As No. 1 Texas softball looks to repeat its success at the conference level and return to the Women’s College World Series final for the third time in the past four years, it will have plenty of challenges along the way with a gauntlet of a conference schedule.
The Longhorns will retake the field on Feb. 7 against Louisiana. However, with the start of conference play, Texas will face off against six teams ranked inside the Top 25, four of which are ranked inside the Top 10 in the preseason rankings. Conference series will be a key component for Texas’ success.
Here’s a bit of insight on a few of those matchups:
No. 2 Florida, March 15-17
The Longhorns pay a visit to the Gators early in the season, playing their biggest challenge to the top spot in the rankings. They are facing a Florida team crowned champion of the SEC tournament last season and ended as a semifinalist in the Women’s College World Series.
Pitching and fielding will be key for Texas in this series because Florida is a team that gets hits and home runs in bunches. Florida batters totaled 581 hits and 100 home runs over the 2024 season.
No. 3 Oklahoma, April 25-27
This is a series that needs no introduction. The Longhorns will travel across the Red River into Norman and face the Sooners in late April. On top of the magnitude of the Red River Rivalry, this matchup is a rematch of the Women’s College World Series final from a season ago. Oklahoma captured their fourth straight Women’s College World Series championship after a 2–0 sweep of Texas.
No. 5 Tennessee, April 11-13
The first-ever SEC home series for Texas sees them facing off against a Tennessee team that boasted a 44-12 record last season and was the SEC regular season champion. Reigning SEC Coach of the Year Karen Weekly and the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year junior Karlyn Pickens will both be leading the Volunteers in the matchup.
Pickens ended last season with an ERA of 1.12 and was selected as a preseason first-team All-American by Softball America.
No. 9 LSU, April 17-19
A season ago, Texas lost an away non-conference matchup to LSU, 7–4. Now conference foes, LSU travels to Red & Charline McCombs Field for the first time since 2022.
The SEC is full of elite pitchers that Texas may have to face and a pair of LSU pitchers are no different. Junior Sydney Berzon posted a career ERA of 1.84 and a career record of 34-17. Transfer pitcher redshirt senior Ashley Vallejo played four seasons at McNeese State and accumulated a 2.44 ERA and a 45-24 record.