LSU's Kim Mulkey Shoots Down Retirement Speculation After Sweet 16 Loss

The veteran coach plans to reload the roster and continue leading the Tigers program.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:35pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

LSU's season came to an end on Friday night with a heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss to Duke. After the disappointing defeat, head coach Kim Mulkey emphatically shot down any retirement speculation, saying she plans to hire new assistant coaches and add more players through the transfer portal to reload the Tigers roster for next season.

Why it matters

Mulkey is one of the most accomplished coaches in women's basketball history, having won seven national titles as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. Her decision to continue leading the LSU program is a major boost for the Tigers as they look to build on their success from this season and make another deep NCAA Tournament run.

The details

Despite the tough loss to Duke, Mulkey made it clear she has no plans to retire anytime soon. She said she will quickly hire two new assistant coaches to replace the ones who recently took other jobs, and she plans to add two or three more players through the transfer portal. Mulkey also said she'll take some time off to visit her grandchildren before getting back to work on next season's team.

  • LSU's season ended on March 24, 2026 with a Sweet 16 loss to Duke.
  • Mulkey said she will hire two new assistant coaches quickly.

The players

Kim Mulkey

The veteran head coach of the LSU women's basketball team, who has won a total of seven national titles as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

Flau'jae Johnson

The senior guard for LSU whose college career ended with the Sweet 16 loss to Duke.

Mikaylah Williams

A teammate of Flau'jae Johnson who encouraged her to use the tough loss as motivation for her professional career.

Angel Reese

The former LSU star who helped the Tigers win the national championship in 2023 before graduating.

Aneesah Morrow

Another former LSU standout who arrived in 2023 and was a dominant rebounder alongside Angel Reese.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm not retiring. I plan to hire two coaches quickly. I plan to get in the portal and get two or three more players and take a little time off, go see my grandchildren... I think as we get older, as coaches, they want to say how much longer is she going to be in the game? I'm going to be in this game unless LSU fires me, OK, until I can't put a product on that floor that's competitive or my health fails me.”

— Kim Mulkey, Head Coach, LSU Women's Basketball

“Obviously, that's not how she wants to end her senior year and her career here at LSU. But the conversation we had was for her to remember this feeling and carry it over to the next level, go to the next level and be that same person, that same hard worker that she is and hoop.”

— Mikaylah Williams, Teammate, LSU Women's Basketball

What’s next

Mulkey plans to quickly hire two new assistant coaches to replace the ones who recently took other jobs. She also intends to add two or three more players through the transfer portal to help reload the Tigers roster for next season.

The takeaway

Kim Mulkey's commitment to continuing to lead the LSU women's basketball program is a major boost for the Tigers as they look to build on their success from this season. Despite the heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss, Mulkey's experience and championship pedigree give LSU a strong foundation to reload and make another deep NCAA Tournament run in 2027.