Shay Holle Says Goodbye After Five Years With Texas Longhorns

"Shay's been with me every day the last five years," Schaefer said. "I don't know what it's going to be like walking in the gym next year and Shay Holle ain't in there. Might feel like death."

After the game, Schaefer raved about Holle for close to five minutes, who had just as much to say about him and her time in a Texas jersey.

"Like, coach said, it's been such a blessing being on this team," Holle said. "That's the best word for it is just a blessing, because not only are they obviously incredible basketball players, but just all of them are such good people and such good friends to me, and they'll always be that, and I'll always be there for them.

"I couldn't have asked for a better last year, going to the Final Four with Coach Schaefer and this group, and seeing the work that we put in every single day, and just the program that he's built since five years ago. It's crazy to look back on, definitely a weird feeling today, but just a blessing overall."

Schaefer said that if he could keep Holle around as a coach, he would. Together, the pair brought Texas back to the top of college basketball, somewhere it once was as one of the premier programs in sport.

While Holle didn't score any points in her final game, she made her presence known in other ways, something she's been known for doing all season.

"When you get the one who, every day, doesn't have a bad day, walks into the gym with a smile on their face, never has an excuse or cop out, is accountable for everything and anything. Wants to please, never asked why, How come? You don't forget those kind of kids," Schaefer said about Holle.

In her storied career, Holle reached three Elite Eights and one Final Four in five years and won five conference championships, four in the Big 12 and one in the SEC.

She's set this program up for success and will be present when Texas gets back to the Final Four stage.

"I'll be in the stands when that happens, for sure," Holle said. "I want to witness that. I'll always have a lot of pride in being a Longhorn, I'm a Longhorn for life, for sure."

While Holle's career at Texas is over, she hasn't announced if she has any further plans to continue playing basketball.