UPDATED: Texas names Vic Schaefer women’s basketball head coach

By Steve Lansdale

AUSTIN, Texas — Just two days after announcing the contract of women’s basketball head coach Karen Aston would not be extended, it appears the University of Texas already has found her replacement.

Mississippi State head coach Vic Schaefer, a two-time National Coach of the Year, is leaving Starkville to take over at UT as the program’s fifth head coach. UT vice president and athletics director Chris Del Conte [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]tweeted a picture that included Schaefer, his family and Del Conte and three others with text reading “Guess who’s coming to the Forty…” followed by emojis of a basketball and the university’s “Hook ’em” hand sign about four hours before the university officially announced Schaefer’s hiring.

“I am humbled and honored to represent such a tradition-rich program, and truly grateful to Chris Del Conte and President (Gregory) Fenves for this incredible opportunity,” Schaefer said in a statement released through the UT athletic department. “The University of Texas is steeped in so much pride and passion, built on years and years of success. It’s very special to me and I’m honored to be a part of it.

“Knowing what I know from 35 years of coaching and a lifetime in the state, the storied history of Texas women’s basketball is something very special to be a part of. I certainly feel really fortunate and just truly humbled to be entrusted with the opportunity to build on the years of success and help lead the Longhorns back where they belong: among the nation’s elite.”

Del Conte said that during the his search for Aston’s replacement, Schaefer’s name came up repeatedly.

“In looking for a new head women’s basketball coach, there was one name that continuously came up as the perfect fit for The University of Texas, and that was Vic Schaefer,” Del Conte said. “He’s a coach who knows the state of Texas and the national women’s college basketball landscape extremely well.

“We had great conversations with him, we’ve received incredible recommendations, and he’s just a tremendous person. Anyone who follows college basketball knows Coach Schaefer. He’s a proven winner, and I’m so fired up to have him and his family here at Texas!”

Schaefer heads to Austin after spending the past eight seasons at Mississippi State, where the Bulldogs were one of the nation’s top teams during his tenure. Schaefer is from Texas, having graduated from Texas A&M, where he spent nine seasons as associated head coach under Gary Blair, including the 2011 season when the Aggies won the national championship.

As a head coach or assistant coach, Schaefer has been a part of one NCAA Championship, three NCAA Championship Games, four Final Fours, six Elite Eights and nine Sweet 16s.

He became the Bulldogs’ head coach in 2012, compiling a 221-62 record in sight seasons in Starkville. Mississippi State reached (but did not win) the national championship game in 2017 and 2018.

Schaefer not only won at Mississippi State — he won in big games. His MSU teams went 16-5 in the NCAA tournament, and his .762 winning percentage in the tournament trails only Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma’s .857 and Baylor coach Kim Mulkey’s .769. In 2018-19, he helped the Bulldogs with their first Southeastern Conference tournament title in program history.

Schaefer, who has a reputation as defensive mastermind, started coaching in high school before becoming an assistant coach in 1987 at Sam Houston State, where he was named head coach in 1990. He joined Blair’s staff at Arkansas in 1997, and then followed Blair to Texas A&M in 2003.

“Coach Schaefer has a wealth of experience and knowledge,” Del Conte said. “He built Mississippi State into one of the nation’s premier programs in very short order, leading them to the NCAA Championship Game twice and the Elite Eight three times in the past three years. In that time, he earned National Coach of the Year honors twice.

“He also has won at the highest level as an assistant, serving as associate head coach at Texas A&M for nine seasons, including the 2011 National Championship team. Coach Schaefer has deep roots in Texas, is an Austin native and grew up in Houston, so we’re just so fortunate to have him as our new head coach.”

Coaching experience
•    2012-20: Head coach, Mississippi State
•    2003-11: Associate head coach, Texas A&M
•    2000-03: Associate head coach, Arkansas
•    1997-2000: Assistant coach, Arkansas
•    1990-97: Head coach, Sam Houston State
•    1989-90: Assistant boys basketball coach, Milby High School in Houston
•    1987-89: Assistant men’s basketball coach, Sam Houston State
•    1985-87: Assistant boys basketball coach, Milby High School in Houston

Coaching honors
•    2019 espnW National Coach of the Year
•    2019 Southeastern Conference Coach of the Year [Associated Press & SEC coaches]
•    2018 Naismith National Coach of the Year
•    2018 WBCA National Coach of the Year
•    2018 USBWA National Coach of the Year
•    2018 College Sports Madness National Coach of the Year
•    2018 SEC Coach of the Year [Associated Press & SEC coaches]
•    2017 WBCA Region Coach of the Year
•    2017 Naismith National Coach of the Year Finalist
•    2017 ESPY [Best Upset]
•    2015 Associated Press SEC Coach of the Year & SEC Coaches’ Co-Coach of the Year
•    2015 Naismith National Coach of the Year Semifinalist
•    2009 BasketballScoop.com Assistant Coach of the Year
•    1996 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
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