Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers lost to the Duke Blue Devils in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. An otherwise great season run was ended by a close, 85-87 loss against a team that lost in the Elite Eight.
Now Mulkey’s entire focus will shift to rebuilding her team for the next season. Former Tigers’ assistant coach, Gary Redus, accepted the Rutgers Scarlet Knights women’s basketball program’s head coaching offer earlier this month.
The position was vacant for less than a month, and the Tigers have found the right replacement. The program recently announced that they have hired former Tennessee assistant Gabe Lazo as their new assistant coach.
Lazo is known for his game planning and being a great recruiter. Responding to the graphic posted on X by LSU, Kim Mulkey welcomed the new member of the LSU program.
“Welcome to The Boot!!” she wrote.
Lazo previously worked with Kim Caldwell and helped bring a lot of talented players to the program. He resigned from his position on March 27, and days later, he officially became a part of the LSU Tigers.
Mulkey also released a statement, welcoming Lazo to the program and outlining some of his strengths as an assistant coach.
“Gabe will be an outstanding addition to our staff,” she wrote. “He has been an invaluable member of two SEC staffs with an unbelievable ability to teach the game and recruit the best players in the country.”
“Gabe will impact our program at the highest level, and his unmatched work ethic will lead to great results on the court and on the recruiting trail. It doesn’t matter if Gabe is out recruiting or coaching on the floor because the contributions he will make toward our program will be significant.”
Lazo is credited with bringing all five of Tennessee’s freshmen last season. The LSU Tigers would expect him to do the same for them.
Kim Mulkey’s Message for Gary Redus
Redus joined Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers in 2022 as an assistant coach, which was only a year after Mulkey became their head coach. Redus had a successful run with Mulkey and won the NCAA title once.
When he decided to leave LSU for an opportunity to lead a program, Mulkey was very happy for him and wished him well.
“Gary’s overwhelming love for the game showed throughout his time in Baton Rouge, and I couldn’t be happier for him to get a head coaching opportunity. We wish him, his wife Tiffany and two kids, Gio and Ella the best at Rutgers!” she said in a statement.
Redus thanked Mulkey for trusting him and allowing him to learn under one of the best coaches in college basketball.
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