The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Senior class shows growth of Women's Basketball
03.04.2014 | Women's Basketball
The Longhorns reached 20 wins on Senior Night led by a unique senior class.
By John Byczek, Texas Media Relations
After a Senior Night victory over No. 18 Oklahoma State, head coach Karen Aston had one important message for her senior class: Thank you.
"Much appreciated," coach Aston said. "I want to say how much I appreciate all of them."
Before tipoff, seniors Ashley Roberts, Helen Tau, Chassidy Fussell and GiGi Mazionyte were invited onto the floor with their families and presented framed jerseys as part of the Senior Night festivities. Coach Aston then left all four seniors on the court to start in their final game at the Frank Erwin Center.
"It was really important to me to have them all start," coach Aston said. "It was something that I always thought was important ever since I've been a coach. I've felt it was a significant thing, especially here at Texas where you have the smoke and you run out with your Hook 'Em sign up. I think that it's something that those players always remember. It was important to me and I'm sure it was to them."
Tau, the student-manager turned student-athlete, took the opening shot of the game from beyond the arc in her first career start. The seniors combined for a total of 22 points in the endeavor. Fussell led the way with 15 points.
"It was great just to see them smile," senior guard Fussell said. "Helen has the biggest smile on the team. We told them to shoot. It's just great to see my teammates out there."
It was an equally important night to coach Aston as it was to each individual senior. Now in her second season as head coach, she understands the struggles her players went through during the staff change that happened two years ago.
"It was a significant year Chassidy," Aston said. "When our staff took over it was in the middle of her career, and she made a conscience choice to stay here and help us get back on track. I admire her for what she's done, I admire her for taking the steps that she's taken trying to be a leader this year.
"I appreciate all of them. The other two that came from junior college (Mazionyte and Roberts), came here to help us try to get the program back on track and they have sacrificed minutes, but they've always been positive and I think they've always had the same goal as when they came here."
Coach Aston and the Longhorns accomplished one of those goals on Senior Night: reach the 20-win mark on the season.
"I think it's incredibly significant," Aston said. "I have always thought that as a coach, that it's the symbol of being a good basketball team. I think you know that you had a productive, successful season. It's usually a benchmark for going to the NCAA tournament."
That list of goals was again brought to the forefront of the team's mind on Senior Night, as sealing possession of third place in the Big 12 almost solidifies a spot in the NCAA tournament. Before the NCAA tournament, Texas heads to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship.
"Nobody thought we were going to do anything," Fussell said. "We were picked fifth in the preseason and we proved them wrong. Now we have the opportunity to make a big step in the postseason."
