After a heartbreaking loss to the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2024 Women’s College World Series, head coach Mike White looks to bring Texas softball its first national title with a stacked, veteran-filled roster.
Ranked No. 2 by Softball America’s preseason poll, the Longhorns come into the season with little to no changes from last season’s national runner-up team. This year’s recruiting class is small and the team welcomes only one transfer, junior Kaydee Bennett from Abilene Christian University.
Bennett, alongside senior utility Mia Scott and junior utility Leighann Goode, will fill the holes left by the exits of defensive weapons Bella Dayton and Alyssa Washington. Bennett, Scott and Goode can all play the infield and outfield.
One of, if not the, most important returners is junior catcher Reese Atwood.
Atwood had a historic 2024 season, being named the Big 12 Conference Softball Player of the Year. She set the program single-season record in home runs (23), RBI (90), total bases (163) and slugging percentage (.862).
Pitching is expected to remain reliable. The group is led by sophomore star Teagan Kavan, who had a standout freshman campaign. She finished last season with a pitching record of 20–3 and earned a run average (ERA) of 2.20, earning her the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award and a Freshman All-American honor. Kavan is joined by senior Mac Morgan, and freshman Cambria Salmon, who was ranked the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2024 Softball America class.
Although the Sooners have long been the thorn in the Longhorns’ side, the
four-time defending champions have lost the majority of their star power roster, leaving holes in several positions. Oklahoma notably lost infielder Tiare Jennings, catcher Kinzie Hansen and outfielder Jayda Coleman.
No. 1 Florida is expected to be Texas’ biggest threat to a national title. Like Texas, the Gator roster is filled with powerful, experienced athletes. What sets Florida apart is the addition of one of the best 2024 recruiting classes and a larger transfer group, adding more depth to its roster.
The Longhorns will be tested by Florida early in the season, as Texas opens up Southeastern Conference play with a series against the Gators in Gainesville from March 15-17. The Longhorns’ new rivalry in Florida may parallel the dynamics of the rivalry with Oklahoma. Like Oklahoma in previous years, Florida and Texas are predicted to meet multiple times throughout the season. How Texas performs against the Gators in the regular series, and potentially the conference championship, will be an indicator of how the team will fare in the World Series.
In the preseason poll, the SEC leads all conferences, with 10 teams in the Top 25. Out of those teams, Texas is set to face No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 15 Missouri, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 1 Florida and No. 12 LSU during the regular season.
