Texas Tech Softball Pitcher Set to Enter Transfer Portal After WCWS Run

The lefty appeared in the championship series against Texas in 2025 and 2026.

Samantha Lincoln is entering the transfer portal. | Texas Tech Athletics

After a second-straight runner-up appearance at the Women’s College World Series (WCWS), a Texas Tech pitcher will enter the transfer portal. 

Samantha Lincoln made an official announcement on social media on Monday afternoon, the first day the portal was open to undergraduate athletes. 

“Thank you Lubbock and Red Raider nation. I’m  grateful for my time at Texas Tech University. I have decided to enter the transfer portal. My name will be officially entered Wednesday,” Lincoln wrote on X. 

Thank you Lubbock and Red Raider nation. I’m grateful for my time at Texas Tech University. I have decided to enter the transfer portal. My name will be officially entered Wednesday.

Travel coach (Jim Huecker): 314-791-8219 pic.twitter.com/uHuDL7jlJg

— Samantha Lincoln (@SamLincoln2024) June 9, 2026

The sophomore was the third pitcher on Gerry Glasco’s squad behind aces NiJaree Canady and Kaitlyn Terry. In 2026, she appeared in 25 games with 12 starts, posting an ERA of 3.74 across 74 innings thrown. 

A gold glove inning for Samantha Lincoln pic.twitter.com/WTmUKHhiSK

— Texas Tech Softball (@TexasTechSB) February 20, 2026

As a freshman in 2025, before Glasco collected Terry from the transfer portal, Lincoln made 27 appearances with 11 starts, finishing the season with a 3.50 ERA across 72 innings. The lefty threw the fifth perfect game in program history against UMass, going seven innings with nine strikeouts in just 79 pitches thrown. 

Lincoln’s last appearance for the Red Raiders came in Game 1 of the WCWS finals when she came in for relief of Terry. She threw 3 ½ innings, recording one strikeout and limited the Texas Longhorns to two runs on four hits. 

Another notable outing on the season for Lincoln was during the insane comeback rally against Ole Miss in the NCAA Regionals. Prior to that game, teams were 0-640 since 2000 when trailing by eight or more runs. With Lincoln and Canady combining for seven strikeouts, the Red Raiders were able to stun the Rebels with an eight-run bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game and grab the walk-off win in the ninth. 

The Massachusetts native was the 17th-ranked player in the class of 2024, according to Extra Inning Softball and was the 2024 Gatorade Player of the Year. That year, she pitched 133 innings for Taunton High School, giving up just four earned runs while striking out 284 batters with an ERA of 0.21. She helped the team win two state championships and was named the league MVP and MaxPreps Player of the Year for Massachusetts twice. 

With Canady graduating and Terry moving into her senior season, it’s inevitable that Glasco will hit the transfer portal once again to build extreme talent in the circle. Mallie West and Timber Hensley are the only two other pitchers who remain at the moment, both heading into their sophomore seasons in 2027.