As energy builds in the Moody Center, fans can tell that it’s time for starting lineups as firework cannons are rolled onto the court and smoke fills the tunnel. Each of the starting five on the Texas women’s basketball team receives their own level of cheers from the crowd, with freshman forward Madison Booker receiving the loudest roar when her name is called. Yet, one of the few players who rivals Booker’s applause is senior guard Shay Holle.
Holle is one of just two remaining players from the team Head Coach Vic Schaefer inherited when he joined Texas four years ago in the 2020-21 season, with senior forward DeYona Gaston being the other. At that time, Holle worked hard for every minute of playing time, averaging only seven and a half minutes per game. Scoring totals weren’t much better for the Westlake High School product, averaging one point per game.
Fast forward to this season, and Holle is now one of the most vital players on the Longhorn roster. The senior guard is averaging seven points per game on 49% shooting from the field. However, what Holle does for this team won’t be found on a stat sheet.
“I said it back even when Rori (Harmon) was healthy, Shay (Holle) has been the glue to our team,” Schaefer said.
Holle provides the veteran presence needed for any team to be successful. Her leadership and play on the court have even gained recognition from other coaches around the Big 12 Conference.
“I am a huge, huge Shay Holle fan. I can be president of the fan club. … If people don’t vote for her as an all-conference player, then they’re making a mistake.” Iowa State Head Coach Bill Fennelly said after a loss to the Longhorns in Austin earlier in the season.
Holle has started every conference game for the Longhorns this season, but even in her sophomore and junior years the guard would find herself on the bench. To Schaefer, this is what separates Holle from plenty of other players in the country.
“Shay is what’s right with college athletics,” Schaefer said. “She’s put in the work; she’s reaping the dividends of it, and you know what? I think God shows her a little favor too, because she’s a great kid.”
Another major part of Holle’s game is her work on the defensive side of the ball. After Harmon’s injury, she became the defender of each team’s primary ball handler. Her dedication to success on defense has earned her a spot on the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and an honorable mention on the Big 12 All-Conference Team.
“My mindset is that I want to help the team in whatever way they need me to,” Holle said. “It might be scoring more; it might be defending; whatever it is, I just want to fill that role.”
