Texas Longhorns women's basketball

Texas Longhorns women's basketball
2024–25 Texas Longhorns women's basketball team
University	University of Texas at Austin
Head coach	Vic Schaefer (5th season)
Conference	SEC
Location	Austin, Texas
Arena	Moody Center (capacity: 10,000, expandable to 15,000)
Nickname	Longhorns
Colors	Burnt orange and white[1]
Uniforms
Home Away
NCAA tournament champions
1986
NCAA tournament Final Four
1986, 1987, 2003
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2003, 2016, 2021, 2022, 2024
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024
NCAA tournament round of 32
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA tournament appearances
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
AIAW tournament runner-up
1982
AIAW tournament Final Four
1982
AIAW tournament Elite Eight
1982
AIAW tournament Sweet Sixteen
1982
AIAW tournament appearances
1980, 1981, 1982
Conference tournament champions
SWC 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994 Big 12 2003, 2022, 2024
Conference regular season champions
SWC 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996 Big 12 2003, 2004, 2023

The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team represents the University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I intercollegiate women's basketball competition. The Longhorns compete in the Big 12 Conference.

Under head coach Jody Conradt, the second NCAA Division I basketball coach to win 900 career games (after Tennessee's Pat Summitt), the Longhorns won the 1986 national championship. Conradt retired after the 2006–07 season, and was replaced by Duke head coach Gail Goestenkors. She resigned after five seasons and was replaced by Karen Aston, whose contract was not renewed following the 2019–20 season. In April 2020, Vic Schaefer was named the program's fifth head coach.

From 1977 to 2022, Texas women's basketball played its home games in the Frank Erwin Special Events Center, where the team compiled a 576–118 (.830) record. The final game played in the Erwin Center was an NCAA second-round victory over Utah, 78–56, on March 20, 2022. Since the start of the 2022–23 season, the team has played in the $388 million Moody Center.

The University of Texas held its first basketball competition in 1900, six years before Magnus Mainland started the men's team at Texas. The games in the first few years were intramural. By 1906, the school was playing other institutions, although only home games, not off-campus.^[2] Full varsity intercollegiate competition in women's basketball began in 1974. Through the 2021–22 season, the Longhorns rank sixth in total victories and eighth in all-time win percentage among all NCAA Division I women's college basketball programs, with an all-time win–loss record of 1161–424 (.732).^[3]

The Longhorns have won 22 total conference championships (12 regular-season conference titles and 10 conference tournament titles) in women's basketball and have made 33 total appearances in the NCAA tournament (49–32 overall record), reaching the NCAA Final Four three times (1986, 1987, 2003) and the NCAA regional finals (Elite Eight) 10 times.^[3] Texas won the 1986 NCAA Championship to finish the 1985–86 season with a 34–0 record. Through the 2021–22 season, Texas ranks 10th in all-time NCAA Tournament victories (48), trailing Connecticut (130), Tennessee (128), Stanford (99), Notre Dame (69), Louisiana Tech (65), Duke (61), Georgia (58), Baylor (54) and North Carolina (49).^[4][5]

The very first women's basketball games occurred in 1892, at Smith College, under the direction of Senda Berenson Abbott. Shortly thereafter, Clara Baer brought the game to Louisiana. The details of how the game came to Texas is not known for certain, but in 1900, Eleanore Norvell organized the first basketball game at the University of Texas. Norvell was originally from Oklahoma, and came to Texas to direct the physical education department. She has been at Texas for less than a year when she introduced basketball to students at the school. The first recorded game occurred on Saturday January 13, 1900. The teams played four ten-minute quarters—the final score of that first game was 3–2.^[2]

Although the men's game and women's game both had their roots in the Naismith rules, the first set of rules left a lot to be specified, and the rules for the women's game developed differently than for the men. Both Senda Berensen and Clara Baer used Naismith's rules as an inspiration, but developed their own set of rules, including marked areas on the court limiting the movement of players to their respective sections. Some of these rules were motivated by the prevailing assumptions of "female frailty and dependence".^[6]

Texas would play limited intercollegiate basketball between 1903 and 1921. Eunice Aden was captain of the basketball team in 1903, took over coaching duties in 1905 and became director of physical education in 1911. Opportunities in basketball grew, but only in a limited way. Intercollegiate play existed, but the school did not allow off-campus games. When Aden retired in 1921, she was replaced by Anna Hiss, who would run the physical education department until 1957. While she was called a visionary for her role in directing physical education and intramurals, she was "dead-set against intercollegiate athletics for women". The limited intercollegiate play under Aden came to an end, with basketball now limited to intramurals and interclass play.^[2]

The ascension of Hiss to the head of the department roughly coincided with the influence of Lou Henry Hoover, First Lady of the United States. In 1923, Hoover was head of the Girl Scouts of the United States. Although Hoover was an advocate of sports, she felt that highly competitive sports were detrimental.^[7] Hoover helped to found the Women's Division of the National Amateur Athletic Foundation (WDNAAF). This foundation passed a resolution in 1925 banning extramural competition.^[7] The following year, Hiss formed an organization which voted "condemn intercollegiate competition for women, and to endorse the intramural/interclass model".^[2]

Hiss supported many activities, including tennis, golf, archery, swimming and interpretive dance, but was opposed to team sports. In general, "artistry was favored over athleticism".^[2] She led an unsuccessful protest against American woman participation in the Olympics of 1928, 1932, and 1936. She was the driving force behind the construction of a Women's Gymnasium (named in her honor after her death). While it was a substantial resource for women's athletics, it was designed to fit her beliefs—the courts were too small for a proper basketball game, and had no room for spectators and the swimming pool was deliberately shorter than Olympic length.^[2]

