Rejected by own alma mater, LSU HC Kim Mulkey explains strong attempts to aid Louisiana: "I wanna help everybody"

Kim Mulkey and the No. 5 LSU Tigers are off to an 11-0 start this season following their win against Grambling State on Sunday. Mulkey, 62, who played college basketball at Louisiana Tech revealed that she wanted to schedule a game against her alma mater.

However, the Lady Techsters refused Mulkey's request, while Grambling State and LSU's next opponent the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns agreed to play them.

"First of all, I want to thank Grambling for playing us. I tried to get my own alma mater, Louisiana Tech, to play us, and they wouldn't," Mulkey said postgame. "I came back to LSU, and I think if you go back to my press conference, I said I want to be a positive for the state of Louisiana.

"I spent 19 years of my life in Lincoln Parish. I spent 18 years of my life in Tangipahoa Parish, Southeast. I want to help everybody," she added. "I think we played just about every school in the state with the exception of a few. So, I want to thank them for playing us. I think it also benefits them to be on a stage like this."

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Kim Mulkey won two national championships as a player at Louisiana Tech, in 1981 and 1982, and later served as the assistant and associate coach of the Lady Techsters from 1985 to 2000.

Over that period, Tech had an impressive record of 430 wins and 68 losses. The team also made it to the Final Four seven times and won the national championship in 1988.

Kim Mulkey reflects on deep Louisiana connections and love

Except for the two decades coaching at Baylor, Kim Mulkey has spent the rest of her basketball career, both as a player and coach, in the state of Louisiana.

Since returning to the state as the head coach of LSU in 2021, Mulkey has made it a priority to connect with the basketball community across Louisiana. Every season, she has scheduled at least one game against in-state opponents to give those programs exposure.

"Wonderful memories and I will never go back and play at Grambling. I will never go back and play at Louisiana Tech. There's something about my heart that wouldn't feel right to go compete against people that I love," she said after the win over Grambling (2:05).

"There are people out there from Grambling, from Simsboro, from Arcadia, from Ruston that came here because they haven’t seen me in years, and that's touching to me."

Kim Mulkey's Lady Tigers will host the Ragin' Cajuns on Dec. 15 as they look to extend their perfect start to the season.