While Kim Mulkey may have scolded reporters for snacking, Vic Schaefer was far more gracious with those covering his team.
Following a 64-45 drubbing at the hands of Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks in the SEC Championship Game, Schaefer paused to acknowledge a group of student reporters who had gathered at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
There have been some heartwarming exchanges with young reporters in press conferences before; this isn’t new. Think of Northwestern’s Chris Collins showing patience when a student reporter stumbled over their words or Georgetown’s Ed Cooley encouraging tough questions from student journalists.
Earlier this year, Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams even shared invaluable advice with Missouri journalism students. But Schaefer’s approach was different. Instead of offering guidance, he chose to express his gratitude.
Looking out at the crowd, Schaefer noticed a few familiar faces from The Daily Texan — three student reporters who had made the 16-hour drive to cover the game. Based on Google Maps, it looks like it’d take close to 17 hours, and that’s without accounting for stopping.
“I want y’all to know when it comes time to get a job, you put me on your resume,” Schaefer said, his voice sincere. “That’s really unique. I’m proud that you guys are here. And I’m proud that you’ve taken enough pride in your job that you would do that because you don’t have to do that. And I think people need to know that. So, thank you for being here.”
Schaefer’s gesture of gratitude may have come after a tough loss. But it stood out as a rare display of class and recognition in a space where that often gets overlooked.
Take note, Kim Mulkey.
There’s a sea of coaches in the industry who barely acknowledge the media that covers their teams. That’s not Schaefer, though. The Texas head coach tried to remind us that respect and appreciation still matter on both sides of the aisle, even in the often transactional relationship between the media, coaches and student-athletes.
Oh, and student reporters, too.