While basketball was not officially supported as a school-sponsored sport in the 1920s and 30s, it was still played by many groups. The interclass games were de-emphasized, but fraternities and sororities played the game, as well as organizations such as the YWCA, industrial leagues and AAU teams.^[2]

After Hiss's departure, basketball at Texas began to grow, although it would be almost a decade until it became a full varsity sport. The University of Texas Sports Association (UTSA) a predecessor to the athletic department, organized the sports available for women. Basketball was not one of the club sports offered until a student, Mary Neikirk, organized a petition which was presented to the administration. The school agreed to add basketball as a club sport under the auspices of the UTSA.^[8]

The first year's budget was $100. A team was formed, and the team played under the girl's rules of the era—six players on a team, two of whom stayed at the defensive end, two of whom stayed in the offensive end and two, called "rovers" who could play both ends. These rules were used until 1971, at which time they switched to "boy's rules".^[8]

In 1973, the team practiced and played in the annex of Gregory Gymnasium. Rodney Page, who had some experience as a women's basketball assistant coach, was a referee at one of the games. When the current coach of the team quit, Page was hired. The Texas team, in Pages' first year, compiled a record of 7–11.^[8]

The 1974 season was a season of transition, with a mixture of firsts and lasts. This year's team was the first to play their games in Gregory Gymnasium itself, rather than the annex. This was the first year the team had trainers, and it was the first year that the Longhorn Band and cheerleaders performed for the team. It was their last year under the auspices of the UTSA. It was the last year before the sport attained the status of a full varsity sport.^[8]

Title IX was passed in 1972, with a provision prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex. At the time it was passed, it was unknown what impact it would have on sports, including whether it even applied to intercollegiate sports.^[9] Two years, later, in 1974, the issue wasn't yet settled, with the Tower Amendment specifically excluding revenue-producing sports,^[10] but shortly thereafter, the Tower Amendment was eliminated.^[11] It was becoming clear that universities would have to respond sooner or later, but Texas responded in 1974. Shortly after the conclusion of the 1974 basketball season, Stephen Spurr, the University president, announced that a women's athletic department would be started, complete with offices, staff and a budget of $50,000.^[8]

Some schools waited for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to provide specific regulations covering Title IX. These regulations would not be published until 1975. In 1974, Texas began offering varsity sports opportunities to female students in seven sports.^[12] In some ways, the University of Texas program became the envy of women at other schools, but the initial progress was relative. Two-thirds of the male athletes at Texas were on scholarship, while only one in fifteen female students were on scholarship. There were 21 male coach positions, almost all full-time, but seven women's coaches who were all part-time.^[9]

Under Page's leadership, the team improved upon their prior year results, with a record of 17–10. The team started out strong, winning their first five games, including an overtime win against Houston 63–62, before running into Baylor, who won easily 116–62. Some of the games were played as preliminaries to the men's games, but others were stand-alone games.^[12]

They would also lose their next game to Southwest Texas, on a night when fundraiser was held, with an exhibition match between UT All-Stars and the All American Red Heads Team, a barnstorming team of female basketball players. The team earned an invitation to the Texas AIAW post season tournament, as a second seed behind Southwest Texas. The tournament schedule required five games in three days. The Texas team did well, except against Southwest Texas, ending up with 17 victories against 10 losses, five of which were to Southwest Texas.^[12]

The following season, Texas team would achieve even more. The basketball team added Retha Swindell, a 6' 2" rebounder with defensive skills. The school also hired Donna Lopiano, who started what would become a 17-year stint as women's athletic director. She "vowed to have every Longhorn women's team in the top 10 and at least one national title within five years".^[13] While the school was expressing a commitment to women's varsity sports, not everyone was supportive. The football coach, Darrell Royal, had told President Ford that "Title IX might be the death of big-time college football.".^[13] Despite that concern, she managed to convince him to support her during her interview.

The team's first game was against Southwest Texas, the team that had defeated Texas five times in the previous season. This time, Texas would prevail 57–47 in a game held at their arena. The team lost three in a row as a result of sickness and injury, then responded with a twelve-game winning streak. The team would go on to a 21–7 season record.^[13]

Under Rod Page, the team had improved materially, so it was a surprise that when the Longhorns completed their regular season, and prepared for the post-season tournament, athletic director Lopiano announced he would not be continuing as coach of the team. The news came as a shock to Page and the team. The reason given was that the position was a head coach of basketball and volleyball—Page did not have volleyball experience. However, Lopiano had her eye on another coach, one she felt could lead the team to become a national contender.^[13]

Lopiano's choice was Jody Conradt, who was garnering national attention as the head coach at the University of Texas at Arlington. She turned a losing program around, and the 1975–76 team would compile a 23–11 record, despite materially strengthening their schedule of opponents at the same time.^[14] Two days after announcing that Page would not be returning, Lopiano announced that Conradt would be the coach starting with the next season. Conradt wasn't surprised that the team felt loyalty to Page, but she asked them to "have an open mind".^[15]

