WVU Sports Hall of Fame

Inducted: 2018

Written by Bryan Messerly

Collegiate:
A four-year letterwinner and senior captain, Kate Bulger became the first Mountaineer drafted by the WNBA when she was selected as the No. 38 pick by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2004 WNBA Draft.
Bulger was a four-time honoree in the Big East, named to the Big East Second Team her senior season, the third team her junior season, the second team as a sophomore and the Big East All-Rookie Team as a freshman.
Bulger led the Mountaineers in scoring in each of her four seasons, finishing with 1,732 points, which ranks as the fourth-highest career point total in WVU women’s basketball program history. She averaged 15.1 points per game, ranking seventh in WVU’s career record books, while recording 648-of-1,577 attempts from the field.
Known as one of WVU’s all-time shooters, Bulger continues to hold WVU’s record for 3-point field goals made (302), 3-point field goal attempts (724) and ranks second for 3-point field goal percentage (.417). In addition to her offense, Bulger also ranks No. 7 in WVU’s record books with 94 career blocked shots. With 115 career games played and started, Bulger ranks No. 3 in WVU’s career record books with 4,008 minutes played.
As a senior, Bulger ranked 12th nationally for 3-point field goals made per game (2.9), and 24th in the nation for 3-point field goal percentage, making 39.3 percent (92-234). She led WVU in scoring in 14 games, including nine 20-point outings.
In 2003, Bulger earned Preseason All-Big East second team honors, and went on to lead the Big East and finish third nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (47%). Her 3-point field goal percentage remains a WVU record for a single season to this day. Her shooting helped the Mountaineers to the fourth-best team 3-point field goal percentage (39.4%) in the country. She scored a career-high 36 points, including the game winner, in WVU’s 77-74 overtime win over Syracuse. At the time, that performance set a WVU Coliseum record for points (36) and field goals made (14) in a single game, and earned her a Big East Player of the Week honor. Bulger closed out the season named all-underrated All-America Honorable Mention by womenscollegehoops.com.
As a sophomore, Bulger was only the second player in program history to earn all-conference second-team honors. She finished second in the conference for scoring average (15.4) and was a two-time Big East Player of the Week. Recording 22 double-digit scoring outings, Bulger led WVU in scoring on 14 occasions, including her first 30-point outing with 33 points in WVU’s win over Robert Morris.
Bulger was a solid contributor to the Mountaineers from the start. In her rookie season, she led WVU, ranked 14th nationally and second in the Big East, for a 41.2 3-point field goal percentage. Her 14.4 points per game was a team-leading scoring average and ranked seventh in the Big East. She also led WVU in field goal percentage (.423) and total points (390) that season. Starting all 27 games as a true freshman, Bulger was second on the team in minutes played (938), assists (63) and blocked shots (17).

Sports Awards/Honors: All-Big East Second Team (2004) … All-Big East Third Team (2003) … All-Big East Second Team (2002) … Big East All-Rookie Team (2001) … All-Underrated All-America Honorable Mention by womenscollegehoops.com (2003) … Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team (2004) … Preseason All-Big East Second Team (2003) … Three-time Big East Player of the Week.

Professional: Became the first Mountaineer drafted by the WNBA when she was selected as the No. 38 pick by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2004 WNBA Draft … never made an active roster in the WNBA.

Personal: Daughter of James and Patricia Bulger … sister of former WVU quarterback Marc Bulger and former women’s basketball player Meg Bulger.

Photos: Action shots and head shot.