The Baylor Bears women's basketball team represents Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in NCAA Division I women's basketball competition. They currently compete in the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games in the Foster Pavilion. Before the 2021–22 season, the team had been known as the "Lady Bears", but on September 3, 2021, the school officially announced that women's basketball had dropped "Lady" from its nickname. At the same time, soccer and volleyball, the other two Baylor women's teams that were still using "Lady" in their nicknames, also abandoned that usage.
The then-Lady Bears went undefeated at 40–0 to become the 2012 NCAA Division I National Champions in Women's College Basketball.
History
Olga Fallen years (1974–1979) Olga joined the faculty of Baylor University in 1956 and served as an assistant professor of physical education through 1997. She developed Baylor's women's athletic program from its beginning within the physical education department in 1959 and from 1972 to 1979, served as the coordinator of women's athletics. She was inducted into the Baylor Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. Under her coaching the softball team, advanced to the AIAW regional tournament in 1978 and 1979. The Bearette basketball team posted a five-year record of 143–50 and earned two consecutive bids to the national AIAW tournament in 1976 and 1977, rated fifth and seventh in the nation those years.
Pam Bowers years (1979–1994)
Sonja Hogg years (1994–2000)
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Kim Mulkey years (2000–2021)
In 2000, Kim Mulkey took over a Baylor program that had made the WNIT Finals in 1998 and made a return trip to the WNIT in 1999. In her first season at Baylor she led the Lady Bears program to its first NCAA tournament bid. The Lady Bears have now (as of 2019) put together 19 consecutive 20-win seasons and only once has the team lost more than 10 games in a season. The rise of the Baylor program under Mulkey was capped off in 2005 with a national title. This made her the fourth person to have won NCAA Division I basketball titles as a player and a head coach (after Joe B. Hall, Bob Knight and Dean Smith) and the first woman to do so. The Lady Bears also captured the 2012 title with an undefeated season and the 2019 title. Mulkey departed the program for LSU in 2021.
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Nicki Collen era (2021–present) Nicki Collen, previously 2018 WNBA Coach of the Year WNBA's Atlanta Dream, replaced Mulkey as head coach after the latter's departure for LSU.
National Championships Year Coach Opponent Score Record 2005 Kim Mulkey Michigan St. Spartans 84–62 33–3 2012 Kim Mulkey Notre Dame Fighting Irish 80–61 40–0 2019 Kim Mulkey Notre Dame Fighting Irish 82–81 37–1 National Championships 3
Conference Championships YearOverall RecordConference RecordCoachConference 2005 33–3 14–2 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2011 34–3 15–1 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2012 40–0 18–0 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2013 34–2 18–0 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2014 32–5 16–2 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2015 33–4 16–2 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2016 36–2 17–1 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2017 33–4 16–2 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2018 33–2 18–0 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2019 37–1 18–0 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2020 28–2 17–1 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference 2021 28–3 17–1 Kim Mulkey Big 12 Conference202228–715–3Nicki CollenBig 12 Conference Totals 13
