Texas repeats! Longhorns sweep rival Texas Tech to win second straight national title

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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — There’s a new dynasty in town.

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Texas held off in-state foe Texas Tech for the second consecutive year in the Women’s College World Series finals to become the first team since storied rival Oklahoma to win back-to-back softball national titles. In a low-scoring 4-1 affair that saw Red Raiders ace NiJaree Canady mow down the Longhorns through the first four innings, a costly two-run error with the bases loaded on a grounder to short off the bat of Vivi Martinez in the top of the fifth inning was all the Longhorns would need to officially secure a baton that was ready and waiting to be passed with the Sooners not in the mix at Devon Park this time around.

While Texas Tech fought back to force a Game 3 in the 2025 iteration of this matchup, the Longhorns leaned on their “Texas fight” this time around to complete the two-game sweep, silencing one of the most powerful (and expensive) lineups in all of college softball.

After a dominant performance by Teagan Kavan in Game 1, coach Mike White gave senior Citlaly Gutierrez the nod to start on Thursday night. Gutierrez allowed one run on four hits, finishing her final season in the burnt orange not only with another trophy, but with one of the best stretches of her career in the circle after also shutting down Tennessee in the semifinals on Monday to save Texas’ season.

For all of the talk that surrounded Gerry Glasco’s prolific offense, filled to the brim with transfers and the seemingly endless ability to fight back, it was Texas’ consistent, loyal lineup of homegrown recruits that came out victorious in the end.

With slugger Katie Stewart — who hit a home run in four straight games before Thursday night — silenced at the hands of Canady, the Longhorns implemented a pass-the-bat mentality in what was a crucial fifth-inning performance. The spark that lit the flame? Senior Arizona transfer Kaiah Altmeyer, who has been on fire while in Oklahoma City after a season in which she split time with fellow senior Kaydee Bennett.

While the two runs in the fifth were all the Longhorns would need, they didn’t stop there. Kayden Henry launched a solo home run, and pinch runner Alisa Sneed came around to score on a sinking liner in the top of the seventh, adding another insurance run.

But that doesn’t mean this victory didn’t come without a bit of a scare. Similar to Game 1, Texas Tech grabbed the first lead of the game at the hands (and this time, the feet) of the speedy Mihyia Davis. Then, in a surprising pitching change, White brought in Hannah Wells in the fourth, her first appearance since Texas’ NCAA Tournament opener against Wagner and her first-ever time in the circle on the WCWS stage.

It almost came back to bite White, as Wells loaded the bases with Red Raiders, giving them the prime opportunity to strike. Then Gutierrez re-entered and slammed the door. That set the stage for Kavan to enter in the sixth in relief, a role in which she has thrived in addition to her continued excellence as a starter.

Kavan, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 tournament, continued her dominance on the biggest stage of the sport. In her career at the WCWS, the junior ace has a 12-3 record and now stands with Longhorns legend Cat Osterman among the program’s greats. With her shutout against Tennessee in the semifinal victory, Kavan surpassed Osterman with career shutouts at the WCWS with her fifth.

Kavan, with the help of Gutierrez, now firmly sits in the royal court of Texas softball history, and Texas has now officially been crowned the new queens of college softball.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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