The Offseason Additions: Kim Mulkey, LSU Reel in Impressive Newcomers

Mulkey and the Tigers bring in four players via the Transfer Portal, top high school prospect in Louisiana.

Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; LSU Lady Tigers head coach Kim Mulkey reacts in the second quarter / Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Kim Mulkey and the LSU women's basketball staff worked quietly this offseason on their way to reeling in an impressive group of newcomers for the 2024-25 season.

Headlined by a trio of guards the program announced on Wednesday, Mulkey and Co. have pieced together a talented roster once again as they prepare for summer workouts in the coming weeks.

It was clear the NCAA Transfer Portal would be utilized after signing only one prospect in the 2024 recruiting cycle.

For LSU, the Tigers reeled in the No. 1 player in Louisiana: Jada Richard.

Now, the roster is just about set with the newcomers announced, but expect LSU to remain active in the portal as they search for a big to round out the frontcourt.

The Newcomers:

The 2024 Signee: Jada Richard

Richard is staying home as the top player out of Louisiana and a four-star, top-100 prospect by ESPNW. The 5-6 guard out of Lafayette Christian Academy has won three straight state championships across three divisions. In this year’s championship game, she scored 32 points with six rebounds, five assists and five steals, being named the game’s Most Outstanding Player.

“Jada’s scoring ability from the perimeter and midrange is outstanding, but what’s equally impressive is her knack for creating opportunities for others,” Coach Kim Mulkey said. “She’s a selfless player with a high basketball IQ. I have no doubt she will continue to excel and elevate the play of her teammates. I’m excited that Jada is staying home to be a Tiger!”

Richard, who was the District 4-4A MVP, averaged 28.2 points, five assists, four steals and five rebounds per game en route to leading the Knights to the Division II select state title. Through three seasons of high school basketball, Richard accumulated 2,021 points.

The Transfer Portal Additions:

Jersey Wolfenbarger: Forward, 6-5, Fort Smith, Arkansas

Wolfenbarger played two seasons at Arkansas before sitting this year out with the intention to enter the transfer portal. The Fort Smith, Arkansas native played in 65 games as a Razorback and averaged 5.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. She comes to LSU with two remaining years of eligibility.

“Coach Mulkey and her staff offered me a second chance to turn my dreams into reality,” Wolfenbarger said. “That’s an opportunity you can’t say no to.”

During her sophomore season, she had two double-digit scoring games, eight 6+ rebound contests and three games with 3+ blocks. She averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds. Wolfenbarger was named the SEC All-Freshman team the year prior, averaging 7.6 points and  4.3 rebounds per game. She recorded two double-doubles as a freshman.

Wolfenbarger, who stands at 6-5, was a top recruit coming out of Northside High School as a consensus five-star prospect. She was rated as the top wing player in her class and the No. 7 player overall by ESPN HoopGurlz. She earned a spot on the McDonald’s All-America team and was a finalist for Naismith High School Player of the Year. Wolfenbarger hit a buzzer beater to win the 2019 6A State Championship and then led Northside to a 26-2 record and a Class 6A State Championship in 2020-21.

Mjracle Sheppard: Guard, 5-10, Kent, Washington

Sheppard will join the Tigers after spending her freshman season in Starkville at Mississippi State.

During her freshman season at MSU, Sheppard averaged 5.1 points and 2.1 assists per game with 48 total steals. She scored in double figures in three games with a career high of 14 against Jacksonville State. She also had 3+ steals in six games, including a career high of 7 against Kennesaw State.

A native of Kent, Washington, Sheppard went to Montverde Academy in Florida for high school where she became a four-star recruit. She was a critical piece in helping lead Montverde to the 2021-22 National Championship. During the championship run, Sheppard led the team with 4.2 assists per game and added 7.2 points game. She also led the team with 2.6 steals per game en route to the championship.

Kailyn Gilbert: Guard, 5-8, Tampa Bay, Florida

Gilbert will come to LSU after spending the previous two seasons at Arizona. After averaging 4.9 points as a freshman, Gilbert saw a big jump to 15.1 points per game during her sophomore season. She had a total of 88 assists during her two seasons in Tucson.

She scored over 20 points in six games during her sophomore season and earned one Pac 12 Player of the Week honor. Just as Gilbert saw her scoring output take a jump from her freshman season to sophomore season, her assists went from 1.1 per game as a freshman to 2.3 during this past season.

Gilbert finished her high school career at IMG Academy. Throughout her high school career she was a three-time First Team All-State selection and two-time Hillsborough County Player of the Year. She was ranked at the No. 31 player in her class by ESPN HoopGurlz in the class of 2022.

Shayeann Day-Wilson: Guard, 5-6, Toronto, Ontario

Day-Wilson, the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year, comes to LSU after spending a season at Miami and before that, two seasons at Duke. In three seasons, Day-Wilson has averaged 10.8 points per game with 300 assists and 79 steals. She has started 71 games and played in a total of 93 games throughout her college career.

Over the past season, Day-Wilson scored in double figures in 14-18 ACC games, including a stretch of 12 in a row. She set her career-high with 27 points, going 5-11 from three-point range, during a double overtime game against Georgia Tech. She tallied 5+ assists in six games, including a career-high 9 assists in a game against Jacksonville.

During her sophomore season at Duke, Day-Wilson scored in double figures in 12 games and led the Blue Devils with 2.5 assists per game. During her freshman season, the ACC coaches voted Day-Wilson as the ACC Freshman of the Year. She led all ACC freshmen with 12.7 points and 3.7 assists per game. She earned three ACC Freshman of the Week honors and one USBWA National Freshman of the Week accolade.

The Toronto, Ontario native Day Wilson was the top-rated Canadian guard in the class of 2021, ranked No. 41 overall in the class according to ESPN HoopGurlz. In high school she led Crestwood Prep to back-to-back OSBA High School State Championships and was a Bio Steel All-Canadian player, equivalent to a McDonalds All-America selection. She played on numerous Canadian national teams too, including on the U23 Canada team that won the gold medal at the inaugural GLOBLJAM International Basketball Showcase in 2022 and with the U19 Canada team the 2021 FIBA World Cup in Hungary.

Per LSU Women's Basketball Press Release

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The LSU Transfer Portal Big Board: Targets LSU Is Pushing For

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