Category: College Softball

Reigning National Player of the Year NiJaree Canady reveals transfer destination

This was a massive win for Texas Tech and new head coach Gerry Glasco.

College softball’s reigning National Player of the Year NiJaree Canady announced where she will play next season. After leading Stanford to the Women’s College World Series, Canady opted to enter the transfer portal. She announced on social media that she will continue her playing career with the Texas Tech Lady Raiders softball team.

The school recently hired Gerry Glasco away from Louisiana, where he guided the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 300-88 record over seven seasons. They were selected to an NCAA Regional in every season except for the pandemic season in 2020.

Canady brings a remarkable career record of 41-10 with a 0.67 ERA with 53 starts under her belt. She has totaled 365.2 innings with 53 starts, 34 complete games, and nine saves. Last season Canady led the Stanford staff with 24 wins and 337 strikeouts in 230.2 innings pitched.

Canady is part of an impressive transfer class that the new softball head coach has put together in just over a month on the job.

Texas Tech Softball Transfer Class

  • Mihyia Davis, OF: Louisiana (Sun Belt Player of the Year)
  • Victoria Valdez, Catcher: Louisiana
  • Chloe Riassetto, Pitcher: Louisiana
  • Lauren Allred, IF: Louisiana
  • Alexa Langeliers, IF: Louisiana
  • Alana Johnson, Utility: Washington
  • Katie Lott, Outfield: Oklahoma State
  • Makayla Garcia, Utility: UT-Tyler
  • NiJaree Canady, Pitcher: Stanford

A look back at the Texas Longhorns run through the softball postseason

Looking back at the Women’s College World Series with the best images for Texas.

It was an unfortunate ending for the Texas Longhorns softball season on Thursday night. After securing the No. 1 overall seed, they were swept by the Oklahoma Sooners in the Women’s College World Series championship final. Not a way you want to end the season but the team can hold their heads high after a record year.

The Longhorns, led by head coach Mike White, matched a school record with 55 wins. That mark was initially set in 2006 when Connie Clark led them to a 55-9 mark and secured a trip to the College World Series. That year Texas was bounced in the second round after losses to Arizona and UCLA.

Overall, the team can be proud of their regular-season Big 12 title led by top batter, Reese Atwood. She led the nation in home runs and RBIs. Standout freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan threw two one-hit shutouts to get the Longhorns to the championship final against their bitter rivals. In his sixth season with Texas, White coached the Horns to another Women’s College World Series and finished as the WCWS runner-up.

With the season coming to an end, here is a collection of the best photos from the postseason run.

Texas can’t slow down the Oklahoma juggernaut, falls 8-4

Texas unable to knock Oklahoma off the softball throne.

The Texas Longhorns softball season came to an end on Thursday night as the Oklahoma Sooners won their record fourth straight title. Oklahoma swept Texas with the 8-4 win on Thursday.

Texas would strike first in the second inning following the walk to catcher Reese Atwood and then Joley Mitchell. Centerfielder Kayden Henry drove Atwood around to draw first blood and give the Longhorns a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Oklahoma’s Alyssa Brito would respond with a double off the wall. Two batters later rightfielder Kasidi Pickering knocked one out to take the lead at 2-1. The inning would end when head coach Mike White challenged that Oklahoma runner left base early, Rylie Boone was ruled out to end the Sooners’ threat.

Texas would knock Oklahoma pitcher Karlie Keeney out of the game with some two-out rally magic. Martinez would single up the middle and move to third on the single to right by Atwood. After a walk to Katie Stewart, the captain hit an RBI single up the middle. New pitcher Paytn Monticelli forced Mitchell to ground out to first to end the inning, leaving the game tied at 2-2.

The Longhorns would get back on top in the fourth when Henry singled and moved to second on a stolen base. She would get to third on a bunt by Dayton and scored on the error by Avery Hodge on a Mia Scott rocket hit into right field.

It wouldn’t last with Oklahoma coming to bat in the bottom of the inning. They would load the bases and were quickly unloaded on a bases clearing double off the bat of Cydney Sanders to jump ahead 5-3. Oklahoma would add three more runs in bottom of the sixth to build the lead to 8-4.

Oklahoma once again proved why they are at the top of the sport.

