Kim Mulkey

Kim Mulkey is recognized in college basketball as the only individual to win a national championship as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. A Pan American Games gold medalist and Olympic gold medalist, Mulkey led the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters to a 130-6 record, two national titles, and four Final Four appearances as a player. Known for her playmaking and passing, she contributed to the United States' gold medal-winning teams at both the Olympics and Pan American Games. In her senior season, Mulkey received the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, honoring the nation's top college senior under 5-foot-6.

Following her playing career, Mulkey joined Louisiana Tech as an assistant coach under Leon Barmore and was later promoted to associate head coach. During her tenure, Louisiana Tech posted a 430-68 record, advanced to seven Final Fours, and secured an NCAA championship. Mulkey then became head coach at Baylor, where she transformed the program, guiding the Bears to their first NCAA tournament appearance in her inaugural season. Under her leadership, Baylor made 19 NCAA tournament appearances, advanced to four Final Fours, and won national championships in 2005, 2012, and 2019. The 2012 title followed a 40-0 perfect season. Baylor dominated Big 12 conference play, winning the regular season title each year from 2011 to 2020. The program produced a 100 percent graduation rate among players who completed their careers at Baylor, as well as nine first-round WNBA draft picks and 19 overall.

Mulkey was named head coach of the LSU women's basketball team and quickly led the program to significant success, earning the AP National Coach of the Year Award after orchestrating the largest turnaround in SEC history by a first-year head coach. She joined Geno Auriemma and Muffet McGraw as the only coaches to earn the AP Coach of the Year Award three times. Mulkey guided LSU to its first national championship, with the Tigers compiling a 34-2 record and setting a championship game scoring record in a victory over Iowa. The game attracted 9.9 million viewers across ABC and ESPN, marking it as the most-watched women's college basketball game on record.

Mulkey is the fastest coach in Division I basketball, men’s or women’s, to reach 600 and 700 wins. She is the only coach in women’s basketball to win national titles at two different programs, achieving championships at Baylor and LSU. Mulkey has been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. She is the author of the autobiography "Won't Back Down," which details her career in women's basketball and her approach to leadership and competition.