After LSU women's basketball misses national anthem, Louisiana gov wants new policy

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) -- LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey is getting backlash after the team missed the national anthem before Monday's Elite Eight matchup against Iowa.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying a policy should be put in place to require student-athletes to be present for the national anthem at games or risk scholarships.

Read Landry's full statement below.

"My mother coached women’s high school basketball during the height of desegregation, no one has a greater respect for the sport and for Coach Mulkey. However, above respect for that game is a deeper respect for those that serve to protect us and unite us under one flag! It is time that all college boards, including Regent, put a policy in place that student athletes be present for the national anthem or risk their athletic scholarship! This is a matter of respect that all collegiate coaches should instill."

Gov. Jeff Landry

Mulkey said missing the national anthem was unintentional during the Monday night postgame press conference.

"Honestly, I don't even know when the anthem was played," she said. "We kind of have a routine when we are on the floor and then they come off at the 12-minute mark. We come in and we do our pregame stuff. I'm sorry, listen, that's nothing intentionally done."

The LSU women's basketball team lost to Iowa in the Elite Eight. The Tigers finished the season with a record of 31-6.

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