Rodney Terry, the head coach of the Texas Longhorns men’s basketball team, is no stranger to the spotlight. He leads the Longhorns through an intense NCAA season. He went to navigate the unpredictable world of college basketball. Terry has had a whirlwind coaching career. But when it comes to his personal life, he keeps things far more private.
Who Is the Texas Coach Rodney Terry’s Partner?
Fans often wonder: Who is the special someone in his life? While Terry isn’t one to broadcast his relationships, it is known that he has been in a relationship with Vielka Rivers.
A woman of many talents, Rivers is a salon owner, stylist, designer, model, and teacher. But there’s much more to her story and to their relationship than meets the eye.
Born in Nicaragua in 1975, Vielka Rivers has built an impressive career across multiple fields. Not just a businesswoman, she’s a mother as well. She has two sons, Prince Elias and Eden Ewing, the latter of whom has followed an athletic path much like Rodney Terry.
Terry and Rivers have mostly kept their relationship under wraps, but there have been some glimpses into their personal lives. On March 22, 2023, Terry gave fans a rare insight into his romantic side by publicly wishing Rivers a happy birthday on Twitter, referring to her as his girlfriend.
The couple has also been spotted together at major Texas Longhorns games, most notably on October 19, 2024, when they were seen on the sidelines of the Texas vs. Georgia Bulldogs football game.
While their relationship remains relatively low-profile, it’s clear that Rivers plays a supportive role in Terry’s life, especially as he navigates the ever-demanding world of college basketball coaching.
Rodney Terry’s Coaching Journey
Rodney Terry’s coaching career has been nothing short of eventful. Starting as an assistant coach at St. Edward’s University in 1990, he climbed the ranks with stints at Baylor. And then UNC Wilmington before securing his first head coaching position at Fresno State in 2011. His journey then took him to UTEP, where he continued to hone his skills before returning to Texas in 2021.
Terry’s defining moment came in December 2022, when he took over as the interim head coach of the Longhorns following the arrest of then-head coach Chris Beard. Under Terry’s leadership, Texas flourished, securing a Big 12 tournament championship and reaching the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament.
His success earned him the full-time head coaching position on March 27, 2023.
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But the 2024–25 season has been a different story. Texas struggled in its first year in the SEC, finishing 13th in the conference and bowing out in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.
The Longhorns’ early exit from the NCAA tournament, with an 86-80 loss to Xavier in the First Four, has cast doubts over Terry’s future with the program. Reports suggest that the university may be considering a coaching change after the disappointing season.
With speculation about his job security swirling, many wonder what’s next for Terry. Some reports indicate that Texas is actively searching for potential replacements, looking at big names in both collegiate and professional basketball. While nothing is official yet, the pressure is certainly mounting on Terry.
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