Baylor Lady Bears head coach Kim Mulkey is a candidate for the 2017 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class, the organization announced Wednesday. The only female nominated as both a coach and a player, Mulkey is one of 13 women’s committee nominations.
Mulkey, the only basketball coach to win a national championship as a head coach, assistant coach and player, has amassed a 484-93 record amidst her 17th season leading the Lady Bears. She is No. 2 nationally in winning percentage (.839), and owns the top winning percentage and win total in the Big 12 Conference.
Mulkey, who earned WBCA, Naismith, Associated Press and USBWA National Coach of the Year recognition in 2012 and the USBWA National Coach of the Year award in 2011, is a 2000 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-American Hall of Fame, 2007 Baylor Athletic Hall of Fame and 2009 Texas Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
The five-time Big 12 Coach of the Year has led Baylor to national championships in 2005 and 2012 and a Big 12 record 15 league titles, including seven regular season and eight tournament championships. Mulkey has led the Lady Bears to six-straight Big 12 titles.
In her collegiate career at Louisiana Tech, Mulkey led the Lady Techsters to a 130-6 record, two national titles and four Final Fours from 1980-84. The All-American was also a gold medalist on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team. Mulkey, a two-time Academic All-American, graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana Tech with a business degree.
Mulkey is a member of the National High School Hall of Fame, Louisiana High School Hall of Fame, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame. In 1999, she was the lone female named among the Louisiana Sports Writers top 25 athletes of the 20th century and was listed by Sports Illustrated as one of the top 50 sports figures of Louisiana for the 20th century.
Finalists from the North American and women’s committee for the Class of 2017 will be held at the NBA All-Star Weekend, which is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 18 in New Orleans, La. The entire Class of 2017, including those selected by direct elect committees will be revealed on Monday, April 3 at the men’s NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz.
Enshrinement festivities will take place in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 7-9, 2017. Tickets for the various Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2017 Enshrinement events are now on sale at www.hoophall.com.
