Kim Mulkey and the LSU women’s basketball program initially kept a low profile during the Transfer Portal window. However, after a week of undisclosed efforts, the Tigers have unveiled their acquisitions.
Mulkey and her team have secured the signings of three accomplished transfers, as revealed on Wednesday evening. LSU has successfully recruited Kailyn Gilbert from Arizona, Shayeann Day-Wilson from Miami, and Mjracle Shepphard from Mississippi State.
These three players will join transfer forward Jersey Wolfenbarger and Jada Richard, Louisiana’s standout high school player, as the newest members of LSU’s roster for the upcoming 2024-25 season.
Expressing her enthusiasm, Coach Kim Mulkey stated, “We could not be more excited to add Shayeann, Kailyn, and Mjracle to the LSU family. The trio brings a valuable mix of experience and depth to our perimeter, enhancing our roster’s competitiveness at the highest level.”
A closer look at the individuals LSU is welcoming to the team:
Mjracle Sheppard: Guard, 5-10, Kent, Washington
Sheppard is set to join the Tigers following her freshman year at Mississippi State in Starkville.
During her debut season with MSU, Sheppard maintained an average of 5.1 points and 2.1 assists per game while notching a total of 48 steals. She demonstrated her scoring prowess in three games, reaching double figures, with a career-best of 14 points against Jacksonville State. Additionally, she showcased her defensive skills by recording 3+ steals in six games, achieving a career-high of 7 steals against Kennesaw State.
Hailing from Kent, Washington, Sheppard attended Montverde Academy in Florida for high school, where she earned a four-star recruit status. She played a pivotal role in Montverde’s journey to clinch the 2021-22 National Championship. Throughout the championship campaign, Sheppard led the team with an average of 4.2 assists per game and contributed 7.2 points per game. She also topped the team charts with 2.6 steals per game, helping secure the championship victory.
Kailyn Gilbert: Guard, 5-8, Tampa Bay, Florida
Gilbert is set to join LSU after a two-year stint at Arizona. After averaging 4.9 points in her freshman year, Gilbert experienced a significant surge in her sophomore season, scoring an impressive 15.1 points per game. Over her two seasons at Tucson, she tallied a total of 88 assists.
During her sophomore campaign, Gilbert showcased her scoring ability by surpassing the 20-point mark in six games and earned recognition as a Pac 12 Player of the Week. Notably, her assist numbers also witnessed a rise, climbing from 1.1 per game as a freshman to 2.3 in her sophomore year.
Gilbert wrapped up her high school journey at IMG Academy, where she garnered numerous accolades, including three-time First Team All-State selection and two-time Hillsborough County Player of the Year. ESPN HoopGurlz ranked her as the No. 31 player in the class of 2022.
Shayeann Day-Wilson: Guard, 5-6, Toronto, Ontario
Day-Wilson, hailed as the 2022 ACC Freshman of the Year, joins LSU after a season at Miami preceded by two seasons at Duke. Over her collegiate career spanning three seasons, Day-Wilson has maintained an average of 10.8 points per game, along with 300 assists and 79 steals. She boasts a resume of starting 71 games and appearing in a total of 93 games.
During her sophomore stint at Duke, Day-Wilson hit double figures in scoring in 12 games and led the Blue Devils with an average of 2.5 assists per game. In her freshman year, she earned the ACC Freshman of the Year title, topping all ACC freshmen with 12.7 points and 3.7 assists per game. Her standout performances garnered her three ACC Freshman of the Week honors and one USBWA National Freshman of the Week accolade.
Originally from Toronto, Ontario, Day-Wilson was the highest-rated Canadian guard in the class of 2021, holding the No. 41 overall rank according to ESPN HoopGurlz. During her high school tenure, she steered Crestwood Prep to consecutive OSBA High School State Championships and was honored as a Bio Steel All-Canadian player, akin to a McDonald’s All-America selection. She also represented Canada on various national teams, including the U23 Canada team, which clinched the gold medal at the inaugural GLOBLJAM International Basketball Showcase in 2022, and the U19 Canada team at the 2021 FIBA World Cup in Hungary.