Conference honors and awards Southwest Conference Player of the Year Mary Lowry (1993–94) Big 12 Coach of the Year Kim Mulkey (2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019) Big 12 Player of the Year Sophia Young (2005) Brittney Griner (2011, 2012, 2013) Odyssey Sims (2014) Nina Davis (2015) Kalani Brown (2018) NaLyssa Smith (2021, 2022) Big 12 Freshman of the Year Brittney Griner (2010) Odyssey Sims (2011) Nina Davis (2014) Darianna Littlepage-Buggs (2023) Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Nicole Palmer (1997) Sheila Lambert (2001) Bernice Mosby (2007) Destiny Williams (2011) Alexis Jones (2016) Te'a Cooper (2020) DiJonai Carrington (2021) Jordan Lewis (2022) Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Abiola Wabara (2006) Brittney Griner (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) Odyssey Sims (2014) Lauren Cox (2018, 2019) DiDi Richards (2020) Big 12 Sixth Woman Award Melissa Jones (2009) Destiny Williams (2013) Khadijiah Cave (2015) Lauren Cox (2017) Queen Egbo (2020) DiJonai Carrington (2021) Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player Sophia Young (2005) Jessica Morrow (2009) Brittney Griner (2011, 2012, 2013) Nina Davis (2014, 2015) Alexis Jones (2016) Kalani Brown (2018, 2019) NaLyssa Smith (2021)
National honors and awards
USBWA National Freshman of the Year Brittney Griner – 2009–10 Odyssey Sims – 2010–11
Elite 90 Award Lindsay Palmer – 2010, 2012
Wade Trophy Brittney Griner – 2011–12, 2012–13 Odyssey Sims – 2013–14 NaLyssa Smith – 2020–21
Naismith College Player of the Year Brittney Griner – 2011–12, 2012–13
Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award Sheila Lambert – 2001–02 Odyssey Sims – 2013–14
WBCA Defensive Player of the Year Brittney Griner – 2010–11, 2011–12 DiDi Richards – 2019–20
NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player Sophia Young – 2005 Brittney Griner – 2012 Chloe Jackson – 2019
Nancy Lieberman Award – Nation's top collegiate point guard Odyssey Sims – 2013–14
Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award DiDi Richards – 2019–20
All-time series records against current & former Big 12 members As of Fall 2021 +Baylor vs. the Big 12*Baylorvs. Overall Record at Waco at Opponent's Venue at Neutral Site Last 5 Meetings Last 10 Meetings Current Streak Since Beginningof Big 12 Colorado BU, 12–8 BU, 6–2tie, 5–5tie, 1–1BU, 5–2 BU, 8–2 W 8 BU, 12–5 Iowa State BU, 30–9 BU, 16–2 BU, 10–6BU, 4–1BU, 5–0 BU, 9–1 L 2BU, 30–9 Kansas BU, 34–8 BU, 17–2BU, 13–5BU, 4–1BU, 5–0 BU, 10-0 W 15 BU, 34–6 Kansas State BU, 40–8 BU, 17–1 BU, 14–3BU, 10–3BU, 5–0 BU, 10–0 W 36 BU, 40–7 Missouri BU, 16–5 BU, 9–1BU, 5–3BU, 2–1BU, 4–1 BU, 8–2 W 3BU, 15–4 Nebraska BU, 10–6 BU, 6–2BU, 4–3NU, 0–1BU, 3–2 BU, 7–3 W 1BU, 10–6 Oklahoma BU, 32–25 BU, 16–9BU, 15-12OU, 1–5BU, 5–0 BU, 10–0 W 12BU, 32–22 Oklahoma State BU, 45–11 BU, 25–2 BU, 15–9BU, 5–0BU, 5–0 BU, 10–0 W 10BU, 44–11 Texas UT, 59-45 UT, 23-24UT, 27-17UT, 5–6BU, 5-0 BU 10–0 W 11BU, 39–17 Texas A&M BU, 50–36 BU, 26–13A&M, 17–18BU, 7–4BU, 4–1 BU, 8–2 W 3BU, 31–7 TCU BU, 42–5 BU, 19–2BU, 20–3BU, 2–0 BU, 5–0 BU, 10–0 W 31BU, 21–0 Texas Tech BU, 49–47 BU, 21-20TT, 17-25BU, 11–2BU, 5–0 BU, 10–0 W 24BU, 41–20 WVU BU, 20–3 BU, 9–1BU, 9–0 tied, 2–2 BU, 5–0 BU, 9–1 W 9BU, 20–2
ALL-TIME BIG 12 WINS (REGULAR SEASON) AS OF 2018–2019
289 – Baylor (.753),
240 – Oklahoma (.625),
232 – Texas (.604),
221 – Iowa State (.576),
192 – Kansas State (.500),
182 – Texas Tech (.474),
152 – Oklahoma State (.396),
126 – Kansas (.328),
71 – West Virginia (.563),
50 – TCU (.397)
Year by year results
Conference tournament winners noted with # Source
|-style="background: #ffffdd;" | colspan=8 align="center" | Southwest Conference