Texas softball falls to Oklahoma 8-3 in Game 1 of WCWS Championship

Oklahoma softball beats Texas 8-3 to pick up Game 1 of WCWS championship series

It took eight innings and a walk-off home run Tuesday night, but the Oklahoma Sooners snuck past the Florida Gators to get to the championship series to take on the Texas Longhorns.

The Longhorns won the regular season series 2-1 against the Sooners, however, Oklahoma got their revenge with a victory in the Big 12 title game to even the series at 2-2 on the year.

Standout pitcher Teagan Kavan never looked comfortable in the circle for the Longhorns as she gave up five earned runs in 2.1 innings with five hits and two walks allowed. Mac Morgan came into the game in relief to quiet the Sooners’ bats pitching 1.2 innings of shutout softball.

In game one of the championship series, it was all Oklahoma early as they rushed out to a 5-1 lead through five innings and never looked back. Overall, it was just a tough night for the Texas bats as they struggled to find much success against P Kelly Maxwell with just four hits on the night.

Texas would score three runs total in the game, the first coming off the bat of Mia Scott. It was the first time this season the Horns would lose a game in which she went yard. In the sixth inning, Vivi Martinez came around to score on a Katie Stewart single. The second run of the inning was scored by Alyssa Washington when Joley Mitchell singled to right.

The two bitter rivals will be back in action at 7:00 p.m. CT as the Longhorns attempt to avoid elimination and force a Game 3 Friday night.

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How to watch the Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners WCWS championship final

Here is how you can tune in to watch Texas vs Oklahoma in the WCWS championship final.

The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are looking to leaving the Big 12 on the grandest stage.

Both teams have the opportunity to win the WCWS national championship but only one team will reign supreme. Oklahoma has won three straight titles and is poised to be the first ever to win it four straight times. Texas on the other hand is seeking its first title and some redemption for the 2022 WCWS championship final when they were swept by their bitter rivals.

These teams got to this point different ways. Oklahoma knocked off Duke and UCLA before getting beat by Florida forcing a final game against the Gators to reach the championship finals.

Texas rode the hot hands or should we say arms of Teagan Kavan and Mac Morgan. Kavan pitched two shutouts against Stanford, outdueling the top pitcher in the nation, NiJaree Canady. Morgan threw a near no-hitter against Florida when the Horns beat them 10-0 in five innings. The staff for Texas has yet to give up a run in the Women’s College World Series. That streak will be tested against the three-time defending national champions.

Check out how you can tune in for this Red River Showdown in the Women’s College World Series Championship Final.

Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners Game 1 Details

  • Date: Wednesday, Jun. 5
  • Time: 7 pm CT
  • Location: OGE Energy Field at Devon Park in Oklahoma City
  • TV: ESPN
  • Radio: Texas Longhorns Radio Network
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch here)

Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners Game 2 Details

Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners Game 3 Details (If Necessary)

Oklahoma walks it off in WCWS semifinal, faces Texas in the championship series

Texas, Oklahoma for the national championship begins Wednesday.

The Texas Longhorns were waiting to find out who they would face in the best-of-three Women’s College World Series championship. On Tuesday afternoon they finally received their answer with the Oklahoma Sooners emerging from the WCWS semifinals. The Sooners walked it off 6-5 in the bottom of the eighth to return to the championship series.

After falling behind 5-2 after three innings, Oklahoma worked to start chipping away at the Florida lead. Keagan Rothrock gave up a two-run home run to Cydney Sanders in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to one. Finally in the bottom of the sixth, OU scored the tying run on a Ella Parker single to bring Avery Hodge into score.

After Florida failed to score in the top of the seventh, Oklahoma came to bat to try and finish this game off. With one out, Kasidi Pickering hit a double to right center to get into scoring position. Rylie Boone was walked on four pitches but that would be all they would get. Sanders would strike out on a riser and Hodge would flyout to left.

One inning later, senior Jayda Coleman goes opposite field with the walk-off home run to send Oklahoma to the championship finals against the Longhorns.

Red River Rivalry upgraded to the national championship level.

Best images of Texas’ 1-0 win over Stanford, clinching spot in championship series

Some of the best images of Texas win over Stanford which put the Horns in the best of three championship series.

The Texas Longhorns are heading to the best-of-three WCWS championship series. The opponent will be decided when the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida Gators meet on Tuesday for the rematch from UF’s 9-3 win on Monday.

