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Former Westwood star Sophie Taylor gets unexpected roster spot with UT

Taylor simply planned on attending UT to get her master's degree until Karen Aston came calling.

AUSTIN, Texas — Editor's note: The above video is related to the Texas men's basketball team.

Sophie Taylor enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin to get her master's degree in business. She thought her basketball career was over.

But then Texas Head Coach Karen Aston came calling and a few days later, she found herself practicing with the varsity team. 

Taylor is now officially a member of Texas women's basketball – a coming home story the Westwood product never imagined.

"They reached out to the intramural teams, and that's what I've always wanted to be was a Texas basketball player," she said.

"She's really appreciative of this opportunity and it's refreshing," Coach Aston said.

Taylor grew up in Austin and after a standout career for Doug Davalos and the Warriors, she went Division 1 and played for Houston Baptist University.

She graduated in three years and planned on retiring from competitive basketball until Texas reached out.

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In an exhibition game on Monday, she made her Longhorns debut with not even a week's worth of practices under her belt.

"I was kind of getting used to being a normal student again and not having workouts at 6 a.m. and stuff," she said. "It took a little while to get used to it again, but I've been around the block so I know what it's like."

Perhaps Texas needed Taylor more than Taylor needed Texas.

The Longhorns found themselves in need of able bodies when a slew of injuries had them heading into the season with only 11 active players.

Texas opens regular-season action Friday, Nov. 8, on the road against the University of South Florida.

WATCH: Pay It Forward: Man's love of basketball changes lives in his community

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