The first season under Conradt had a schedule of 46 games. The schedule included games in the Northeast, the first out-of-state trip for the team, and the first airplane ride for many of the players. To save money, the team stayed at the home of Lopiano's parents in Stamford, Connecticut. Texas lost badly to Queens College, then ranked No. 15 in the nation, but went on to the Penn State Invitational where they beat Penn State and Southern Connecticut, at that time a national power.^[15] Mel Greenberg, the organizer of the first top 25 women's poll, was in attendance. By the time the team returned to Austin, it learned of its first national ranking at No. 14. The team would complete its first season under Conradt with a record of 36–10.^[15]

Conradt coached both basketball and volleyball, but would give up volleyball duties after two seasons.^[16] The team would go on to become a dominant women's basketball team on the 1980s, ranked in the AP Top 10 for all but one year between 1979 and 1990.^[14]

Texas would end the 1984^[17] and 1985^[18] seasons with the No. 1 ranking according in the AP poll, but failed to win the national championship in either year. In 1984, they suffered injuries, in 1985, they went 28–3, but were upset in the NCAA tournament by Western Kentucky.^[19] 1986 would end differently. Again they achieved the AP No. 1 ranking,^[20] but they also went on to win every single game, achieving a record of 34–0, and posting the first undefeated season in women's basketball during the NCAA era (since 1982) and the fourth undefeated season in women's college basketball overall.^[14]

The 1987 season saw the previous year's NCAA Final Four MVP Clarissa Davis and 1988 Olympian Andrea Lloyd lead the team back to the Final Four, hosted in Austin, but the Lady Longhorns fell in the national semifinals 70-67 to longtime nemesis Louisiana Tech. Davis suffered a knee injury in the 1988 season, limiting her to action in just nine games,^{[21][circular reference]} while the team rallied for another undefeated Southwest Conference championship season, SWC Tournament title, and No. 1 national seed in the NCAAs. Again, it was Louisiana Tech that ended the Longhorns' season—in Austin—with an 83-80 win in the Elite Eight.

Three recruiting arrivals in the fall of 1988 and fall of 1989 brought hopes to see Texas build a roster that would help return to the Final Four, with Catarina pollini, a highly touted, 6-foot-5 European standout, and Vicki Hall, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, joining the program before the 1988–89 season.^[3] Pollini, a junior transfer, suffered a knee injury and missed 12 games before returning to limited action. At that time, an obscure NCAA rule revealed that if she played past her March 16 birthday that season, it would be considered an additional year of eligibility. Opting to help Davis in her senior season, the team reached the Elite Eight in the Austin Regional where it fell to Maryland 79–71. The next fall, the state of Texas' top recruit in years, Sheryl Swoopes arrived on campus, only to leave due to homesickness before classes started. Swoopes would go on to lead Texas Tech to the 1993 NCAA Championship as Final Four MVP and Naismith College Player of the Year. As for Hall, she earned SWC Freshman of the Year honors in 1989–90 and was Texas' leading scorer the next season as Texas managed a 14–2 finish in Southwest Conference play—including a road loss to Arkansas that ended a streak of 132 conference wins. The Longhorns then lost to Texas Tech in the SWC Tournament championship game and made a Round of 48 exit from the NCAA Tournament in a 77–63 home loss to Lamar. Against Missouri State in the opening game of the 1991–92 season, Hall tore her left ACL.^[22] Texas finished 11–3 in conference play (Arkansas had departed for the SEC) and again fell to Texas Tech in the SWC Tournament championship game. The Longhorns' opening game in the NCAA Tournament's round of 32 saw them fall to UCLA 72–71.

Originally built in 1930, Gregory Gymnasium was named after its main advocate and planner, Thomas Watt Gregory. An alumnus of the University, Gregory served on the University's Board of Regents and as United States Attorney General (1914–19) before the gym was built.^[23][24] Gregory Gymnasium is located on the UT central campus, a short distance southeast of the UT Main Building, Tower, and Main Mall and facing west onto Speedway Avenue, the campus's central north–south street.

The Texas women's basketball team played home games in the Gregory Gymnasium annex in the 1972–73 season and then in the Gymnasium itself beginning with the 1973–74 season until moving into the Special Events Center (later renamed the Frank Erwin Center) for the 1977–78 season.

The Texas women's basketball team opened the Frank Erwin Center on November 29, 1977 with a 67–64 victory over Temple College.^[25]

Built for a total cost of $34 million, the building was named for former UT alumnus and Board of Regents member Frank Erwin.^[26][27] Originally known as the Special Events Center, the facility was renamed in 1981 to honor Erwin, who had died that year.^[28] The Erwin Center was located at the southeastern corner of the UT central campus and was bounded on the west by Red River Street on the east by Interstate 35.

A two-level layout (the lower arena and upper mezzanine) accommodated up to 16,540 spectators for basketball games. UT undertook extensive renovations of the facility from 2001 to 2003 at a cost of $55 million, adding, among other things, new and renovated seating, new video and sound systems, new lighting, and 28 suites. As part of the project, UT constructed the Denton A. Cooley Pavilion, a state-of-the-art practice and training facility that sits adjacent to the Erwin Center.^[27][29]

The master plan released in 2013 for the University's new Dell Medical School indicated that the Erwin Center would be demolished in a later phase of construction within 6–15 years. The final basketball season played there was 2021–22, with the Moody Center opening the following spring.^[30][31][32]

Built during the final phase of the renovation of the Erwin Center, the Denton A. Cooley Pavilion opened in the fall of 2003.^[29] The two-level, 44,000-square-foot building sits adjacent to the Erwin Center and serves as a state-of-the-art practice and training facility for the Texas men's and women's basketball teams. The Pavilion is named for Dr. Denton A. Cooley, a UT alumnus, basketball letterman (1939–41), and pioneering heart surgeon.^[33][34]

