AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas dismissed women's basketball coach Karen Aston on Friday, ending an eight-year stint that included four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 from 2015-2018.
Aston, a Bryant native who played at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock from 1985-1987, was at the end of her contract that paid nearly $800,000 per year. Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte said it would not be renewed. A search for her replacement would begin immediately.
Aston, 55, was 184-83 overall and 93-51 in the Big 12 at Texas. Her best season was 2015-16 when the Longhorns were 31-5 and advanced to the Elite Eight. The Longhorns lost in the first round in 2019.
Texas was 19-11 last season before the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Longhorns finished 11-7 in the Big 12.
[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage » arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]
"After evaluating and reviewing where we stand as a program and discussing the future, we have determined to move in a different direction with our continued goals to work to contend for conference championships and NCAA elite status," Del Conte said.
In 12 years as a college head coach, Aston is 285-146 (66.1%).
Aston started her college head coaching career at Charlotte (2007-2011) and made a one-year stop at North Texas (2011-2012) before being named the Longhorns' coach. She had previously been an assistant under Jody Conradt at Texas from 1998-2006.
Aston coached Vilonia High School to a 36-1 record and the 1993 Class AA state title. In 1994, Aston led Fort Smith Northside to the Class AAAA semifinals. The next season she was hired as an assistant at Baylor.
Sports on 04/04/2020