Texas Softball Snags Arizona Wildcat to Complete Coaching Staff

Texas softball head coach Mike White has added the final piece of the puzzle for the Longhorns' 2027 season with the addition of a coach from the Big 12.

Arizona's assistant coach Amber Freeman will join the Forty Acres for the 2027 season, according to reports.

Freeman's role as a Longhorn will be steering the batting order to success after powerhouse hitters like catcher Reese Atwood and infielder Leighann Goode graduated from the program after winning back-to-back national championships.

Freeman spent two years in Tucson, Arizona, ushering the Wildcats to an 85-31 record throughout their first two years in the Big 12 conference.

Freeman is arriving in Austin following a highly successful stint at Arizona, where she served as the third assistant coach beginning in August 2024. In 2025, Arizona led the Big 12 in nearly every major offensive category, posting a .348 team batting average, 557 hits, 82 home runs and a total of 433 runs scored.

The Wildcats' .348 average and overall production placed them among the top offenses nationally, with Freeman credited for elevating the team's approach and consistency at the plate.

However, continuing success is difficult, especially in the landscape of collegiate athletics. During the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats' statistics dropped slightly; however, they still ranked highly among the teams in their conference.

Arizona hit .340 as a team, the third best in the Big 12 and the 10th best in program history. They averaged 6.64 runs per game, ending the season with 401 runs scored.

Freeman played a central role in the development of catcher and utility Sydney Stewart. In 2026, the senior earned numerous honors, including Big 12 Player of the Year, NFCA First-Team All-America, and Big 12 Batting Champion recognition. In Stewart's 55 starts during the 2026 season, she hit 20 home runs and 76 RBIs on her way to a .919 slugging percentage.

2026 Big 12 Season Honors | 🥎

Sydney Stewart | Player of the Year #Big12SB | @ArizonaSoftball pic.twitter.com/rYRVNcpS9F
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) May 6, 2026

Arizona and Texas faced off twice during the non-conference part of the season at the DeMarini Invitational, where the Longhorns bested the Wildcats 12-2 in both games, one ending in a five-inning run rule.

Arizona did not get a bid to host an NCAA regional and, instead, traveled to the Durham Regional, where they ultimately could not upset the host, Duke, during the final game, losing 9-4.

The experience Freeman has accumulated at Arizona will be an asset for Texas' offense as it sets its sights on a return to Devon Park to fight for a three-peat next June.

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