The Texas men's and women's basketball teams have separate 9,000-square-foot practice court areas, each consisting of one full-court and one half-court practice area with seven basket stations. The practice facility also includes a locker room with a players' lounge, an instructional film theater, a 4,100-square-foot strength and conditioning area, an athletic training and hydrotherapy area, an academic resource and activity center, and a coaches' lounge and locker room.^[33][34]

The Cooley Pavilion will be demolished and replaced during the same phase of construction of the Dell Medical School as the Erwin Center.^[30][31][32]

The $388 million Moody Center is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of the University of Texas. The replacement to the Frank Erwin Center was built on a former parking lot located immediately south of Mike A. Myers Soccer Stadium.^[35] The arena seats 10,000+ for most basketball games and can expand to 15,000+ seats for large basketball games and other events.

Season	Coach	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason	Coaches' poll	AP poll
Rod Page (Independent) (1974–1976)
1974–75	Rod Page	17–10	–		Texas AIAW
1975–76	Rod Page	21–7	–		Texas AIAW
Rod Page:		38–17 (.691)	–
Jody Conradt (Independent) (1976–1982)
1976–77	Jody Conradt	36–10	–		AIAW Region 4 Tournament
1977–78	Jody Conradt	29–10	–		NWIT Second Place		15
1978–79	Jody Conradt	37–4	–		AIAW Region 4 Tournament		4
1979–80	Jody Conradt	33–4	–		AIAW Sixteen (Play-in)		7
1980–81	Jody Conradt	28–8	–		AIAW First round		16
1981–82	Jody Conradt	35–4	–		AIAW Finals		5
Jody Conradt (Southwest Conference) (1982–1996)
1982–83	Jody Conradt	30–3	8–0	1st	NCAA Elite Eight		3
1983–84	Jody Conradt	32–3	16–0	1st	NCAA Elite Eight		1
1984–85	Jody Conradt	28–3	16–0	1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen		1
1985–86	Jody Conradt	34–0	16–0	1st	NCAA Champions	1	1
1986–87	Jody Conradt	31–2	16–0	1st	NCAA Final Four	3	1
1987–88	Jody Conradt	32–3	16–0	1st	NCAA Elite Eight	5	4
1988–89	Jody Conradt	27–5	16–0	1st	NCAA Elite Eight	6	6
1989–90	Jody Conradt	27–5	15–1	T-1st	NCAA Elite Eight	6	8
1990–91	Jody Conradt	21–9	14–2	2nd	NCAA first round	25	16
1991–92	Jody Conradt	21–10	11–3	3rd	NCAA second round (bye)	23	19
1992–93	Jody Conradt	22–8	13–1	T-1st	NCAA second round (bye)	19	16
1993–94	Jody Conradt	22–9	10–4	3rd	NCAA second round	23	25
1994–95	Jody Conradt	12–16	7–7	T-4th
1995–96	Jody Conradt	21–9	13–1	T-1st	NCAA second round	25
Jody Conradt (Big 12) (1996–2007)
1996–97	Jody Conradt	22–8	12–4	T-2nd	NCAA second round	18	14
1997–98	Jody Conradt	12–15	7–9	7th
1998–99	Jody Conradt	16–12	10–6	4th	NCAA first round
1999–2000	Jody Conradt	21–13	9–7	6th	NCAA first round
2000–01	Jody Conradt	20–13	7–9	7th	NCAA first round
2001–02	Jody Conradt	22–10	10–6	5th	NCAA Sweet Sixteen	13	14
2002–03	Jody Conradt	29–6	15–1	1st	NCAA Final Four	3	5
2003–04	Jody Conradt	30–5	14–2	T-1st	NCAA Sweet Sixteen	10	4
2004–05	Jody Conradt	22–9	13–3	2nd	NCAA second round	17	13
2005–06	Jody Conradt	13–15	7–9	T-8th
2006–07	Jody Conradt	18–14	6–10	T-7th
Jody Conradt:		783–245 (.762)	SWC: 187–19 (.908) Big 12: 110–66 (.625)
Gail Goestenkors (Big 12) (2007–2012)
2007–08	Gail Goestenkors	22–13	7–9	T-7th	NCAA second round
2008–09	Gail Goestenkors	21–12	8–8	6th	NCAA first round		25
2009–10	Gail Goestenkors	22–11	10–6	T-4th	NCAA first round	25	17
2010–11	Gail Goestenkors	19–14	7–9	7th	NCAA first round
2011–12	Gail Goestenkors	18–14	8–10	T-6th	NCAA first round
Gail Goestenkors:		102–64 (.614)	40–42 (.488)
Karen Aston (Big 12) (2012–2020)
2012–13	Karen Aston	12–18	5–13	T-8th
2013–14	Karen Aston	22–12	11–7	3rd	NCAA second round
2014–15	Karen Aston	24–11	9–9	T-3rd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen		22
2015–16	Karen Aston	31–5	15–3	2nd	NCAA Elite Eight	7	7
2016–17	Karen Aston	25–9	15–3	2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen	14	14
2017–18	Karen Aston	28–7	15–3	2nd	NCAA Sweet Sixteen	10	8
2018–19	Karen Aston	23–10	12–6	3rd	NCAA first round	23
2019–20	Karen Aston	19–11	11–7	3rd
Karen Aston:		184–83 (.689)	93–51 (.646)
Vic Schaefer (Big 12) (2020–2024)
2020–21	Vic Schaefer	21–10	11–7	5th	NCAA Elite Eight	17
2021–22	Vic Schaefer	29–7	13–5	3rd	NCAA Elite Eight	6	6
2022-23	Vic Schaefer	26–10	14–4	T–1st	NCAA Second round	19	15
2023-24	Vic Schaefer	33–5	14–4	2nd	NCAA Elite Eight	7	5
Vic Schaefer (SEC) (2024–present)
2024–25	Vic Schaefer	4–0	0–0
Vic Schaefer:		113–32 (.779)	52–20 (.722)
Total:		1220–440 (.735)	SWC: 187–19 (.908) Big 12: 294–174 (.628) SEC: 0–0
National champion         Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

