Early last week USA TODAY Sports writer Jori Epstein produced a report in collaboration with The Intercollegiate. The Intercollegiate is a college sports investigative media company. In the report they took exit interviews from players that detailed the abuse of players from the Texas Tech women’s basketball program. This led to the eventual dismissal of then head coach Marlene Stollings.
In a press conference that soon followed the announcement of the firing, Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt admitted that “We have failed them.” The one thing that Texas Tech and Hocutt need to do is find a coach that not only can heal them but can be a proven leader for the team.
One available head coach is former Longhorns women’s head coach Karen Aston. Upon the season’s cancellation, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte decided to move on from Aston in favor of Vic Schaeffer. Schaeffer left Mississippi State to take over in Austin.
Aston was coming off six straight NCAA Tournament appearances with Texas. She likely would have made it seven had the season not been cancelled due to COVID-19. She left Texas with a career record of 184-83 overall. Aston also had a conference record 93-51. Over her career from Charlotte, North Texas and Texas she has a career .661 winning percentage. It was .689 in Austin.
It isn’t just her ability to to win games in Austin that should make her an attractive target but she is quite familiar with Big 12 basketball. Before getting her first job in Charlotte, Aston spent time as an assistant with Baylor twice and once with Texas. It is what she meant to her players. Following her dismissal, senior guard Sug Sutton posted a message about Aston on Instagram.
Thank you for giving me the best 4 years I could ask for. There was nothing that you wouldn’t have done for us! You had our backs just as much as we had yours. You weren’t perfect to everyone else but you were perfect to us (this team). You instilled the importance of Texas pride and Texas tradition into this program better than anyone could have ever done. Your hard-work, sacrifice, and commitment did not go unnoticed to us. You are an inspiration and I am so thankful for the relationship that we have built because it’ll go way beyond our time together at Texas.
I love you coach
Freshman guard Celeste Taylor also posted a message for her first collegiate coach.
Given how respected Aston was on and off the court plus her proven track record on it, should be enough to at least be considered in Lubbock.
