SACRAMENTO, CA — LSU head coach Kim Mulkey isn’t going anywhere.
After Duke’s Ashlon Jackson knocked down a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to hand LSU a 87-85 loss in the Sweet 16, Mulkey officially shut down retirement rumors that have swirled during the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament.
“I’m not retiring, do I look that bad? I don’t know where that came from. I am only 63 and I’m healthy with a few stents in my heart. My doctor says I’m good to go,” Mulkey said during her postgame press conference, before calling the speculation a “flat-out lie” that was manufactured to disrupt her recruiting.
She continued, “I think as we get older as coaches, they want to say, well, how much longer is she going to be in the game? I’m going to be in this game unless LSU fires me until I can’t put a product on that floor that’s competitive or my health fails me.”
Mulkey plans to take “a little time off” to spend time with her family, before jumping right into her sixth season at LSU. Mulkey said she plans to “hire two coaches quickly” and hit the transfer portal to reload a talented roster returns junior Mikaylah Williams, junior MiLaysia Fulwiley and sophomore Jada Richard, in addition to five freshmen.
“You’re looking at a team that is very talented, a team that the freshmen got lots of minutes this year,” said Mulkey, who has a 151-26 record in five season at LSU. “You add a few to the mix and hope that we’re back in this position again. That’s what I hope.”
Mulkey led the Tigers to a national championship in 2023, her second season at LSU, and advanced to the Elite Eight three consecutive times before Duke ended that streak on Friday.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. I’ve lost a national championship with seven tenths of a second to go,” Mulkey said, referring to North Carolina defeating Louisiana Tech 60-59 in the 1994 title game, when Mulkey served an assistant coach at her alma mater
“I’ve been in those situations before and I feel the same. It’s heartbreaking for your team. It’s heartbreaking for your players and fans, but I’ve been around a long time. I’ve seen endings like that. You go in locker room and you hug their necks and you tell them what a wonderful year we had and you put yourself in a position to win the game. You remind them that nothing I say is going to make them feel better in the moment and that the sun will come up tomorrow.”
When the sun comes up, Mulkey will still be the head coach of LSU.
“Got it? I’m not retiring,” she said again as she exited the press conference. “Make sure you put that out there — not retiring.”
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.
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