National championships

National championships
Total	Type	Year
1	NCAA Division I Tournament champion	1986
1 national championship

Conference championships

Conference championships
Total	Type	Year
3	Big 12 Conference championship (regular season)	2003, 2004*, 2023*
10	Southwest Conference championship (regular season)	1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990*, 1993*, 1996*
3	Big 12 Conference tournament championship	2003, 2022, 2024
9	Southwest Conference tournament championship	1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994
*Denotes shared conference championship
25 total conference championships

Texas has appeared in the NCAA tournament on 36 occasions (tied for third-most appearances all time).^[36] The Longhorns' overall record in the tournament is 52–35.^[3]

The NCAA has seeded the Tournament since its inaugural year in 1982.^[37] Texas participated in the final AIAW women's basketball tournament in 1982 rather than the inaugural NCAA Tournament (falling in the AIAW Championship Game to Rutgers, 83–77); the Longhorns began participating in the NCAA Tournament in 1983.^[38] Texas has appeared in 36 of the 41 Tournaments held since 1983.^[39]

Years →	'83	'84	'85	'86	'87	'88	'89	'90	'91	'92	'93	'94	'96	'97	'99	'00	'01	'02	'03	'04	'05	'08	'09	'10	'11	'12	'14	'15	'16	'17	'18	'19	'21	'22	'23	'24
Seeds →	2	2	1	1	1	1	2	3	7	4	3	5	5	3	12	7	8	4	2	1	3	8	6	6	9	9	5	5	2	3	2	7	6	2	4	1

The Longhorns made three appearances in the AIAW National Division I basketball tournament, with a combined record of 6–3.

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
1980	First round Second round	Mercer Maryland	W, 81–60 L, 63–68
1981	First round	Illinois State	L, 63–66
1982	First round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship	Central Missouri State Wisconsin Wayland Baptist Rutgers	W, 67–54 W, 73–61 W, 82–63 L, 77–83

Texas has been ranked in at least one of the final AP or Coaches polls in 28 seasons since their introduction prior to the 1976–77 and 1985–86 seasons, respectively. The Longhorns have recorded 16 Top 10 finishes and 10 Top Five finishes in one or more of the final polls.^[3] As of March 2, 2017, Texas teams have been ranked in 587 of 822 total weekly AP polls (71.4%) since the inception of the poll in the 1976–77 season (third all-time in AP poll appearances),^[3] and in 445 of 687 total weekly Coaches polls (64.8%) since the inception of the poll in the 1985–86 season.^[40]

Texas women's basketball leads the all-time series against all Big 12 Conference opponents.

Texas vs.	Overall record	at Austin	at Opponent's Venue	at neutral site	Last 5 meetings	Last 10 meetings	Current streak	Since Beginning of Big 12
Baylor	UT, 59–48	UT, 29–18	UT, 25–24	BU, 5–6	BU, 3–2	BU, 8–2	W 2	BU, 41–20
Iowa State	UT, 26–21	UT, 13–7	ISU, 10–9	tied, 4–4	UT, 5–0	UT, 8–2	W 7	UT, 26–21
Kansas	UT, 34–12	UT, 16–5	UT, 14–7	UT, 4–1	UT, 4–1	UT, 8–2	W 3	UT, 26–11
Kansas State	UT, 28–17	UT, 15–5	UT, 11–9	KSU, 3–2	UT, 5–0	UT, 7–3	W 5	UT, 21–14
Oklahoma	UT, 38–27	UT, 21–9	OU, 16–12	UT, 5–2	UT, 3–2	UT, 8–2	W 2	UT, 28–23
Oklahoma State	UT, 42–17	UT, 25–4	UT, 15–12	UT, 2–1	UT, 4–1	UT, 8–2	W 1	UT, 36–16
Texas Christian	UT, 50–4	UT, 24–1	UT, 23–3	UT, 3–0	UT, 5–0	UT, 9–1	W 6	UT, 19–4
Texas Tech	UT, 77–32	UT, 38–8	UT, 27–19	UT, 12–5	TTU, 3–2	UT, 7–3	L 1	UT, 34–24
West Virginia	UT, 16–10	UT, 8–2	UT, 6–5	WVU, 3–2	UT, 3–2	UT, 6–4	W 3	UT, 12–7
*As of February 4, 2023.

Texas women's basketball leads the all-time series against all former Big 12 Conference opponents. Texas holds a winning record against all former Big 12 members in games played in Big 12 competition.

