The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Men's Basketball
Third Season at Texas
Pronunciation Help:
YUR-ick MAL-uh-ghee
Ulric Maligi begins his second season in his second stint as Assistant Coach at The University of Texas. Maligi, who previously served as an assistant with the Longhorns during the 2021-22 season, brings 19 years of collegiate coaching experience to the Texas staff.
During his collegiate coaching career, Maligi has helped seven teams advance to the NCAA Tournament and three teams reach the postseason NIT while five squads have claimed conference championships. He has also coached and/or developed 18 players who have seen game action in the NBA.
Maligi was named one of the 100 Most Impactful High Major Coaches by Silver Waves Media during the 2025-26 season. He was listed on the “40 under 40” list of rising stars under the age of 40 by Seth Davis of The Athletic in November 2021, while a group of ESPN writers selected him at No. 13 on their list of top coaches under the age of 40 in May 2020. Maligi was selected to participate in the 2021 Top Connect symposium, which helps network assistant coaches with athletic administrators, and he has also been involved in the NCAA and BCA’s Achieving Coaching Excellence (ACE) Program, which seeks to prepare minority coaches for success as future head coaches.
During Maligi’s first season back in Austin in 2025-26, the Longhorns posted a 21-15 overall record (9-9 SEC) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Texas was ranked No. 22 in the final Associated Press poll and No. 24 in the final USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll.
The Longhorns earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament but went on a run in the Big Dance earning victories over NC State (68-66) in the First Four, BYU (79-71) in the Round of 64 and No. 12/10 Gonzaga (74-68) in the Round of 32 before falling at the buzzer to No. 8/13 Purdue (79-77) in the Sweet 16. Texas became just the sixth team in NCAA Tournament history to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16.
The Longhorns averaged 82.8 points per game while converting 48.4-percent from the floor. The 82.8 ppg marked the highest scoring average for Texas since the 1994-95 squad averaged 92.9 ppg and also is the first time the Longhorns have averaged at least 80 ppg since the 2009-10 season (81.2 ppg).
UT’s 48.4-percent FG shooting marked the highest FG percentage since the 1988-89 team hit 48.7-percent. The last Texas team to shoot at least 48-percent from the floor during a full season was in 1994-95 (48.0). According to KenPom, UT ranked 13th nationally in offensive efficiency (124.9). Since KenPom started in 1996-97, the previous best offensive efficiency mark by Texas was 120.6 in 2007-08.
Dailyn Swain was tabbed the SEC Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the five-person All-SEC Second Team. He also was named one of five finalists for the 2026 Julius Erving Award, the annual honor that recognizes the top small forward in the nation.
Per ESPN Research, Swain was the only player in a major conference to lead his team in at least five major statistical categories during the 2025-26 season. He led the Longhorns in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (129), steals (59) and minutes (32.8 mpg). Following the year, Swain was selected as the No. 15 pick in the NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls.
Matas Vokietaitis joined Swain on the NABC All-Gulf District Teams, as Swain was selected to the first team and Vokietaitis garnered mention on the second team. During his four NCAA Tournament contests, Vokietaitis averaged 16.0 ppg and a team-best 8.8 rpg while hitting 54.5-percent (24-44) from the floor in 28.0 mpg. According to KenPom, he ranked third nationally in free throw rate (96.2) and fouls drawn per 40 minutes (8.3). During the NCAA First Round win against BYU, Vokietaitis registered a team-best 23 points (10-17 FG) and a career-high 16 rebounds in 33 minutes. He became the first player in Texas program history to record a 20-point, 15-rebound effort in a NCAA Tournament game.
During the recent offseason in the spring and summer of 2026, the Texas staff added a total of 11 newcomers to the roster, and the group was tabbed the No. 1 overall class (factoring in both freshmen and transfers) in the nation by 247 Sports. In addition, the six-man freshman class was ranked as the No. 4 recruiting class nationally by 247 Sports and is highlighted by a trio of players from the state of Texas in Austin Goosby, Bo Ogden and Marcus Spears Jr.
Maligi worked for three years (2022-25) as Associate Head Coach at Kansas State University with head coach Jerome Tang. The Wildcats posted a 61-42 (.592) overall record and made one trip to the NCAA Tournament and one NIT appearance during his three seasons in Manhattan. K-State registered a 26-10 mark (11-7 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2022-23. Maligi helped the Wildcats record the third-most wins in a season (26) in program history, despite being picked last in the Big 12 preseason poll after coming off three consecutive losing seasons. K-State featured a pair of All-Americans in Bob Cousy Award winner Markquis Nowell and Julius Erving Award finalist Keyontae Johnson. Nowell and Johnson became the first duo in school history to receive All-America honors from The Associated Press, when they both claimed third-team accolades by the organization. Johnson was tabbed the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, and both Johnson and Nowell earned spots on the All-Big 12 First Team. Following the season, Johnson was selected No. 50 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In his first stint in Austin in 2021-22, Maligi helped the Longhorns to a 22-12 overall record (10-8 Big 12 Conference, fourth). Texas earned an 81-73 win over Virginia Tech in the NCAA Tournament Round of 64, marking the school’s first NCAA tourney win since 2014, before falling to No. 10/9 (No. 3 seed) Purdue in a hard-fought battle in the NCAA Round of 32. The 22 total wins by the Longhorns were the most since Texas had 24 victories in 2013-14. UT, which appeared in every Associated Press Top 25 poll except one during the season, placed No. 25 in the final AP poll. The Longhorns reached the 20-win mark in the month of February for the first time since 2013-14 and reached the 20-win mark in the regular season for the first time since 2015-16.
