A Full‑Circle Return
Texas women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer announced the addition of former star Victoria Vivians to his staff, appointing her as an assistant coach focused on developing the program’s guards.
Vivians arrives after seven professional seasons in the WNBA and a recent stint as an assistant at Mississippi State, where she helped the Bulldogs reach the NCAA championship game in 2017 and 2018.
During her college career she scored 2,527 points, ranking second in Mississippi State history, and became the school’s first AP All‑American under Schaefer’s guidance in 2017.
Her leadership was on display in the 2018 title‑game start alongside current Texas assistant Blair Schaefer, a partnership that Schaefer has cited as a model for the new staff dynamic.
Vivians expressed gratitude for the opportunity, calling the role a “true full‑circle moment” that reflects the lasting impact of her former coach.
Texas associate head coach Elena Lovato, who overlapped with Vivians during her early college years, will work alongside her in shaping the guard corps.
The hire also comes as the program welcomes Mississippi native Madison Booker, a top recruit whose background mirrors Vivians’ own path from the state to the collegiate spotlight.
Sydney Carter, a former Texas assistant, departed for Auburn just weeks before Vivians’ arrival, underscoring the fluid nature of coaching movements in the women’s game.
The move signals Texas’s intent to blend proven winning experience with fresh perspectives as it seeks to climb back to the top of the national rankings.