Texas vs. former Big 12 members^*[41]

Texas vs.	Overall record	at Austin	at Opponent's Venue	at neutral site	Last 5 meetings	Last 10 meetings	Current streak	During Membership in Big 12	Last meeting
Colorado	UT, 16–4	UT, 7–1	UT, 7–2	UT, 2–1	UT, 5–0	UT, 9–1	W 3	UT, 13–4	2011-01-30
Missouri	UT, 23–2	UT, 12–0	UT, 7–2	UT, 4–0	UT, 4–1	UT, 9–1	W 4	UT, 20–2	2016-03-21
Nebraska	UT, 14–6	UT, 8–1	tied, 4–4	UT, 2–1	NU, 3–2	UT, 7–3	W 1	UT, 13–5	2011-02-15
Texas A&M	UT, 63–24	UT, 29–8	UT, 25–11	UT, 9–5	UT, 4–1	tie, 5–5	W 1	UT, 22–16	2021-12-05
*As of end of 2021–22 season.

Texas leads all series against former Southwest Conference members who are not current members of the Big 12.

Texas vs. former SWC opponents (non-Big 12)^*[41]

Texas vs.	Overall record	at Austin	at Opponent's Venue	at neutral site	Last 5 meetings	Last 10 meetings	Current streak	Since End of SWC	Last meeting
Arkansas	UT, 22–3	UT, 8–2	UT, 7–1	UT, 7–0	UA, 3–2	UT, 7–3	W 2	UT, 2–0	2015-12-20
Houston	UT, 54–3	UT, 23–0	UT, 21–3	UT, 10–0	UT, 4–1	UT, 8–2	W 1	tied, 1–1	1999-12-07
Rice	UT, 34–1	UT, 15–0	UT, 16–1	UT, 3–0	UT, 4–1	UT, 9–1	W 2	UT, 2–0	2015-11-21
Southern Methodist	UT, 36–3	UT, 16–1	UT, 15–1	UT, 5–1	UT, 4–1	UT, 7–3	W 4	UT, 2–0	2020-11-05
*As of end of 2021–22 season.

The Longhorns retired their first number in program history on September 7, 2019. Kamie Ethridge’s number 33 was officially retired at halftime of a Texas–LSU football game, becoming the first female Longhorn athlete to receive this honor.^[42]

Clarissa Davis's number 24 was retired on March 8, 2020, at a pre-game ceremony during the Texas-Oklahoma State Women's Basketball game.^[43]

Texas Longhorns retired numbers
No.	Player	Seasons	Year retired
33	Kamie Ethridge	1983-1986	2019
24	Clarissa Davis	1986-1989	2020

The individual honors, awards, and accomplishments listed in the succeeding subsections are aggregated by player in the following table. Players with only all-conference honors (other than conference player of the year) or lower than first-team All-America honors are not included.

Name	Position	Seasons	Notes
Charli Collier	F	2018–23	2021 WNBA All-Rookie Team 2021 WNBA draft 1st Round, 1st pick—Dallas Wings Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward (2020–21) 2021 Big 12 All-defensive team
Sug Sutton	G	2017–present	2020 WNBA draft 3rd Round, 36th pick—Washington Mystics 2020 second-team All-Big 12 2019 Big 12 All-tournament team 2019 first-team All-Big 12 guard
Ariel Atkins	G	2015–present	2-time WNBA All-Star (2021,22) 2022 first WNBA All-Defensive Team 4-time second WNBA All-Defensive Team (2018–21) 2018 WNBA All-Rookie Team 2018 WNBA draft 1st Round, 7th pick—Washington Mystics Two-time first-team All-Big 12 guard (2017–18)
Imani Boyette	C	2013–16	2016 WNBA All-Rookie Team 2016 WNBA draft 1st Round, 10th pick—Chicago Sky 2016 Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year Two-time first-team All-Big 12 center (2015–16) 2013 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year
Edwina Brown	F	1997–2000	2000 WNBA draft 1st Round, 3rd pick—Detroit Shock 2000 National Player of the Year (Wade Trophy) 2000 first-team All-American forward 1999 second-team All-American forward Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward (1999–2000)
Edna Campbell	G	1990–91	1999 WNBA draft 1st Round, 10th pick—Phoenix Mercury Two-time first-team All-SWC guard (1990–91)
Jamie Carey	PG	2003–05	2005 WNBA draft 3rd Round, 5th pick (31st overall)—Phoenix Mercury Two-time first-team All-Big 12 guard (2004–05)
Clarissa Davis	F	1986–89	Women's Basketball Hall of Fame member (2006) 1999 WNBA draft 2nd Round, 10th pick (22nd overall)—Phoenix Mercury 1992 Olympic bronze medalist 1989 National Player of the Year (Naismith Trophy, Wade Trophy, USBWA, WBCA) 1987 National Player of the Year (Naismith Trophy) Two-time first-team All-American forward (1987, 1989) 1989 Southwest Conference Player of the Year Three-time first-team All-SWC forward (1986–87, 1989) 1986 Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year
Nneka Enemkpali	F	2012–15	2015 WNBA draft 3rd Round, 2nd pick (26th overall)—Seattle Storm 2014 first-team All-Big 12 forward
Kamie Ethridge	PG	1983–86	Women's Basketball Hall of Fame member (2002) 1988 Olympic gold medalist 1986 National Player of the Year (Wade Trophy, Honda Sports Award) Two-time first-team All-American guard (1985–86) Three-time first-team All-SWC guard (1984–86)
Fran Harris	G	1983–86	1985 Southwest Conference Player of the Year Three-time first-team All-SWC guard (1984–86)
Tiffany Jackson	F	2004–07	2007 WNBA draft 1st round, 5th pick—New York Liberty 2005 first-team All-American forward Three-time first-team All-Big 12 forward (2005–07) 2004 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year
Andrea Lloyd	F	1984–87	Women's Basketball Hall of Fame member (2007) 1999 WNBA draft 3rd round, 7th pick (31st overall)—Minnesota Lynx 1988 Olympic gold medalist Three-time first-team All-American forward (1985–87) 1987 Southwest Conference Player of the Year Four-time first-team All-SWC forward (1984–87) 1984 Southwest Conference Freshman of the Year
Brooke McCarty	PG	2015–18	2018 third-team All-American guard Three-time first-team All-Big 12 guard (2016–18) 2017 Big 12 Conference Player of the Year
Heather Schreiber	F	2002–05	2005 WNBA draft 3rd Round, 13th pick (39th overall)—Los Angeles Sparks Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward (2003–04) 2002 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year
Annette Smith	F	1982–84, 1986	Women's Basketball Hall of Fame member (2013) 1984 first-team All-American forward Two-time Southwest Conference Player of the Year (1983–84) Two-time first-team All-SWC forward (1983–84)
Stacy Stephens	F	2001–04	2004 WNBA draft 3rd Round, 11 pick (37th overall)—Houston Comets 2004 second-team All-American forward 2003 third-team All-American forward Two-time first-team All-Big 12 forward (2003–04)
Beverly Williams	G	1985–88	1988 first-team All-American guard Two-time first-team All-SWC guard (1987–88)
Yulonda Wimbish	SG/SF	1985–88	1988 Southwest Conference Player of the Year 1988 first-team All-SWC guard/forward

