The long-awaited return of college baseball is almost over and for the first time in over 250 days, the lights inside UFCU Disch-Falk Field will shine as Texas baseball is now on the precipice of opening day.
The Longhorns return to the diamond after finishing with a 44–14 record, their best since 2010, in year one under head coach Jim Schlossnagle. Now entering year two at the helm, Schlossnagle and his ball club, with many new and old faces, will take the field for the first time in the 2026 season to take on UC Davis in a three-day series starting Friday.
“I’m excited, you know, just a chance to open the season at home,” Schlossnagle said on opening the season at The “Disch.” “Hopefully, our fans are excited, I know they are, and hopefully they’ll show up, and we’ll have a great crowd.
A member of the Big West conference, UC Davis ended the 2025 season with a 27-28 overall record and a 13-17 record in conference play. UC Davis brings back two key players from their 2025 season: two-way player senior Braydon Wooldridge and redshirt senior pitcher Noel Valdez.
At the plate, Wooldridge saw action in 54 games, leading the team with 188 at-bats and 54 hits, as well as recording 23 RBIs, two home runs and three stolen bases. On the mound, Wooldridge pitched in 10 innings with eight strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA en route to a Big West honorable mention last season.
The Aggies return one of their top arms from a season ago in Valdez. The veteran pitcher started 14 games in 2025 and led the team with 80 innings pitched, recording a 3.72 ERA, 65 strikeouts and forcing an opposing batting average of .275.
The Aggies are led by head coach Tommy Nicholson, who heads into his fifth season at the helm of UC Davis, totaling a 79-127 record over the past four years. Nicholson is no stranger to the Forty Acres, with the Aggies’ head coach having deep burnt orange ties.
A Texas baseball alumnus, playing for the Longhorns at the turn of the century under legendary Longhorns head coach Augie Garrido. Nicholson was an integral part of the squad that reached the 2000 College World Series.
Nicholson hit .327 over his collegiate career at Texas with 223 hits, nine home runs, 114 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. He was also named the team’s most valuable player in both 1999 and 2000.
Furthering those ties, Nicholson began his coaching career in Austin, joining Garrido’s staff as a volunteer assistant from 2009-10. After a few years away, the now UC Davis head coach returned to Texas as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator from 2013 to 2016.
