Texas Softball Has A New All-Time Home Run Leader
It was the blast heard around the city of Austin when Texas superstar Reese Atwood launched her 59th career home run, fourth of the 2026 season, to set the new all-time record for the No. 2 Longhorns program in an early-season matchup against Abilene Christian on Thursday.
On a warm, 74-degree night at McCombs Field, Atwood blasted a two-run shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the fourth inning, with one out, to give her team a 10-0 lead in their first game of the Bevo Classic. The bat flip, which accompanied the big hit, added some swagger to the entire moment.
Texas would eventually win, 11-0, in run-rule fashion. Atwood also drew a walk and scored twice in the same contest.
REESE ATWOOD BREAKS THE RECORD 🤘#HookEm pic.twitter.com/GNhHZfz2G3
— Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) February 13, 2026
Atwood surpassed Longhorn great Taylor Hoagland (2010-13), who previously held the record at 58 career home runs.
"It means a lot," Atwood said in a post-game interview. "I look back at my freshman year coming 'till now and I owe so much to the people here at Texas to be able to help me accomplish my goals. I could not do it without them.
"Growing up, I don't think I ever really dreamed of this. It was just one of those things, taking a step at a time, believing in myself, the team believing in me. It all worked out that way."
Here’s Reese Atwood on what breaking the career home run record means to her as well as how proud she is of her growth since her freshman year. #HookEm | @TSTVSports | @ChrisThomasson7 | @LarissaLiska | @qmartinez | @reycastillo361 pic.twitter.com/KxyH3OGdVV
— Grabiel Silva (@G_Silva0504) February 13, 2026
The Longhorn backstop continues to etch her name into the history books on the Forty Acres, both in career and single-season metrics. At the end of the 2025 season, Atwood had established a new career RBI milestone, 222 total, a mark she's already added to in her senior campaign.
Atwood is a two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist and All-American, as well as the 2025 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Catcher of the Year and Johnny Bench Award recipient.
The Sandia, Texas, native led her Longhorns to their first-ever National Championship just one year ago, and will look to spearhead another postseason run to close out her incredible collegiate journey.
So far, the cleanup hitter is batting .500, with nine hits and 12 RBIs. Her slugging percentage sits at 1.167, and her on-base percentage is .609.
The NCAA reigning champions are off to a 5-1 start in 2026 with three victories over two top 25 teams in No. 9 Nebraska, 15-10, No. 25 Washington, 11-6, and 5-0. Texas was predicted to finish first in the SEC preseason poll.
The Bevo Classic continues this weekend as the Burnt Orange will face Ohio State and Syracuse on Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET.
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Maddy Lewis was a four-year starting infielder for UC San Diego Softball (2015–19), helping lead the Tritons to two conference championships, a West Region title, and a trip to the Division II National Championship in her senior season. She graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Communication, where she also wrote for the student newspaper, The Guardian. After college, Maddy spent two years as a Sports Information Director, working closely with the softball, basketball and running programs, deepening her appreciation for the stories behind the stats. She has continued her playing career on the international stage as a member and captain of the Israeli Women’s National Softball Team for the past four years, facing top talent at European Championships, Canada Cups, and the Maccabi Games. Beyond competing, Maddy remains deeply committed to growing the game. She co-hosts the Jewish Softball: More Than A Game podcast, offers private instruction in the Bay Area and has coached teams at the Triple Crown Sports International Challenge and the JCC Maccabi Games. With a passion for storytelling and softball, she is dedicated to giving back to the sport that has shaped her both on and off the field and making an impact on the next generation in any way she can.
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