Teagan Kavan Honors Late Pitching Coach While Leading Texas to Back-to-Back WCWS Titles

Texas head coach Mike White heard about a kid from Iowa years ago. He wanted to know more about her and asked his former teammate, Bill Hillhouse, to tell him.

"He told me about this kid he was teaching or coaching, Teagan Kavan, and I said let me know what she's like," White said with a smile on his face Thursday night. "The rest of the story is there, right?"

The story continued to write itself on Thursday night at the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City, when Kavan became the first player to win Most Outstanding Player twice after the Longhorns beat Texas Tech 4-1 in Game 2 of the WCWS Championship Series.

this team. this moment. 🤘🥹#HookEm pic.twitter.com/Q6hDhDys0h
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 5, 2026

A close look at Kavan's glove shows the words "Got your back" inscribed in purple. It is a simple message, but has a much deeper meaning.

Growing up, Kavan took pitching lessons from Hillhouse, who passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer on March 21.

Sitting at the podium as a back-to-back national champion, Kavan fought back tears and said the trophy belonged to him, too.

"First thing he would say is that I did it, and I would tell him that it's his National Championship too, and he would tell me that's not true and it's all mine," Kavan said after the game. "He never took any credit, and he just believed in me."

That belief started with tears because she couldn't figure out how to throw her now-signature rise ball that has placed her name among some of the greatest names in the game, like Cat Osterman, Monica Abbott, and Rachel Garcia.

"My first lesson that I had with him, I left crying because I was like, I'm not going to be able to figure out this dang rise ball, and I figured it out, and that rise ball has led me here," Kavan added. "He always told me that don't let the highs get too high, or the lows get too low, just remain steady. So that's what I carry with me for the rest of my life from him. Just remain steady in every moment and always just trust myself and the people around me."

Kavan has solidified herself as one of the best pitchers in the game and she's just a junior, meaning she will back in Burnt Orange next year and who knows what the future beyond that looks like.

Despite not getting the start in Game 2, Kavan was ready and waiting when her number was called. After Citlaly Gutierrez and Hannah Wells combined to get through the first five innings, Kavan entered to start the sixth and was nearly untouchable. She struck out five of the six batters she faced on 28 pitches.

"When she came in, she smelled the win," White said. "She was not giving that up. She was a killer. She was an assassin out there on the mound today and just really didn't give them an opportunity to come in, and shut the door so hard.

"You've got to take your hat off to a kid like that who can do that in this situation in those moments, with that many fans watching you and all that pressure, she felt no pressure. She just wanted to do it for her team."

Kavan gave everything she had for a Texas team that lost its first game in Oklahoma City and had to play and won four-straight elimination games to reach the best-of-three series. She pitched a total of 33.1 innings across seven games but she couldn't do it alone.

champs² 🤘🎉#HookEm pic.twitter.com/LNS9m9FoUr
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 5, 2026

"She's unbeatable when she is here at the World Series," Texas catcher Reese Atwood said about Kavan. "She goes out there, and she throws her absolute best games in the hardest moments to do so. I'm just incredibly proud of her and what she's been able to accomplish. She's just been so outstanding for our team."

Kayden Henry had two of the Longhorns' eight hits, including a home run. Atwood reached base three times with a double and two walks, and Leighann Goode recorded a hit and an RBI.

The win for Texas meant back-to-back runner-up finishes for Texas Tech.

NiJaree Canady pitched all seven innings for the Red Raiders and allowed four runs, two earned, on eight hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

Jasmyn Burns had two of Texas Tech's four hits, Lauren Allred drove in the lone run and Mihyia Davis scored.

Canady didn't pitch poorly; it was anything but that. Her defense made a couple of mistakes that led to runs, resulting in a disappointing end for a pitcher who changed the game. She took two programs to the WCWS and signed the first $1 million NIL deal in college softball.

"I have nothing but respect for her and how she's changed two programs and how she just changed the whole sport as a whole," Kavan said about Canady. "There's so many girls that look up to her and that dream to be in her position because of her.

"Just the light that she exudes and the passion for the game she exudes and the faith that she shares too. Yeah, it's really cool to get to share the field with her and to be on the field with someone who has had that much impact on the game. It's not going to stop here. It's going to keep going."

Texas graduates names like Atwood, Goode, Gutierrez, Ashton Maloney, and Kaiah Altmeyer from its starting lineup, but returns others like Kavan, Katie Stewart, Henry, and more.

Can the Longhorns three-peat? According to Atwood, it's very possible.

"I have so much faith in this program," Atwood said. "I believe that they can three-peat. I believe that they can four-peat. I believe with the standards this program has set and just with the culture and the love that our support staff and everybody gives us that anything that we want is possible.

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