Kim Mulkey, LSU Women's Basketball Lose Key Assistant Coach in Stunning Move

LSU Tigers assistant coach Gabe Lazo will depart Kim Mulkey's staff after just four days following the decision to accept the head coaching job with the UCF Knights.

Mulkey and Co. revealed Lazo as the next assistant coach on staff this week, but a late surge from the UCF administration has the highly-respected coach now heading to the Sunshine State.

“Gabe will be an outstanding addition to our staff,” Mulkey said in the initial release from LSU. “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 recently spent the last two seasons with the Tennessee Volunteers prior to making the move to LSU - now opting to become the next head coach at UCF.

Lazo’s two seasons on Rocky Top consisted of two NCAA Tournament appearances including a trip to the Sweet 16 during his first season in Knoxville. He joins LSU’s staff for his 10th season coaching college women’s basketball at five schools over a nine-year period.

Sunshine State native coming home ☀️🌴

Welcome to UCF, @CoachGabeLazo pic.twitter.com/EoivmvZf93
— UCF Women's Hoops (@UCF_WBB) April 4, 2026

The teams he has helped lead have recorded five postseason runs (4 NCAA, 1 WBIT), a conference championship and a conference tournament title.

According to LSU Women's Basketball, "Known as a relentless recruiter, a motivator, a mentor to, and developer of student athletes with an outstanding work ethic, Lazo served as MSU’s designated defensive coordinator.

"Lazo provided opponent scouting and defensive assignments as well as in-game tactics and adjustments from the bench. His ability to identify talent and build relationships was critical to the Bulldogs landing the No. 3 transfer class ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

"He also played a key role in Mississippi State securing highly-regarded classes over his last two signing cycles there, including the 16th-rated class in 2022-23, which was the second best in school history."

Now, he's heading to Orlando to become the next shot-caller of the UCF Knights in a stunning move on the coaching circuit.

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