Four Longhorn women's basketball players have been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee.^[44]

Longhorns in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame
Player	No.	Position	UT Career	Date inducted
Kamie Ethridge	33	PG	1983–86	April 27, 2002
Clarissa Davis	24	F	1986–89	April 29, 2006
Andrea Lloyd	25	F	1984–87	June 9, 2007
Annette Smith	15	F	1982–84, 1986	June 8, 2013

Three Texas players have won one or more of the widely recognized National Player of the Year awards on four occasions.^[45]

National Player of the Year award recipients
Player	No.	Position	Career	Award Year	Awards
Kamie Ethridge	33	PG	1983–86	1986	Wade Trophy Honda Sports Award
Clarissa Davis	24	F	1986–89	1987	Naismith College Player of the Year
				1989	Naismith College Player of the Year Wade Trophy USBWA Women's National Player of the Year WBCA Player of the Year
Edwina Brown	24	F	1997–2000	2000	Wade Trophy

Eleven Texas basketball players have received All-America honors on 19 occasions.^[45] Seven Texas players have received first-team All-America honors in 11 seasons, with two Longhorn players having been selected as a first-team All-American twice and one player having been selected three times.^[45][46]

Five Texas players have won conference player of the year honors on six occasions—all in the Southwest Conference. One Longhorn player has won Big 12 Player of the Year honors, and two players have won Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors.^[47][48]

Twenty-five Texas women's basketball players have received first-team all-conference honors on 48 occasions. Of these 25 players, ten have received first-team all-conference honors in two seasons, five players have received them in three seasons, and one player has received them in all four seasons.^[47][48]

Ten Longhorn freshmen women's basketball players have won conference freshman of the year honors—six players in the Southwest Conference and four players in the Big 12 Conference.^[47]

Nine Longhorn women's basketball players have won conference tournament most valuable player honors on 10 occasions.^[47]

As of November 4, 2021, 19 Longhorn women's basketball players have been selected in the WNBA draft since the inaugural draft in 1997. Of these, six were selected in the first round, two were selected in the second round, seven were selected in the third round, and two were selected in the fourth round.

Year	Round	Pick	Overall	Player	Team
1997	4	8	32	Catarina Pollini	Houston Comets
1998	4	3	33	Angela Jackson	Washington Mystics
1999	1	10	10	Edna Campbell	Phoenix Mercury
1999	2	10	22	Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil	Phoenix Mercury
1999	3	7	31	Andrea Lloyd	Minnesota Lynx
2000	1	3	3	Edwina Brown	Detroit Shock
2004	3	11	37	Stacy Stephens1	Houston Comets
2005	3	5	31	Jamie Carey2	Phoenix Mercury
2005	3	13	39	Heather Schreiber	Los Angeles Sparks
2007	1	5	5	Tiffany Jackson	New York Liberty
2010	3	9	33	Brittainey Raven	Atlanta Dream
2015	3	2	26	Nneka Enemkpali	Seattle Storm
2016	1	10	10	Imani Boyette	Chicago Sky
2018	1	7	7	Ariel Atkins	Washington Mystics
2020	2	7	19	Joyner Holmes3	Seattle Storm
2020	3	12	36	Sug Sutton	Washington Mystics
2021	1	1	1	Charli Collier	Dallas Wings

1Later traded to Detroit Shock. 2Later signed with Connecticut Sun. 3Later signed with New York Liberty.

As of the 2020 WNBA season, 22 Texas players have played in the WNBA in league history. Four Longhorn players currently play in the WNBA.

