LSU Tigers women's basketball

Roster

• Kim Mulkey ()
• Bob Starkey
• Daphne Mitchell ()
• Gary Redus II ()
• Kaylin Rice ()
• Joe Schwartz ()
• Seimone Augustus ()

History

Through the 2024–25 season, LSU has made 31 AIAW/NCAA tournament appearances including 17 Sweet Sixteens, 11 Elite Eights, and six Final Fours highlighted by a national championship in 2023. The Lady Tigers have won the SEC regular season championship three times and the SEC Tournament championship twice.

Coleman-Swanner era (1975–1982)

LSU women’s basketball officially began in the 1975–76 season under coach Jinks Coleman. In the inaugural year, the Tigers went 17–14, advancing past the state tournament into regional AIAW play. A highlight came in the next season (1976–77) when Maree Jackson poured in 47 points to score over 40 in a single game—LSU’s first-ever win over a ranked opponent (UNLV) in a thrilling 92–89 victory. The Lady Tigers also recorded their first 100-point game that season, defeating West Texas State 109–48—marking early offensive prowess. That same year, LSU reached the AIAW national championship game but fell to powerhouse Delta State, finishing runner‑up in only their second season. Coleman resigned early in the 1978–79 campaign, and Barbara Swanner took over, guiding the program through the transition to NCAA governance in 1981. The team did not qualify for the inaugural NCAA women's tournament, but laid groundwork in recruiting and structural stability during her tenure

Sue Gunter era (1982–2004)

Entering the NCAA era, LSU tapped Sue Gunter, a future Hall of Famer, to transform the Lady Tigers into a consistent postseason program. Over 22 seasons, Gunter accumulated a 442–220 record (approximately .667-win percentage), regularly achieving 20-win campaigns. Her squads appeared in 14 NCAA tournaments and captured two SEC Tournament titles (1991, 2003), although heavyweights like Tennessee and Auburn often overshadowed in conference play. In 1985, Gunter also led LSU to a WNIT championship. The pinnacle came in 2003–04: Gunter took medical leave mid-season, and top assistant Pokey Chatman stepped in as interim. Chatman led LSU to its first-ever NCAA Final Four, though the season is officially credited to Gunter. Gunter retired shortly thereafter, leaving behind one of the most stable programs in women’s college basketball at the time. She passed away on August 4, 2005.

Pokey Chatman era (2004–2007)

Elevated to permanent head coach in 2004, Pokey Chatman immediately raised LSU’s ceiling to even greater heights. In 2004–05, the Tigers posted a 33–3 record, went 14–0 in SEC regular-season play, won the SEC title, and reached the Final Four—led by phenomenal junior Seimone Augustus, who earned consecutive National Player of the Year honors (Naismith, Wooden, Wade, USBWA, AP) in 2005 and 2006. Augustus finished her LSU career averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game and became the first female LSU athlete to have her jersey (#33) retired in 2010 and a statue unveiled in 2023. Chatman’s squads repeated Final Four appearances in 2006 (31–4) and 2007 (30–8), making LSU the only program to reach the four straight Final Fours in their first attempt (2004–07). Chatman resigned abruptly just before the 2007 NCAA Tournament; assistant Bob Starkey was appointed interim head coach and guided LSU to their fourth consecutive Final Four, a notable one-month turnaround. Chatman’s final LSU record stood at 94–15, with LSU becoming a national powerhouse during her tenure.

Van Chancellor era (2007–2011)

In April 2007, LSU hired veteran coach Van Chancellor, already legendary for his WNBA success with the Houston Comets. In his first year (2007–08), Chancellor led LSU to a 31–6 overall record, a SEC regular-season championship (14–0 SEC), and the fifth straight Final Four appearance—a feat matched only by UConn’s dominance. He was named SEC Coach of the Year. Over four seasons, Chancellor maintained competitive excellence, compiling a 90–40 record and keeping LSU firmly in national postseason contention.

