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Today is Nov. 22, 2024. And on this date in Texas history, Jody Conradt began a legendary coaching career with the women’s basketball program.
To open the 1976-77 season, Texas recorded a 72-58 win at McLennan Community College. Conradt had been hired away from UT-Arlington that April to replace Rodney Page and become UT’s second-ever women’s basketball coach.
This 14-point win actually wasn’t Conradt’s debut within the Texas athletic department. Conradt was initially hired to lead both the women’s basketball and volleyball programs at UT, and she went 28-19-5 record during the 1976 volleyball season.
Conradt only coached volleyball for two seasons, but she remained with the basketball program through its 2006-07 campaign. She compiled a 783-245 record at Texas, and her 900 total wins at Sam Houston State, UT Arlington and Texas rank ninth among college basketball’s all-time winningest coaches. Conradt won a national championship with an undefeated Texas team during the 1985-86 season.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas women’s basketball coach Jody Conradt won debut with Longhorns