When Texas women’s golf finished second at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge in February, it felt like a new chapter had begun. After a break solely dedicated to cognitive conditioning, the Longhorns finally looked settled. 

However, a seventh-place finish in Florida a couple of weeks later complicated that narrative — revealing what this team is still working to become.

While that tension may be unwelcome in most places, head coach Laura Ianello embraces it. For Texas, the value isn’t in riding the highs or dwelling on the lows — it’s in the balance of dissecting both.

In California, that balance was evident.

“That’s what we did in Palos Verdes,” junior Farah O’Keefe said, “We were process-related there. That’s what works.”

Instead of chasing score sheets, the Longhorns leaned into routine — committing to shot selection, controlling emotions and a steady body language. For the first time all season, the Longhorns found themselves on the podium with a second-place finish. But finishing runner-up gave more than just a result. It instilled confidence in a team desperate for change. 

“In the locker room … it’s probably the most the team has been clicking in the last two years,” O’Keefe said. “There (were) a lot of moments where we were complaining, and we all kind of felt bad for ourselves, and … we were all being drained last semester. … This semester, I feel like we’re there to lift each other up. Like, who cares if you play bad? You’re still a great person, and I’m still excited to see you.”

That shift reflects a bigger focus for the Longhorns this year; identifying when being a drain and choosing to become a fountain — pouring energy and encouragement into teammates no matter the scenario.

“I think the ladies as a whole are a lot more mindful of behaviors, and I think that they’re able to identify when they are a fountain,” Ianello said. “They’re giving to others, they’re cheering for their teammates, because nobody, especially women, … (wants) to be a drain.”

Entering Florida with a renewed culture, few on the team could have expected the result that weekend. Texas left the Moon Golf Invitational with a seventh-place finish after shooting 16-over par, far from the standard they previously set. Ianello saw this as an opportunity.

“I’m glad this happened, because you know what? We finished second place the week before, and maybe we were feeling a little too good about ourselves,” Ianello said. “Maybe we didn’t prepare (as) physically as we should have. Therefore, it’s good that this happened now, so we can go home, we can find our weaknesses (and) continue to prepare.”

Since coming back from those forsaken Florida fairways, Texas hasn’t treated the results as a derailment. Practice plans haven’t changed, nor has the language in the locker room. If anything, that weekend reinforced what the Longhorns had already been emphasizing. And with half a season remaining, Ianello’s confidence hasn’t wavered.

“I see the work every day,” Ianello said. “I see the effort that they’re putting in to get better. And you know what? Results might not come tomorrow, results might not come in a week, but I sure as hell know that results will come.”