The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Women’s Basketball’s Vic Schaefer named finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year
03.25.2026 | Women's Basketball
Schaefer has led Texas to a 33-3 record with 14 wins over ranked opponents this season.
ATLANTA — Texas women's basketball head coach Vic Schaefer has been named a finalist for the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Women's College Coach of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Wednesday.
Coming into the 2025-26 season the Longhorns had to replace three starters from their 2024-25 Final Four team. Schaefer has guided Texas to a 33-3 overall record, a SEC Tournament Championship and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Schaefer has led Texas to a third straight 30-win season for the first time since 1988. The Longhorns are a No. 1 seed in three straight NCAA tournaments for the second time in program history. Texas leads the country with 14 wins over ranked opponents on the season. Since the start of the 2023-24 season Schaefer has led Texas to a 101-12 overall record.
The Longhorns have won either a regular season or conference tournament championship in each of the last five seasons. Schaefer is the only women's coach to lead two different programs to an SEC Tournament Championship and is one of two active head coaches to lead two different programs to the Final Four. Schaefer has guided teams to the Elite Eight in seven of the last eight season, one of three active head coaches to reach that feat.
Schaefer is a two-time national coach of the year and five-time conference coach of the year. He has led teams to three Final Fours, including two national championship games. His combined record at both Mississippi State and Texas is 398-101. Schaefer was the 2018 Naismith Coach of the Year.
Naismith Coach of the Year Finalists
Geno Auriemma UConn
Cori Close UCLA
Shea Ralph Vanderbilt
Vic Schaefer Texas
