With the season’s tip-off right around the corner, the Texas women’s basketball team is gearing up for an exciting new chapter in the competitive landscape of the Southeastern Conference.
While the players’ skill and coaches’ strategy will soon take center stage, an often-invisible group is already working tirelessly behind the scenes — the student managers. The managers’ meticulous work — from pre-game preparation to post-game cleanup — forms the foundation for the team’s success in this high-stakes environment.
The managers’ responsibilities range widely, covering everything from assisting with scouting reports to doing the team’s laundry and even making sure head coach Vic Schaefer has his iced tea available for practice.
“We always refer to them as serving hearts, and they’re definitely our unsung heroes,” assistant head coach Elena Lovato said. “We appreciate all of them.”
On game days, managers handle multiple tasks, allowing players and coaches to concentrate on the competition. They prepare the court, set up benches and ensure every piece of equipment, from towels to water bottles, is accessible.
After each game, their work continues with post-game duties, including breakdown and cleanup of equipment and even rebounding for players during shootarounds that often extend long into the night.
“They’re always trying to make sure that they’re there for us,” senior guard Rori Harmon said. “Those are our MVPs of the whole season, always, no matter what.”
The Texas women’s basketball team manager’s role extends beyond game day preparations — it’s about being part of a family. Working closely with players and coaches, they share every victory and setback, fueling their commitment to the team’s success.
“Whenever we’re able to have a good relationship with (the players) and be close with them — I think it allows us to do a little bit more in practice because we’re more comfortable with them, and we could push their limits a little bit more and just make them better every single day,” senior student manager Jake Tolfa said.
The unity within Texas women’s basketball forms a “family tree” linking players, coaches and managers.
“Our girls appreciate the managers because they know that they’re there for them no matter what and they do all the dirty work,” Lovato said. “It’s important for us as a staff to have relationships with them and that they are willing to go over and beyond.”
