Texas Softball Takes On SEC Foe in First Game of Women's College World Series

The Texas Longhorns will keep on marching along through the 2026 season as the Longhorns have booked a ticket to Oklahoma City for the third year in a row after a thrilling Super Regional round.

The Longhorns secured their spot at the Women's College World Series to defend their national title on Sunday; however, the spot didn't appear as secured on Friday. Texas lost the first game of the Austin Super Regional to the Arizona State Sun Devils, forcing the Longhorns to win two games in a row in order to advance.

Texas did exactly what it needed to do in the final game of the Super Regional to take down Arizona State and will now head to Oklahoma City to face off against a team the Longhorns will be all too familiar with.

Texas Set to Battle Familiar Opponent in Oklahoma City

Texas Longhorns pitcher Teagan Kavan throws a pitch a Women's College World Series softball game. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Longhorns will start their national title defense on Thursday, May 28, taking on a team from the SEC, which accounts for five of the eight teams at the Women's College World Series this year. Texas takes on the Tennessee Lady Volunteers in the first action for both teams in Oklahoma City at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Just like the Longhorns, the Lady Vols cruised through the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, taking care of business in the Knoxville Regional. Tennessee needed the minimum three games to advance into the next round, outscoring opponents 15-7 to book its spot in the Super Regional.

After earning a top-eight seed in the NCAA tournament, the No. 7-seeded Volunteers got the opportunity to host the Knoxville Super Regional, welcoming in an SEC opponent in the Georgia Bulldogs.

And unlike the Longhorns, the Volunteers had no trouble in their Super Regional against the Bulldogs, winning both games to sweep their way to Oklahoma City. Tennessee would outscore Georgia 5-2 to book its second straight trip to the Women's College World Series.

Texas and Tennessee Have A Recent History on the Dirt

Texas Longhorns head coach Mike White and Tennessee coach Karen Weekly shake hands after a Women's College World Series softball game. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas and Tennessee have not faced off against each other during the 2026 season; however, the two SEC teams did square off four times in the Longhorns' first year in the conference during the 2025 season.

The Lady Vols walked into Austin for a regular-season series against the Longhorns in mid-April and came away with the series victory. Texas took the first game of the series; however, Tennessee would rally to secure the big win over the No. 1-ranked team in the country at that point in the season.

That wouldn't be the last time the two teams met in the 2025 season. The Longhorns and Volunteers clashed at the Women's College World Series with high stakes as a ticket to the championship series was on the line.

It would be the Longhorns getting back some revenge on the Lady Vols, ending their season and taking the semifinals matchup, 2-0, to earn the right to play for a national title. And a few games later, the Longhorns would be raising their first-ever national championship in program history.

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