Watch coach's amazing reaction to 3 student journalists who drove 16 hours to a game

When I was the sports editor of my college student newspaper, I managed a $20,000 annual travel budget, back when $20,000 actually bought something. I didn't bother gauging whether the cost of each trip was justified by the number of people who would read the stories we filed from the road. I used it to send my writers to interesting places to cover big events.

Swimming and diving championships in Alabama? Check.

Track and field championships in Oregon? Book your flights.

Twenty years later, I hope the professional lesson my writers took away from each road trip was lasting: if you want to get the story, the first step is showing up.

It was heartening to learn that the Daily Texan, the University of Texas' student newspaper, sent three staffers to Greenville, South Carolina to cover the SEC Women's Basketball tournament. Zachary Davis, Anna Ambrose and Charlie Partheymuller reportedly drove 16 hours for the assignment.

Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer noticed the effort.

"I want you all to know that when it comes time to get a job, you put me on your resume," Schaefer told the students during a postgame press conference Sunday. "I'm proud that you guys are here, and I'm proud that you take enough pride in your job that you would do that because you don't have to do that."

Texas HC Vic Schaefer found out three student journalists drove 16 hours from Austin to Greenville for the SEC WBB Tournament.

The coach told them to add him as a reference on their resumes:

"When it comes time to get a job, you put me on your resume." pic.twitter.com/HcSci2T3Lw
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) March 11, 2025

Most journalists — the ones I edited in college, at least — would tacitly accept their effort as part of the job, rather than an occasion for public praise. Too often, though, leaders (and not just in politics) consider journalists an easy mark for "scoring points," as if an actual scoreboard is still rolling even after their game ends.

Against this backdrop, Schaefer's praise is refreshing. More, please — yes — but it's really not necessary. What both he and the Kim Mulveys of the world might benefit to know is that managing a $20,000 budget prepares you for a life in journalism as much as the actual reporting, so a little grace is always appreciated.

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