|-style="background: #ffffdd;" | colspan=8 align="center" | Big 12 Conference
Postseason results NCAA Division I The Bears have appeared in 24 tournaments, with a record of 59–21. 2001 #8 First Round #9 Arkansas L 59–68 2002 #2 First RoundSecond Round #15 Bucknell#7 Drake W 80–56L 72–76 2004 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #13 Loyola Marymount#5 Florida#1 Tennessee W 71–60W 91–76 L 69–71 2005 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourTitle Game #15 Illinois State#10 Oregon#3 Minnesota#1 North Carolina#1 LSU#1 Michigan State W 91–70W 69–46 W 64–57W 72–63W 68–57W 84–62 2006 #3 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #14 Northern Arizona#11 New Mexico#2 Maryland W 74–56W 87–67 L 63–82 2007 #5 First RoundSecond Round #12 Chattanooga#4 NC State W 68–55L 72–78 (OT) 2008 #3 First RoundSecond Round #14 Fresno State#6 Pittsburgh W 68–55L 72–78 (OT) 2009 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #15 UTSA#7 South Dakota State#3 Louisville W 87–82 (OT)W 60–58 L 39–56 2010 #4 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal Four #13 Fresno State#5 Georgetown#1 Tennessee#2 Duke#1 Connecticut W 69–55W 49–33W 77–62W 51–48L 50–70 2011 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #16 Prairie View A&M#9 West Virginia#5 Green Bay#2 Texas A&M W 66–30W 82–68W 86–76L 46–58 2012 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourTitle Game #16 UC Santa Barbara#9 Florida#4 Georgia Tech#2 Tennessee#1 Stanford#1 Notre Dame W 81–40W 76–57 W 83–68W 77–58W 59–47W 80–61 2013 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #16 Prairie View A&M#8 Florida State#5 Louisville W 82–40W 85–47 L 81–82 2014 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #15 Western Kentucky#7 California#3 Kentucky#1 Notre Dame W 87–74W 75–56W 90–72L 69–88 2015 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #15 Northwestern State#10 Arkansas#3 Iowa#1 Notre Dame W 77–36W 73–44W 81–66L 68–77 2016 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #16 Idaho#9 Auburn#5 Florida State#2 Oregon State W 89–59W 84–52W 78–58L 57–60 2017 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #16 Texas Southern#9 California#4 Louisville#2 Mississippi State W 119–30W 86–46W 97–63L 85–94 (OT) 2018 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #15 Grambling State#7 Michigan#3 Oregon State W 96–46W 80–58 L 67–72 2019 #1 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite EightFinal FourTitle Game #16 Abilene Christian#8 California#4 South Carolina#2 Iowa#2 Oregon#1 Notre Dame W 95–38W 102–63 W 93–68W 85–53W 72–67W 82–81 2021 #2 First RoundSecond RoundSweet SixteenElite Eight #15 Jackson State#7 Virginia Tech#6 Michigan#1 UConn W 101–52W 90–48W 78–75 (OT)L 67–69 2022 #2 First RoundSecond Round #15 Hawaii#10 South Dakota W 89–49L 47–67 2023 #7 First RoundSecond Round #10 Alabama#2 UConn W 78–74L 58–77 2024 #5 First RoundSecond RoundSweet Sixteen #12 Vanderbilt#4 Virginia Tech#1 USC W 80–63W 75–72 L 70–74 2025 #4 First RoundSecond Round #13 Grand Canyon#5 Ole Miss W 73–60L 63–69 2026 #6 First RoundSecond Round #11 Nebraska#3 Duke W 67–62L 48–69
NCAA Tournament Seeding History The following lists where the Bears have been seeded in the NCAA tournament. Years →'01'02'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'21'22'23'24'25'26Seeds →824235324111221121227546
AIAW Division I The Lady Bears made two appearances in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 5–3.
1976 First RoundQuarterfinalsConsolation Second Round Southern ConnecticutDelta StateTennessee Tech W, 76–72L, 57–97L, 78–89 1977 First RoundQuarterfinalsConsolation Second RoundConsolation Third RoundFifth Place Game Saint Joseph'sLSUMissouriUtahSouthern Connecticut W, 85–75L, 64–71W, 85–75W, 77–52W, 71–69
References
External links