BATON ROUGE, La. — In a moment that transcended sports and captured the hearts of those in the room, LSU women’s basketball head coach Kim Mulkey brought her team together for a meeting they would never forget. Known for her fiery coaching style, championship pedigree, and unwavering expectations, Mulkey showed a different side on Tuesday afternoon — one that was vulnerable, personal, and filled with joy.
Inside the locker room where national titles have been chased and dreams fulfilled, Mulkey, 62, stood before her team and staff with tears in her eyes as she made a deeply personal announcement: she’s getting married.
As players looked on, initially confused by the emotional atmosphere, Mulkey smiled, took a deep breath, and said the words that would ripple through the LSU community: “I wanted you to hear this from me first — I’m getting married this fall.”
The room erupted in stunned silence before breaking into applause, gasps, and a few joyful shouts. Assistant coaches exchanged warm glances, players hugged, and Mulkey herself grew visibly emotional as she revealed not only the date but the venue of the ceremony.
“I’ve always believed that the people you go to battle with every day should know your heart,” she said. “So I wanted my basketball family to be the first to know that on October 18, 2025, I’ll be marrying the love of my life — and we’ll be doing it right here in Louisiana, at Saint Peter’s Chapel in Covington.”
Mulkey paused to let the moment sink in, as many of her players sat with wide eyes, hands over their mouths in shock and delight. The three-time national championship coach, who has spent decades building dynasties at Baylor and LSU, is rarely one to let her guard down — but this announcement felt different.
“I’ve spent my whole life leading teams, building young women up, pushing them to greatness. But this… this is about something else,” Mulkey said, her voice cracking slightly. “It’s about love. About choosing joy. About letting myself be happy.”
The man who has captured the heart of one of college basketball’s most iconic figures has not been in the public spotlight, but according to sources close to the program, the relationship has been flourishing privately for several years. A retired businessman with deep Louisiana roots, Mulkey’s fiancé has kept a low profile — but has occasionally been seen quietly supporting the Tigers from the stands, avoiding the media circus that often surrounds LSU athletics.
The choice of venue was deeply personal. Saint Peter’s Chapel in Covington is a small, elegant church tucked away amid the trees on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain. It’s a place that speaks to tradition, faith, and family — all cornerstones of Mulkey’s life philosophy. The chapel, with its stained-glass windows and oak pews, will serve as the backdrop for what promises to be an intimate ceremony surrounded by family, close friends, and a few key members of the LSU basketball family.
For a coach known for sequined blazers, bold press conferences, and passionate sideline presence, the announcement marks a new chapter — one rooted not in competition but in connection. And yet, true to form, Mulkey couldn’t resist blending her trademark intensity with the sentiment of the day.
“I expect y’all to be dressed to the nines,” she said with a grin, pointing playfully at her players. “You better bring the heat — no sweats allowed!”
The team erupted into laughter as one player shouted, “Coach, are we your bridesmaids?” to which Mulkey replied with a wink, “You just might be.”
Though LSU is in the midst of off-season training and preparation for another title run, Mulkey’s announcement brought a new kind of energy to the program. Players spoke afterward about how meaningful it was to be included in something so personal.
“She’s always been there for us, fighting for us, going to war with us,” said junior guard Flau’jae Johnson. “So to see her let us into her world like this… it means everything. Coach Mulkey is like family. And now, we get to be part of hers in a whole new way.”
Sophomore forward Aalyah Del Rosario echoed the sentiment. “I’ve never seen Coach like that before. She was glowing. It makes you realize how much life there is outside basketball, too. She deserves this happiness.”
The timing of the announcement was no coincidence. With summer workouts underway and fall recruiting heating up, Mulkey chose this window to share the news in order to give her team — and LSU administrators — time to plan around the ceremony. According to school officials, Mulkey will take a brief leave during the wedding weekend, with associate head coach Bob Starkey overseeing operations in her absence.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment,” said athletic director Scott Woodward. “Coach Mulkey has given everything to this university, this program, and this state. We couldn’t be happier for her. This celebration is well-earned.”
Mulkey’s personal life has long remained relatively private. A native of Tickfaw, Louisiana, and a standout player at Louisiana Tech, she is deeply rooted in her home state. Her return to LSU in 2021 after building a juggernaut at Baylor was a homecoming, one that instantly transformed the Tigers into contenders. Now, four years later, she’s building something just as special off the court.
In a sport that often demands sacrifice, it’s rare for coaches — especially women — to prioritize their personal happiness in such a visible way. But for Mulkey, this moment felt overdue.
“I’ve poured my heart into basketball for so long,” she said. “But now I get to pour it into someone who’s stood by me through every high and low. Someone who sees me not just as Coach Mulkey, but as Kim. And that… that’s a beautiful thing.”
While the October ceremony will remain largely private, Mulkey hinted that LSU fans might get to share in the celebration in some way, saying, “We’ll find a way to include the Tiger faithful. Y’all have been part of this journey with me, too.”
Rumors are already swirling about potential involvement from LSU musicians, alumni, and even former players who may be part of the celebration. Some speculate that a post-wedding event at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center could be in the works, though nothing has been confirmed.
For now, the focus remains on the joy of the announcement — and what it represents for a woman who has spent her life pursuing excellence on the court while quietly hoping for fulfillment off it.
The emotional team meeting ended with hugs, laughter, and a spontaneous chant of “Coach is getting married!” that echoed through the hallway outside the locker room. Staffers nearby smiled knowingly — this was a moment of rare and genuine happiness for someone who has given so much to her players, her school, and her sport.
As the LSU women’s basketball team looks ahead to another year of high expectations, the knowledge that their fearless leader is also walking into a new and joyful chapter of her own adds a new layer of inspiration.
Love, it turns out, can be the most powerful motivator of all.
And come October, the eyes of Louisiana — and the wider basketball world — will turn not to the hardwood, but to a chapel under the pines, where Kim Mulkey, championship coach and now bride-to-be, will say “I do” in front of those who matter most.