All-time WNBA players

All-time Texas WNBA players
Player	Draft year	Round	Pick (Overall)	WNBA career	Teams
Fran Harris	1997	undrafted		1997–98	Houston Comets (1997) Utah Starzz (1998)
Nekeshia Henderson	1997	undrafted		2000–01	Houston Comets (2000–01)
Catarina pollini	1997	4	8th (32nd)	1997	Houston Comets (1997)
Danielle Viglione	1997	undrafted		1997	Sacramento Monarchs (1997)
Angela Jackson	1998	4	3rd (33rd)	1998	Washington Mystics (1998)
Edna Campbell	1999	1	10th (10th)	1999–2005	Phoenix Mercury (1999) Seattle Storm (2000) Sacramento Monarchs (2001–04) San Antonio Silver Stars (2005)
Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil	1999	2	10th (22nd)	1999	Phoenix Mercury (1999)
Andrea Lloyd-Curry	1999	3	7th (31st)	1999–2000	Minnesota Lynx (1999–2000)
Edwina Brown	2000	1	3rd (3rd)	2000–03, 2006	Detroit Shock (2000–02) Phoenix Mercury (2003) Houston Comets (2006)
Vicki Hall	2000	undrafted		2000–02	Cleveland Rockers (2000–01) Indiana Fever (2001) Los Angeles Sparks (2002)
Tai Dillard	2003	undrafted		2003–05	San Antonio Silver Stars (2003–05)
Stacy Stephens	2004	3	11th (37th)	2004	Detroit Shock (2004)
Jamie Carey	2005	3	5th (31st)	2005–08	Connecticut Sun (2005–08)
Tiffany Jackson	2007	1	5th (5th)	2007–15, 2017	New York Liberty (2007–10) Tulsa Shock (2010–15) Los Angeles Sparks (2017)
Carla Cortijo	2008	undrafted		2015–17	Atlanta Dream (2015–17)
Brittainey Raven	2010	3	9th (33rd)	2010	Atlanta Dream (2010)
Imani Boyette	2016	1	10th (10th)	2016–2019	Chicago Sky (2016–17) Atlanta Dream (2017–18) Dallas Wings (2019)
Ariel Atkins	2018	1	7th (7th)	2018–present	Washington Mystics (2018–present)
Brooke McCarty	2018	undrafted		2019	Dallas Wings (2019)
Joyner Holmes	2020	2	7th (19th)	2020–present	New York Liberty (2020–2021) Las Vegas Aces (2021) Connecticut Sun (2022) Los Angeles Sparks (2023) Seattle Storm (2023-present)
Sug Sutton	2020, 2023-present	3	12th (36th)	2020	Washington Mystics (2020) Phoenix Mercury (2023–present)
Charli Collier	2021	1	1st (1st)	2021–2022	Dallas Wings (2021–2022)

Current WNBA players

Texas players currently in the WNBA
Player	Draft year	Round	Pick (Overall)	WNBA career	Current team
Ariel Atkins	2018	1	7th (7th)	2018–present	Washington Mystics (2018–present)
Joyner Holmes	2020	2	7th (19th)	2020–present	Seattle Storm (2023–present)

Six Longhorn players played in the ABL.^[49]

All-time ABL players

All-time Texas ABL players
Player	ABL career	Teams
Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil	1996–98	New England Blizzard (1996–97) Long Beach StingRays (1997–98) San Jose Lasers (1998)
Andrea Lloyd-Curry	1996–98	Columbus Quest (1996–98)
Edna Campbell	1997–98	Colorado Xplosion (1997–98)
Vicki Hall	1997–98	Colorado Xplosion(1997–98) Nashville Noise (1998)
Beverly Williams	1997–98	Long Beach StingRays (1997–98)
Nekeshia Henderson	1998	San Jose Lasers (1998)

Five Longhorn women's basketball players have competed in the Olympic Games in women's basketball, with three players winning gold medals and one player winning a bronze medal.^[50] Longhorn alumna Nell Fortner was head coach of gold medal-winning United States teams in 1996 and 2000. Former Longhorn coach Gail Goestenkors was an assistant coach for the United States team that won a gold medal in 2008.

Longhorns in the Olympics by year
Year	Player	Country	Medal
1988	Kamie Ethridge	United States
1988	Andrea Lloyd	United States
1992	Clarissa Davis	United States
1992	Catarina Pollini	Italy	8th place (of 8)
1996	Catarina Pollini	Italy	8th place (of 12)
2021	Ariel Atkins	United States

In October 1998, Jody Conradt became the second women's basketball coach to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. Conradt was also a member of the inaugural class elected to the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Tennessee in June 1999.^[51]

Conradt won the WBCA National Coach of the Year Award following her 1984 season at Texas, in which her team posted a 32–3 overall record and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, and following the 1986 season, in which her team finished undefeated and won the NCAA championship.^[52]

Jody Conradt was recognized as the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year for the 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 1996 seasons and as the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.^[47] Karen Aston was named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2017.^[48] Vic Schaefer was named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year in 2023.

• 1986 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
• Texas Longhorns men's basketball

• Susan Shackelford; Grundy, Pamela (2005). Shattering the Glass: The Dazzling History of Women's Basketball from the Turn of the Century to the Present. New York: New Press. ISBN 1-56584-822-5.
• Lannin, Joanne (2000). A history of basketball for girls and women: from bloomers to big leagues. Minneapolis: Lerner Sports. ISBN 0-8225-9863-9.
• Pennington, Richard (1998). Longhorn hoops: the history of Texas basketball. United States: University of Texas Press. ISBN 0-292-76585-1.
• Porter, David (2005). Basketball: a biographical dictionary. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-30952-3.

• Official website