Larry Vickers faced one of the toughest schedules in SEC history: Here’s what he learned
Despite a challenging first season, Larry Vickers led Auburn to a ranked win over Alabama and is focused on making the Tigers a postseason team with new transfers and assistant coach Tamoria Holmes.
Olivia Bennett 
The debut season for head coach Larry Vickers leading Auburn women’s basketball was defined by an unrelenting schedule. The Tigers navigated a tough campaign, finishing the year 15-17 overall with a 3-14 record in SEC play.
Finding Momentum
Despite the challenges, the season featured flashes of brilliance. The Tigers secured a dramatic victory over Texas A&M in the opening round of the SEC tournament via a last-second basket. While the tournament run concluded in the second round with a 73-57 loss to Ole Miss, the program is looking to build on the foundation laid during the 2025 season.
205focus.com caught up with Vickers during the SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida, to reflect on his inaugural year on the Plains. "Overall I felt like it was positive. There were way more positives than negatives," Vickers said. "My first year was one of the greatest years for women’s basketball in SEC history. But we love a challenge, and hopefully, we added some pieces to be a little better next year."
The Iron Bowl Victory
Perhaps the most significant highlight of the season occurred in the Iron Bowl. Auburn claimed a gritty 58-54 win over No. 21 Alabama this past January, marking the program's first victory against the Crimson Tide since the 2023-24 season and providing Vickers with his first ranked win as head coach.
"Being from Virginia, everybody’s seen the 30-for-30 on how big the rivalry is," Vickers noted. "We’ll take all the wins. That was a huge one that we can build on for the future."
Preparing for Year Two
Looking toward 2026, the mandate is clear: become a consistent postseason team. To bolster the roster, the program has brought in eight transfers, including two from within the SEC. Additionally, Vickers has added Tamoria Holmes to his coaching staff.
Holmes brings valuable experience to Auburn, having spent the last five seasons at East Carolina, where she helped lead the Pirates to four consecutive winning seasons—including a 22-10 finish in 2025-26. She previously worked under Vickers at Norfolk State during the 2016-17 season.
As for his goals for the upcoming season, Vickers remains focused on the bigger picture. "We want to be a lot better regarding the student-athlete experience," he said. "I’ve been able to figure out the SEC and the adjustments we need to make. We want to win a lot more basketball games and be a postseason team."
