Two experienced head coaches will go head-to-head in the Final Four
Friday’s Final Four matchup between the UCLA Bruins and the Texas Longhorns feature a pair of longtime women’s basketball coaches. Cori Close and Vic Schaefer have each led Division I programs for over a decade.
Two decorated coaches on the sidelines
Both Close and Schaefer have racked up over 350 career wins but neither have been able to capture a national title. Only one of the two coaches will advance and head to the national championship game for a chance to capture the elusive title.
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Vic Schaefer had to wait a long time for a second shot
Schaefer began his career at Sam Houston State, becoming the Bearkats head coach in 1990. He spent seven seasons with Sam Houston, having just one winning season. It took Schaefer 15 years before his next head coaching gig.
Four Final Four appearances for Schaefer
After being an assistant at Arkansas from 1997-2003, Schaefer worked as an associate head coach for Texas A&M from 2003-2012 before getting hired at Mississippi State. Schaefer appeared in back-to-back Final Fours in 2017 and 2018 with the Bulldogs, collecting a total record of 221-62 with Mississippi State.
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Texas hired Schaefer away ahead of the 2020-2021 season. Since joining the Longhorns, Schaefer has collected a record of 179-39. Now Schaefer has made consecutive Final Fours with Texas.
Cori Close has made a couple of Final Fours too
Close is also in the midst of a second-straight Final Four appearance. In back-to-back seasons Close has led the Bruins to a new single-season program win record. UCLA is hoping for a better ending this time around, after getting blown out in last year’s semifinal game to UConn.
Cori Close has been a one-and-done in a different way for UCLA
Close has been the head coach of the Bruins since 2011, as she set the win record for a coach in program history last season. Close has an all-time record of 356-144. The Bruins were Close’s first head coaching job, as she worked at UCLA, UC Santa Barbara and Florida State as an assistant from 1993-2011.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Previewing the coaching matchup for the Texas-UCLA Final Four meeting