BATON ROUGE — Former LSU women’s basketball player Emily Ward has accepted the team’s director of women’s basketball operations position, the program announced Friday.
Ward was a part of the 2023 NCAA championship team under Kim Mulkey. She had also done some radio analyst work alongside play-by-play announcer Patrick Wright on LSU women’s basketball broadcasts the last two seasons before rejoining the program in an official capacity. She also served as a sports information graduate assistant for the team, helping clip in-game highlights and organizing press conferences.
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It was announced earlier Friday that Jordin Westbrook was leaving her post as chief of staff for LSU women’s basketball, a position she held since moving over from Baylor and joining Mulkey in Baton Rouge as part of her first staff before the 2021 season.
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“I’m very excited to welcome Emily Ward back to LSU in her new role as our director of women’s basketball operations,” Mulkey said in a release. “Her experience as a national champion and as a team captain during her playing career will be instrumental in her new role.
“We’re fortunate to have Emily return to our family, and I can’t wait to see her shine in this position.”
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Ward is a Bossier City native and started her playing career for the Tigers as a walk-on in 2019 before ultimately earning a scholarship before LSU’s season opener for the 2022-23 season.
“Growing up in Louisiana, I always dreamed of wearing purple and gold and playing for LSU,” Ward said in a release. “That dream became my reality. Playing for coach Mulkey pushed me to become the best version of myself. She believed in me, challenged me, and taught me what it means to lead with intensity, discipline, and heart.
“Not many people can say they played for a Hall of Fame coach, and now I’m honored to say I get to work with her, too.”
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Kim Mulkey hires new director of LSU women’s basketball operations
