Mississippi State women's basketball fought hard on Thursday night in a 68-64 loss to #1 Texas, and one of the biggest stories of the game was the reunion that took place during it. Former Bulldog head coach Vic Schaefer, now leading the Longhorns, made his first return to Humphrey Coliseum.
In eight seasons as the head coach of Mississippi State from 2012-2020, Schaefer led the Bulldogs to a run that may never be matched. His teams saw seven-straight 20-win seasons, three-straight 30-win seasons, five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances (COVID prevented six-straight), two SEC regular season titles, one SEC Tournament title, and back-to-back trips to the national championship game. He won 78% of his games in Starkville.
Vic Schaefer left for Texas following the 2019-2020 season, and he has since turned the Longhorns into a national power. With his team in town, Thursday night was an opportunity for him to get some deserved recognition.
Mississippi State Bulldogs fans welcome Vic Schaefer back to Starkville
During team introductions ahead of the matchup between State and Texas, Vic Schaefer was met with a well-earned applause from Bulldog fans, as shown in this video from Benjamin Rosenberg of The Dispatch.
A nice hand from the Starkville crowd for Vic and Blair Schaefer. pic.twitter.com/osB6kBgY4T
— Benjamin Rosenberg (@bxrosenberg) February 28, 2025
Vic wasn't the only Schaefer to receive a warm welcome back to Humphrey Coliseum. His daughter and assistant coach, Blaire Schaefer, played for the Bulldogs under her father and was a key player during State's back-to-back trips to the national championship game. She too was given her due by the Maroon and White faithful.
There's always a question as to how a former coach that left for another job will be received by his old fanbase. After all, college sports fans are a passionate bunch, and it can be easy to feel scorned.
But the love for Vic Schaefer and his program by State fans will always be deep, and enough time has passed since he left that any bitterness that may have existed has faded. Schaefer got the ovation from the Mississippi State crowd that he deserved.
He completely changed Bulldog women's basketball, not only taking that program to unprecedented heights, but taking them to heights that practically no other program in Starkville has ever reached. He is the reason that deep passion exists for women's basketball at Mississippi State, and there will forever be admiration for him here.