AUSTIN (KXAN) — She’s back.
Texas point guard Rori Harmon, who missed most of last season after tearing the ACL in her right knee during a shootaround, posted the news on social media Thursday that fans have been begging to hear.
“I was cleared earlier today,” her post on X said, followed by the praying hands emoji. She made the post at 6:11 p.m. and it had nearly 800 likes by 7:30 p.m.
Longhorns women’s basketball head coach Vic Schaefer said Thursday during the Southeastern Conference Media Days that he “feels more comfortable,” knowing he’s got his top player back.
“If you’re soft on the ball, then everyone is going to be soft,” Schaefer said. “There’s nothing soft about Rori Harmon. If she’s playing hard, and I’m behind her, I have to think, ‘Well, golly, I better play hard, too.’ I think that’s the biggest compliment I can give anybody. If you play hard and it rubs off on the rest of your teammates, you got a chance.”
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When Harmon and Schaefer spoke with media members shortly after the team’s first official practice, there wasn’t a timeline on when Harmon would be cleared to play. They just knew she’d be ready at some point during the season. She’ll be ready for the entire season, now.
The Longhorns are No. 4 in the Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball rankings to start the season, and with Harmon back helping on both ends of the floor, it shifts Madison Booker back to her role on the wing as a small forward. Despite moving to point guard after Harmon’s injury last season, Booker was named a finalist for the Cheryl Miller Small Forward of the Year award.
Texas officially starts the season Nov. 10 against Southeast Missouri State at Moody Center. They’ll play UT-Tyler at home in an exhibition game Oct. 31.