Texas Longhorns women's basketball

Texas Longhorns women's basketball
Name	Texas Longhorns women's basketball
University	University of Texas at Austin
Conference	Big 12 Conference
Location	Austin, Texas
Arena	Moody Center
Capacity	10,763
Headcoach	Vic Schaefer
Tenures	2020–present
Nickname	Longhorns
Colors	Burnt orange and white
Ncaatourneys	35
Conf tourney	12
Conf regular	15

Texas Longhorns women's basketball represents the University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I competition. The program competes in the Big 12 Conference and has established itself as a national powerhouse, capturing one NCAA Championship and making three Final Four appearances. Under the leadership of coaches like Jody Conradt and Vic Schaefer, the Longhorns have produced numerous All-American players and Olympians.

History

The program's varsity history began in the 1974–75 season under coach Jody Conradt, who built the team into a dominant force. The pinnacle came in 1986 when the Longhorns, led by star Clarissa Davis, completed a perfect 34–0 season to win the NCAA Championship. This era included a record 183–24 run from 1984 to 1990 and a historic 44-game winning streak. The team transitioned from the Southwest Conference to the Big 12 Conference in 1996, maintaining its competitive stature. After a period of rebuilding, the hiring of Karen Aston and later Vic Schaefer returned the program to national prominence, culminating in a Final Four appearance in 2023.

Program achievements

The Longhorns' achievements are headlined by the 1986 NCAA National Championship. They have made three Final Four appearances (1986, 1987, 2003) and have 35 total NCAA Tournament bids. The program has won 15 regular-season conference championships across the Southwest Conference and Big 12 Conference, along with 12 conference tournament titles. Individual honors are plentiful, including multiple Naismith College Player of the Year awards, Wade Trophy winners, and over 20 All-American selections. Players like Kamie Ethridge and Annette Smith-Knight have also been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

Home arenas

The team initially played its games at Gregory Gymnasium on the University of Texas at Austin campus. In 1977, they moved to the much larger Frank Erwin Center, which served as their primary home for over four decades and hosted numerous NCAA Tournament games. For the 2022–23 season, the Longhorns moved into the state-of-the-art Moody Center, a modern arena in Austin that provides a significant home-court advantage. The team has also occasionally played high-profile games at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Coaches

Jody Conradt is the program's foundational figure, serving as head coach from 1976 to 2007 and amassing over 700 wins; she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Gail Goestenkors led the team from 2007 to 2012 after a successful tenure at Duke University. Karen Aston coached from 2012 to 2020, revitalizing the program and reaching multiple NCAA Tournament Elite Eights. Current coach Vic Schaefer, hired in 2020, previously led the Mississippi State Bulldogs to two national championship games and quickly returned Texas to the Final Four.

Notable players

The program's legacy is defined by its exceptional players. Clarissa Davis, the 1987 Naismith College Player of the Year, was the Final Four Most Outstanding Player during the 1986 championship run. Kamie Ethridge, the 1986 Wade Trophy winner, was the team's floor general and a 1988 Olympic gold medalist. Other greats include Annette Smith-Knight, the program's first All-American, and Stacy Stephens, a two-time All-American under Jody Conradt. Modern standouts include Aaliyah Moore, Rori Harmon, and Madison Booker, the 2024 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year. Many alumni have played professionally in the WNBA and overseas.

Rivalries

The program's most intense and historic rivalry is with the Baylor Lady Bears, a conflict that intensified with both programs' rise in the Big 12 Conference. Games against the Texas A&M Aggies, known as the Lone Star Showdown, carry significant in-state bragging rights despite Texas A&M's departure to the Southeastern Conference. Matchups with the Oklahoma Sooners are also key conference battles, often with Big 12 Conference title implications. Non-conference games against national powers like Tennessee and UConn have also developed into high-profile contests.

Category:University of Texas at Austin Category:Big 12 Conference women's basketball teams Category:NCAA women's basketball teams Category:Sports in Austin, Texas