All five Texas starters (Timmy Allen, second team; Marcus Carr, third team; Christian Bishop, honorable mention; Andrew Jones, honorable mention; Courtney Ramey, honorable mention) earned spots on the Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Men’s Basketball Award teams, selected by the league’s head coaches. The Longhorns led the Big 12 and finished No. 10 nationally in scoring defense (60.6 ppg), ranked second in the league and No. 22 nationally in turnover margin (+3.4) and second in the league in turnovers per game (11.5), showcasing a culture of defense and ball security. Texas was No. 15 in the final KenPom analytics rankings. UT finished No. 14 in the nation in defensive efficiency (91.6) and No. 26 nationally in offensive efficiency (112.5). The Longhorns were one of 10 teams to rank in the Top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency in 2021-22, joining Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas, Baylor, Arizona, Villanova, UCLA, Auburn and Illinois.
Maligi spent two years (2019-21) as an assistant coach at Texas Tech University. During the 2020-21 season, the Red Raiders posted an 18-11 mark (9-8 Big 12) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. Texas Tech earned a 65-53 win over Utah State in the NCAA First Round before falling to Arkansas, 68-66. The Red Raiders were ranked in The AP Top 25 throughout the entire season for the first time in program history, reaching as high as No. 7 in February and sitting at No. 21 in the final poll. Texas Tech led the Big 12 in scoring defense (63.2 ppg) and held 13 of its 29 opponents below 60 points. The quartet of Mac McClung (second team), Terrence Shannon Jr. (third team), Kyler Edwards (honorable mention) and Kevin McCullar Jr. (honorable mention) earned All-Big 12 honors, while McClung claimed spots on the NABC and USWBA all-district teams. In addition, a school-record six players garnered Academic All-Big 12 team recognition.
Prior to his time at Texas Tech, Maligi spent three years as an assistant coach at Texas A&M (2016-19). The Aggies registered a 22-13 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 during the 2017-18 season. Texas A&M defeated Providence and North Carolina in the first and second rounds before falling to Michigan in the Sweet 16. The 86-65 win over the second-seeded Tar Heels in the Round of 32 marked the second-largest margin of victory by the Aggies in their NCAA Tournament history. Robert Williams was selected No. 27 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.
Maligi worked as the national scouting director for John Lucas Enterprises in Houston for one year (2015-16). In his role, he helped identify, evaluate and skill train talented players from across the country. Maligi also served as the camp director for all of Coach John Lucas’ fifth-thru-12th grade camps and mentored student-athletes who participated in the drug rehab program.
He spent three seasons (2012-15) as an assistant coach under legendary college and NBA head coach Larry Brown at SMU. Following his first year on staff, Maligi helped the Mustangs ink a recruiting class that ranked No. 14 nationally by Rivals. SMU posted a 27-10 record and advanced to the NIT championship game in the 2013-14 season. The Mustangs appeared in The AP Top 25 in four of the last five regular-season polls, marking the program’s first AP ranking since the 1984-85 season. SMU tied for the third-best turnaround in Division I with a plus-12-win total from the previous year (15-17 record in 2012-13). During the 2014-15 season, the Mustangs registered a 27-7 record, won the inaugural American Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1992-93. Three SMU players who signed during Maligi’s time in Dallas were later selected in the NBA Draft, including Sterling Brown (No. 46 by Milwaukee in 2017), Semi Ojeleye (No. 37 by Boston in 2017) and Shake Milton (No. 54 by Dallas in 2018).
Maligi worked as an assistant coach at the University of Houston for two seasons (2010-12). UH’s 2011 recruiting class included TaShawn Thomas, an ESPN top-100 recruit who earned C-USA All-Freshman team honors in 2011-12 and All-C-USA first-team honors in 2012-13. The Cougars’ 2012 recruiting class was ranked in the top 20 nationally and featured a pair of ESPN top-100 signees in Danrad “Chicken” Knowles and 2012-13 C-USA Freshman of the Year Danuel House.
Prior to his time at Houston, Maligi spent three seasons (2007-10) as an assistant coach at Stephen F. Austin. During his time at SFA, the Lumberjacks registered an overall record of 73-23 (.760) and won at least 23 games in each of his three years. SFA participated in the postseason NIT in the 2007-08 season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Southland Conference Tournament title in 2008-09. Maligi accepted the job of assistant coach at UTA for the 2006-07 season when he was 21 years old, making him the youngest Division I assistant coach in the country at the time.
A native of Arlington, Texas, he began his coaching career as the head manager during his undergraduate time at Howard University. In his role, he assisted the coaching staff with film breakdown, on-campus recruiting and academic monitoring while supervising the staff of student managers.
Maligi earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise physiology, cum laude, from Howard University in 2006. He and his wife, Dr. Courtney B. Maligi, have one son, Justin Josiah, and one daughter, Maleah Jaii.
The Ulric Maligi File
|
Hometown |
Arlington, Texas |
|
Education |
Howard University, bachelor’s degree, exercise physiology, cum laude, 2006 |
|
Wife |
Dr. Courtney Maligi |
|
Children |
Justin Josiah (son), Maleah Jaii (daughter) |
Maligi’s Coaching Experience
|
Years |
School |
Position/Title |
|
2025- |
Texas |
Assistant Coach |
|
2022-25 |
Kansas State |
Associate Head Coach |
|
2021-22 |
Texas |
Assistant Coach |
|
2019-21 |
Texas Tech |
Assistant Coach |
|
2016-19 |
Texas A&M |
Assistant Coach |
|
2012-15 |
SMU |
Assistant Coach |
|
2010-12 |
Houston |
Assistant Coach |
|
2007-10 |
Stephen F. Austin |
Assistant Coach |
|
2006-07 |
UTA |
Assistant Coach |
