Sources have confirmed that Louisiana native and Baylor University coaching legend Kim Mulkey, who led the Lady Bears to the 2021 NCAA National Championship game in what was a controversial loss to UCONN has agreed to become LSU’s next women’s basketball coach.
The announcement of her hiring is set for a 5 p.m. press conference Monday afternoon. Mulkey is replacing Nicki Fargas, who officially resigned Saturday after an impressive decade with the Tigers.
Mulkey is no stranger to success…especially success in Louisiana.
The Tickfaw native won four championships while playing for Hammond High, then went on to win two national championships when playing point guard for Louisiana Tech. She also won a gold medal on the U.S.A team in the 1984 Olympics.
From playing to coaching, Mulkey is a winner.
In her first coaching job as an assistant for her alma mater, LA Tech, she led them to the 1988 NCAA title.
In her time at Baylor she racked up an impressive resume leading the team to three NCAA national championships and averaging 30 wins per season in her 21 years as a Lady Bear.
The impact she had on the women she coached will forever be ingrained in LSU history as she is the second-winningest coach, just trailing Hall of Fame coach Sue Gunter. Fargas’ impact went beyond the court and into the classroom, with every Tiger under her earning their college degree.
Landing Mulkey is a blockbuster move for the Tigers. With her guidance, LSU is primed for a revamp of the program.
Kim Mulkey is Home.
The national champion and Hall of Famer has been named the head coach of the Fighting Tigers!
🔗 https://t.co/8h6zUej0t7 pic.twitter.com/Obq5ftovGf
— LSU Women's Basketball (@LSUwbkb) April 25, 2021
The potential terms of a deal are currently unclear. Mulkey reportedly earns a whopping $2.27 million per year at Baylor, while Fargas made $700,000 per year in her final contract.
This deal is the most significant hire in A.D. Scott Woodward’s two-year tenure at LSU.