Nikki Fargas era (2011–2021)

Following Chancellor’s retirement, Nikki Fargas (an All-American for the Tennessee Lady Volunteers under Hall of Fame coach Pat Summitt under her maiden name, Nikki Caldwell) assumed the helm for the 2011–12 campaign. Over ten seasons, she coached LSU to a 148–106 overall record, led the team to six NCAA Tournament appearances, and reached the Sweet Sixteen twice (2013, 2014). While deep postseason success eluded LSU during her tenure, Fargas maintained program stability in the ultra-competitive SEC environment dominated by Tennessee, South Carolina, and others.

Kim Mulkey era (2021–present)

On April 25, 2021, LSU hired Kim Mulkey, a Hall of Fame coach who had guided Baylor to three NCAA championships, to the head coach position. Within two seasons, Mulkey dramatically reshaped the Tigers into a national powerhouse.

2021–22: Culture Shift

In her first season, Mulkey revamped the teams roster and staff, setting in motion infrastructure that paid immediate dividends. By season’s end, LSU posted a 26–6 record, marking a dramatic turnaround. Mulkey achieved her 100th LSU victory in just 114 games, outpacing Gunter’s pace. In 2024, Seimone Augustus rejoined the program—this time as an assistant coach—bringing continuity and legacy.

2022–23: 1st National Championship

The 2022–23 team delivered LSU’s first-ever NCAA title, finishing 34–2. Junior transfer Angel Reese dominated with averages of 23.0 ppg and 15.4 rpg, leading the NCAA in total rebounds and free throws made (240) and securing 34 double-doubles—both SEC and NCAA single-season records. Jasmine Carson contributed 22 key points off the bench. In the National Semifinals, LSU overcame a 12–point deficit in the second half to defeat #1 seeded Virginia Tech 79–72 and reach their first ever title game. In the championship game on April 2, 2023, LSU defeated Iowa 102–85 at Dallas's American Airlines Center, setting the record for points in a championship game and first-half high (59 points by LSU). The win drew 9.17 million viewers on ABC—a record for women’s college basketball. Mulkey became the first coach to win Division I titles at two separate schools.

2023–24: Continued Excellence

In the 2023–24 season, LSU entered ranked No. 1 in preseason polls. The Tigers returned to the Elite Eight, meeting #1 seeded Iowa again in a high-profile showdown. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark exploded for 41 points and 12 assists, edging LSU 94–87. Reese registered 17 points and 20 rebounds before fouling out of that game. She led the SEC in scoring and rebounding (18.6 PPG, 13.4 PPG), earning SEC Player of the Year, and LSU remained a national draw. After the season's completion, Reese was drafted 7th overall in the WNBA draft by the Chicago Sky.

2024–25: Aneesah Morrow Emerges

In the 2024–25 season, senior transfer Aneesah Morrow blossomed into the team’s interior anchor, finishing with averages of 18.7 PPG and 13.5 RPG, totaling 104 career double-doubles—second most in NCAA Division I history—and 1,714 career rebounds (third-most all time). She won the Katrina McClain Award and was First-Team All‑SEC. LSU reached its third straight Elite Eight as a #3 seed but ultimately fell to the #1 overall seed UCLA 72–65. Mulkey publicly lauded longtime assistant Bob Starkey, who has coached LSU since 1990, when he was hired by longtime men's basketball coach Dale Brown, helped produce six Final Fours, including stepping in as interim coach in 2007, and holds a 663–235 (.738) career record—advocating that he deserves Hall of Fame recognition. In 2025 the Tigers set a new NCAA record of hundred-point or more games in a row with their seventh such game.

Championships

Final Fours

LSU has played in six Final Fours in the NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship tournament.

Conference championships

LSU has won three regular-season conference championships and two conference tournament championships in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Year by year results

Conference tournament winners noted with # Source: {{cite web |access-date=11 Aug 2013 |archive-date=13 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813020931/http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=177178 |url-status=live

Postseason

NCAA Tournament seeding history

NCAA Division I

AIAW Division I

The Lady Tigers made one appearance in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 3–1.