The Longhorns will rest up and get ready for huge series. Texas earned a spot in the title series by beating the Stanford Cardinal, 1-0. It was the second time since Thursday that the Horns knocked off Stanford in a shutout win. Both times standout freshman pitcher Teagan Kavan was in the circle.

In those two games combined, Kavan pitched 14 inning with just two hits allowed, five walks, and 15 strikeouts. In between her two starts, Mac Morgan took the circle against the Florida Gators pitching five innings giving up one hit and one walk while striking out five. The Texas pitching staff has yet to give up a run or more than one hit in a game. Dominating stuff.

Check out these images from the latest victory by the Texas Longhorns softball squad.

Florida takes down No. 2 Oklahoma, forces winner take all game on Tuesday

Florida forces deciding game on Tuesday with a Women’s College World Series championship series berth on the line.

The Florida Gators came into Monday’s game needing a win to force a deciding matchup with the four-time defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday. The rematch would have been played on Monday prior to the Texas Longhorns and Stanford Cardinal game but mother nature had other ideas.

Florida rose to the occasion with the 9-3 victory over Oklahoma, thanks to the bats coming alive for the Gators. The scoring occurred in each of the first five innings for a UF squad facing elimination.

Reagan Walsh started the scoring that brought Korbe Otis around to score on the RBI single off Oklahoma pitcher Nicole May. May would only pitched two innings on this day as she surrendered four runs on six hits. Florida went back-to-back in the second inning with home runs from Kendra Falby and Skylar Wallace. The former was of the inside the park variety.

After scoring on an Ava Brown double that brought Walsh around to score, Walsh launched another home run over the fence to build the lead to 7-1. One wouldn’t have expected that the Oklahoma bats wouldn’t stay quiet for long, even with star freshman Keagan Rothrock in the circle for the Gators. Avery Hodge was able to get on base with a double and would come around to score on Tiare Jennings two-run homer. OU was able to narrow the deficit to four runs.

The Gators would build that lead back to six when Wallace mashed her second home run of the game. Brooke Barnard, who was pitch running for Ava Brown came around to score to make it 9-3.

Oklahoma would try to answer back to try and steal the game, after a double play the Florida pitcher would load the bases thanks to three walks. Right fielder Katie Kistler would secure the deep fly to end the game.

Florida and Oklahoma will face off again on Tuesday, winner moves on the WCWS championship series and the loser heads home.

Florida, Oklahoma, LSU, and Iowa athletes nominated for ESPY awards

LSU and Iowa will battle it out again, but this time they won’t be wearing basketball shoes or playing on the hardwood.

2023 ESPY award nominations have been announced and Florida, Oklahoma, LSU, and Iowa all have athletes nominated for awards. The 2023 ESPYs will air live on Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from Los Angeles.

LSU and Iowa will battle it out again, but this time they won’t be wearing basketball shoes or playing on the hardwood. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese of LSU will vie for position against Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, and Julio RodrĂ­guez of the Seattle Mariners for the Best Breakthrough Athlete award.

Gymnast Trinity Thomas of Florida is nominated for Best Play for her perfect 10 which tied the All-Time NCAA record. She is the only Florida athlete represented in the nominations. She competes for the award against UCLA soccer player Ally Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game and two other professional athletes.

Oklahoma Sooners softball and LSU women’s basketball are nominated for Best Team. The Sooners will also be represented as softball player Jordy Bahl is nominated for Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports along with  Caitlin Clark, Izzy Scane of Northwestern Lacrosse, and Trinity Thomas.

Recipients of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and the Pat Tillman Award for Service will be announced next week.

Twitter reacts: Oklahoma Sooners softball win 3rd consecutive national title

What was your reaction to the Oklahoma Sooners winning a third straight softball title?

The Oklahoma Sooners are the 2023 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) champions. This is the third time in a row they have accomplished the feat. The Sooners won in 2021 and 2022.

They defeated the Florida Seminoles in two games during the finals of the WCWS. Florida State and Oklahoma met in the 2021 championship where Oklahoma started its national title winning streak.

The championship series takes place at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Some reactions to Sooners’ dominance is that they have an unfair advantage because they play in Oklahoma. However, others put that theory to rest and lauded the school’s dominance over the years.

Here are some social media reactions to the Sooner’s win.