn’t returned since.

“It won’t happen overnight,” Mulkey said. “Let me remind you, rabid LSU fans who can be crazy and want the coaches fired tomorrow: Give it time, give it time. But I assure you that’s what I came here for.”

Mulkey, 58, is returning to his roots. He grew up in Louisiana, where he was a four-time state champion at Hammond High and won two national championships as a player at Louisiana Tech. He started his college coaching career at grad school, then went 632-104 at Baylor.

“Kim Mulkey is a champion and a Hall of Fame member, and we are excited to welcome him into his home,” said Scott Woodward, LSU’s athletic director. Recognizing Mulkey’s ties to the government and the cultural significance of his recruitment, Governor John Bel Edwards attended a pyrotechnic press conference and pep rally Monday evening. Ponchatoula is a city in its own neighborhood.

Mulkey’s gaming achievements, including an Olympic gold medal in 1984, were followed by an equally valuable coaching record. After serving as an assistant at Louisiana Tech, he became head coach at Baylor in 2000. The team was closing its 7-20 season and had never participated in the NCAA tournament.

He led the Bears to national championships in 2005, 2012 and 2019. Mulkey’s teams made another Final Four and 11 additional rounds to the round of 16. Baylor has participated in every year but one NCAA tournament during his tenure.

The 2011-12 championship team led by Brittney Griner was the best. 40-0 finish.

“He reminded me a lot of my father – strict and fair,” Griner said. Said during Mulkey’s coaching style. “No favourites. No sugar coating. It tells you how it is and doesn’t hide anything.”

The only woman to win an NCAA basketball championship as a player, assistant, and head coach, Mulkey was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.

“We have been grateful for over twenty years Kim Mulkey “Baylor has dedicated women’s basketball to one of the nation’s premier programs,” said Mack B. Rhoades IV, Baylor’s athletic director.

Mulkey in 2019 took the champion team The first women’s team to be honored by President Donald J. Trump in his own right to the White House.

“Would you like to work in the White House by any chance?” Trump asked him. “No,” Mulkey replied. “We’ll get you,” he said. “We need help.”

When asked about his conversation with Baylor’s players on Monday about his breakup, he said, “All I could say to them was that I went home, I went home and I loved them and I hope they understand and don’t get mad at me.”

Mulkey’s success earned him a $2.27 million-a-year contract at Baylor and LSU. reported to have exceeded this figure. to lure him. LSU men’s coach Will Wade makes $2.5 million.

“That’s the one thing I don’t see change at all – because they’re always going to use the ‘Women’s basketball doesn’t generate revenue’ analogy,” Mulkey said this year. “You have female basketball coaches – and you can name them – they did more for the game of basketball than their male counterparts, although they were well compensated compared to other female coaches. But I bet those male colleagues make more money. I’m sure I’ll never see a change in my life. this is the thing.”

Mulkey reappears on a team that needs a comeback. In eight seasons under Nikki Fargas, LSU made two appearances in the round of 16. It was 9-13 in 2020-21. Fargas resigned on Saturday.

By then, Mulkey had acknowledged that LSU had made him an offer.

field blind and Gillian R. Brazil contributing reporting.