Player awards

National awards

• NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player :Angel Reese - 2023
• John R. Wooden Award :Seimone Augustus - 2005, 2006
• Naismith College Player of the Year :Seimone Augustus - 2005, 2006
• Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year :Seimone Augustus - 2005, 2006
• Nancy Lieberman Award :Temeka Johnson - 2005
• Katrina McClain Award :Aneesah Morrow - 2025
• Senior CLASS Award :Seimone Augustus - 2006
• USBWA National Freshman of the Year :Seimone Augustus - 2003
• Wade Trophy :Seimone Augustus - 2005, 2006

SEC Awards

• Player of the Year Award :Seimone Augustus - 2005, 2006 :Sylvia Fowles - 2008 :Angel Reese - 2024

Prominent players

Retired numbers

LSU All- Americans

Arena

Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Main article: Pete Maravich Assembly Center

thumb|left|200px|[[Pete Maravich Assembly Center]] The Pete Maravich Assembly Center is a 13,215-seat multi-purpose arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The arena opened in 1972 and is home of the LSU Lady Tigers basketball team. It was originally known as the LSU Assembly Center, but was renamed in honor of Pete Maravich, a Tiger basketball legend, shortly after his death in 1988. The Maravich Center is known to locals as "The PMAC" or "The Palace that Pete Built," or by its more nationally known nickname, "The Deaf Dome," coined by Dick Vitale.

The slightly oval building is located directly to the north of Tiger Stadium, and its bright-white roof can be seen in many telecasts of that stadium. The arena concourse is divided into four quadrants: Pete Maravich Pass, The Walk of Champions, Heroes Hall and Midway of Memories. The quadrants highlight former LSU Tiger athletes, individual and team awards and memorabilia pertaining to the history of LSU Lady Tigers and LSU Tigers basketball teams.

Practice and Training facilities

LSU Basketball Practice Facility

Main article: LSU Basketball Practice Facility

The LSU Basketball Practice Facility is the practice facility for the LSU Lady Tigers basketball and LSU Tigers basketball teams. The facility is connected to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center through the Northwest portal. The facility features separate, full-size duplicate gymnasiums for the women's and men's basketball teams. They include a regulation NCAA court in length with two regulation high school courts in the opposition direction. The courts are exact replicas of the Maravich Center game court and have two portable goals and four retractable goals. The gymnasiums are equipped with a scoreboard, video filming balcony and scorer's table with video and data connection. The facility also houses team locker rooms, a team lounge, training rooms, a coach's locker room and coach's offices.

The building also includes a two-story lobby and staircase that ascends to the second level where a club room is used for pre-game and post-game events and is connected to the Pete Maravich Assembly Center concourse. The lobby includes team displays and graphics, trophy cases and memorabilia of LSU basketball. A 900-pound bronze statue of LSU legend Shaquille O'Neal is located in front of the facility.

LSU Strength and Conditioning facility

Main article: LSU Strength and Conditioning facility

The LSU Tigers basketball strength training and conditioning facility is located in the LSU Strength and Conditioning facility. Built in 1997, it is located adjacent to Tiger Stadium. Measuring 10,000-square feet with a flat surface, it has 28 multi-purpose power stations, 36 assorted sectorized machines and 10 dumbbell stations along with a plyometric specific area, medicine balls, hurdles, plyometric boxes and assorted speed and agility equipment. It also features 2 treadmills, 4 stationary bikes, 2 elliptical cross trainers, a stepper and step mill.

Head coaches

References

References

1. Press, BILL KISER | Associated. (November 28, 2025). "No. 5 LSU sets NCAA record with 7th straight 100-point game".
2. (July 2025). "Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge".
3. "LSU Men's Basketball Facilities".
4. "LSU Basketball Practice Facility".
5. (September 29, 2009). "LSU Strength and Conditioning". lsusports.net.
6. "A Strength Training Legacy". biggerfasterstronger.com.
7. (November 14, 2012). "LSU Tigers' Weight Room". ESPN The Magazine.