Multiple Texas Longhorns Earn Preseason All-Conference Honors

The Texas Longhorns have several of their best earning preseason All-SEC recognitions.

Texas Longhorns head coach Mike White walks out to the coaches box in the sixth inning against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during game one of the NCAA Softball Women's College World Series finals at Devon Park. | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

The defending national champion Texas Longhorns return to the dirt in order to kickstart their title defense in the 2026 season, with opening day slated for Feb. 6, as head coach Mike White and his squad begin the season in the UTSA Invitational, taking on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

The Longhorns head into the season unsurprisingly ranked as one of the top teams heading into 2026, as Texas is ranked the preseason No. 1 team in the country by both D1 Softball and USA Softball, while Softball America ranked the Longhorns at No. 2.

The Longhorns championship expectations have undoubtedly not wavered and will increase as they head into the season looking to defend their seat at the top of the mountain. The expectation for the Longhorns largely rests on their top players, with a few of them earning preseason honors at the conference level.

Texas lists four on Preseason All-SEC Team

Texas pitcher Teagan Kavan (17) throws a pitch a Women's College World Series softball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Texas Longhorns at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Thursday, the SEC released its preseason All-SEC team, and the Longhorns were well represented with four of their top players earning preseason recognition from the conference. The Longhorns are tied with rivals the Oklahoma Sooners for the most players recognized of any program this season.

Led by ace Teagan Kavan, it was no surprise to see the Longhorns' star pitcher earning a spot on the preseason All-SEC team. This adds to the laundry list of preseason recognitions for Kavan, also receiving preseason First Team All-American honors by Softball America and D1 Softball.

Kavan enters the 2026 not only as one of the top players in the conference, but in the nation after her stellar sophomore season in which she was named the WCWS' Most Outstanding Player en route to a national championship and posted a 2.16 ERA and 230 strikeouts through 207 total innings of work.

To no surprise, star catcher Reese Atwood also earned a spot on the preseason All-SEC squad, and just like Kavan, Atwood was also named a preseason First Team All-American by Softball America and D1 Softball.

The senior became the first Longhorn to win the Diamond/Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year Award in addition to the Johnny Bench Award in 2025 after tallying a .393 batting average, a team-high 21 home runs, and 89 RBI.

Also making it onto the All-SEC team was junior utility Katie Stewart, who joined Kavan and Atwood as a preseason First Team All-American by D1 Softball while earning a nod to Softball America's Second Team All-American list.

The Longhorns slugger comes off a season where she stepped up playing at many positions, from shortstop to the outfield, and at the plate, Stewart was at her best, totaling a .381 batting average, 17 home runs, tying for the second most on the team, and 80 RBI.

Rounding out the four Longhorns recognized by the SEC is steady outfielder Kayden Henry, who has also earned plenty of preseason honors with a spot on both D1 Softball and Softball America's Second Team All-American lists.

The outfielder was a dependable player all season long in 2025, in which she recorded a .409 batting average, 85 hits, four home runs, 30 RBI, and was an elite base runner, tallying a team-high 33 stolen bases throughout the season.