Blair Schaefer

It was just a matter of time before it happened, but Blair Schaefer has officially picked up her clipboard and whistle as her coaching career has begun.

After dabbling in broadcasting for a year following her successful career for Mississippi State, Blair is joining her dad, Vic’s, staff this season. The former Bulldog will be MSU’s Coordinator for Player Development this season as State welcomes in a whole slue of new faces after back-to-back Southeastern Conference Championships.

For the last year, Blair worked with WCBI television and also did color commentary for both the SEC Network and MSU radio network during women’s basketball games.

Blair enters her coaching career having already been accomplished over the last several years. She was a member of the Clarion Ledger Dandy Dozen coming out of Starkville High School and was a part of MSU’s first top 20 class under Vic that included Morgan William and Victoria Vivians.

When she signed with the Bulldogs, it was apparent that she had all intentions of learning under her dad. It didn’t take long to figure out that a coaching career could follow with how methodical Blair attacked each practice and game.

"I think there has always been that part of me that has always wanted to play for my dad, so it is not really the university, I want to play for a great coach," Blair said on signing day many years ago. "I know my dad gets it done, and I want to play for someone who gets it done, and he is it."

When Blair got to college, she was a big reason for the change that came under her father’s leadership. MSU went to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009 her first season on campus. The first Sweet 16 came sophomore season and then the Final Four for Blair and her teammates as juniors. The Bulldogs made national headlines as Blair’s roommate, William, nailed a buzzer beating midrange jumper to end Connecticut’s 111-game winning streak that sent State to the school’s first national championship game.

Blair had become a big part of things that season playing in all 39 games and averaging 14.1 minutes as she was one of the team’s top shooters with 43 3-pointers. All of that prepared Blair for a huge senior season as she went from role player off of the bench to full-time starter.

In her senior year, Blair averaged 32.1 minutes a game and made the most of those as she poured in 9.1 points and 1.8 assists. She was also one of the top 3-pointer shooters in the country hitting 41 percent from deep finishing second all-time with 97 made long balls. She ended her career fifth in school history in made 3-pointers and third in 3-point percentage at 38.5 percent.

She was a four-time Academic All-SEC member, a three-time SEC Community Service team member, a Gillom Trophy Finalist as a senior, the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a member of the All-Defensive team in 2018.

During her senior season, her dad admired the way she handled her career and the adversity that came with it. It’s now prepared her for her life in coaching as she takes the same path as her father, exactly where she wants to be.

“She’s been with me all of my life. I know the work that she’s put in the film room and in the gym,” Vic said of Blair during her senior season. “We’ve got all these players transferring every year and that’s a kid that didn’t play six or eight minutes a game in her first two years. She’s a great person for all of these people that want instant gratification to talk to. She accepted her role and made it better.”