Schaefer earns SEC, national honors
Vic Schaefer
Following a historic regular season, the Mississippi State women’s basketball team piled up the SEC honors from league coaches last week.
Head coach Vic Schaefer was named SEC Co-Coach of the Year as well as a one of 10 semifinalists for Naismith National Coach of the Year.
Schaefer shared coach of the year honors with South Carolina’s Dawn Staley after guiding the Bulldogs to a third-place finish in the SEC and school records with 26 overall wins and 11 SEC victories.
He joined Staley, Geno Auriemma (Connecticut), Courtney Banghart (Princeton), Anthony Bozzella (Seton Hall), Brenda Frese (Maryland), Scott Rueck (Oregon State), Sue Semrau (Florida State), Suzie McConnell-Serio (Pittsburgh) and Charli Turner-Thorne as semifinalists for the national honor.
“I certainly appreciate the other coaches in the league and the Atlanta Tipoff Club for acknowledging the job both my assistant coaches and my players have helped me do here at Mississippi State,” Schaefer said. “One of the biggest things I learned from Coach (Gary) Blair is you can’t do it by yourself. I have what I think is the best staff in the country and tremendous players who have given of themselves this year and allowed us to coach and teach them and reach new heights here at Mississippi State. Being named SEC Co-Coach of the Year and a semifinalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year are tremendous honors and ones I definitely have to share with my staff and players. God continues to bless our Mississippi State program and me. I’m very grateful to receive these honors.
“I also want to congratulate Dawn Staley on also being co-Coach of the Year. Dawn has a tremendous team, and she and her staff have done a great job this season. It’s an honor to share this award with her.”
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