Lady Vols are set for defending champ Texas in World Series opener
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The day has arrived, and the Lady Vols of Tennessee will get to work in the NCAA Women’s College World Series as they take on the Texas Longhorns.
“Just great to be here,” Lady Vols head coach Karen Weekly said on Wednesday. “No better place to be this time of year than Oklahoma City.”
Tennessee and Texas did not meet in the regular season, but that could work to Tennessee’s advantage. The Lady Vols hadn’t met Georgia prior to the Super Regionals, and that turned out just fine.
“Their offense is very dynamic,” Weekly said. “They’ve got the righty power. They’ve got the lefties who can spray the ball all over the field, hit with power, run really, really well. They have a little bit of everything. You don’t expect anything less here at the World Series. They’re going to be a tough opponent to beat, but I think our team will be ready for the challenge.”
Who to Watch
Katie Stewart leads the way, hitting .434 with 27 home runs and 68 RBIs while posting a 1.560 OPS. Reese Atwood backs her up behind the plate, batting .343 with 18 homers, 59 RBIs and a .717 slugging percentage.
In the circle, they are led by Teagan Kavan. Kavan owns a 23-5 record and a 2.56 ERA. She has a 46.2 fly-ball percentage, with 9.1 percent of those leaving the yard. Citlaly Gutierrez has been a consistent arm as well. The senior owns a 9-3 record with a 2.21 ERA.
Knight’s Time
Tennessee’s runs last week against Georgia were scored off home runs, and the Lady Vols have four in the double-digit home run category who could leave the park on the right pitch. One player who recorded her first two homers of the season in that series, Sophia Knight, could be the offensive X-factor for the Lady Vols.
“I think there’s still more in Sophia, like we saw it last week; here she comes with the swing, which probably we hadn’t used as much this season and really is the difference-maker for us offensively against Georgia,” Weekly said.
The Lady Vols and Longhorns carry plenty of history into this one. Texas ended Tennessee’s 2025 season with a 2-0 win in the College World Series, so the Lady Vols will have a chance at some payback to open this year’s run. With both lineups capable of doing damage, the team that gets the timely hit and the steady work in the circle should have the edge.
Where to watch Tennessee vs. Texas
Tennessee and Texas are scheduled for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Devon Park in Oklahoma City.
